Used 1996 Volvo 850 Consumer Reviews
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What a sleeper
We have a 850R wagon with automatic. When I put my 850 in sport mode, the computer lets the engine rev and the turbo give more boost. I don't want to admit it, but this little red wagon will beat my 2003 Porsche Boxster. The turbo power keeps pushing and the engine is a tiny 2.3l inline 5. I laugh as I pull away from cars - those Mustang GT's don't have great takeoff. The suede/leather seats are very comfortable and the heat is nice. Of course the safety aspect is tops for Volvo. Handling is good. Brakes are solid. Reliability is good for a European car. We've had the odo, radiator, ash tray, mass airflow sensor go out. The rear view mirror shook loose and was put back on.
a truly great car and hard worker
i bought my volvo from a friend of mine.. he had neglected to car somewhat,so i had to do a few maintenance things. this car is easy to work on,parts for the most part are inexpensive. although there are a few things i wouldn't fix myself. over cheap to up keep.. fun as hell to drive.,flip it into sport mode and away you..,it's fast,.,responsive,over engineered.the only complaint would be gas mileage in the city.,but still not awful.. just could be better.. i love my volvo.
First Car, But not the last Volvo!
I purchased my 96' 850 in 2009, as my first car, with 112k miles on it. Other than a few select electrical & accessory issues (radio, sunroof, bulbs), and irksome mechanical issues (ac compressor failure) this car has been a complete joy to own. Without a doubt the most comfortable car I've had the pleasure of driving. Smooth, quiet and the exhaust note is quite soothing. Engine reliability has been flawless. I can't say enough great things about this car, just make sure to keep a few extra bucks socked away for maintenance.
My miracle car!
Bought my used Volvo 850 with over 200,000 miles at a time when we were really pressed to have an extra vehicle (multiple kids in college needing cars to get to work). With the mileage on the car being over 200,000, we were expecting it to be a temporary fix. However, we had it for 3 years and drove it past 270,000 miles and would likely have had it for several years more except our teenage son totaled it. Thankfully no one was hurt since the car is like a tank, but we were very saddened that the accident put it out of commission. I would buy another one in a heartbeat, even and older model with a lot of miles.
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22 years young
One of the safest vehicles on the road. Bought mine new. Service regularly for low maintenance cost (hard to find dealerships in many areas). Still gets 22 city miles per gallon. My Platinum Limited Edition Model is one of the few (only 300 sold) left on the road, too bad, great vehicle.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value