The V stands for versatility. That one little letter gives us a good idea of Volvos hopes and dreams for the 2009 Volvo V50 before we even begin to look into its workings. Volvo’s objectives for this car are broad, but perhaps unattainable. By their own admission, they sought to make a sturdy, sporty and versatile vehicle without compromise. That has got to be tricky for the 2009 Volvo V50 to live up to, but how did it do?

The first thing noticeable about the V50 is its uncompromising build quality. Volvo has seemingly made a decision early in development to build the car they want and then price it accordingly. This results in an absolutely uncompromised performance, handling, fixture and fitting quality, but it does thrust the car into the high price range for the market.

Though the V50 may impress with its uncompromising quality, it is smaller than most competing wagons, and the expense for all the extra features and design might put people off when BMW and Audi offer perfectly suitable cars at less of a premium.

The V50’s basic five-cylinder engine is standard for the 2.4i trim level and provides 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. It’s decent performance, but doesn’t warm the blood like the turbocharged 2.5-liter which comes with the V50 T5 models. This beast of an engine cranks out a substantial 227 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.

Overall, the V50 is a tricky bundle to rate. The 2009 Volvo V50’s uncompromising engineering and design results in a generally excellent machine which sports great handling and performance even at basic trim levels. The usual luxury internals and entertainment systems suffice, but shoppers should ask themselves if they are willing to pay the premium for a machine like this. In the end, it might just come down to how much space you need.