A C E R T A l N
STYLELife might be tough for a lot of Eur- all the renowned Volvo virtues of ope s major car manufacturers right safety, solidity and durability built-in. now, but in Sweden, business It s a thoroughly up-to-date machine seems to be booming. in every single respect - a clean Volvo in particular appear com- sheet of paper design - and one that fortably detached from the harsh owes nothing whatsoever to the realities of today s car market. While Volvos of the past. the big guns are locked in a bitter For a start, it s front-wheel drive - and costly struggle for dominance in the first that Volvo have put into pro- the volume sector, Volvo are in the duction. Its body, light but very tough fortunate position of being able to go and constructed partly from resilient their own way, trading profitably composite materials backed up by both home and abroad in the pro- high strength steel, is robot-built, low cess. They have found, as have Mer- slung and aerodynamic. Not as slip- cedes and others, that there s a pery as some rivals mind, but at strong and growing worldwide 0.34Cd it s well up to class stan- demand for quality, well-made cars, dards. Significantly, Volvo haven t let ones with the right upmarket image the quest for a fashionably low drag and aura. Especially so in North co-efficient compromise the every- America where anything European day practicality of the car. The front is in and that automotive equivalent screen wipers are a good example: of a designer label - a prestigious the wipers are partly recessed tailgate logo - is regarded as very (instead of tucked completely below high status indeed. the bonnet line as on other stream- And it s America where the vast lined cars) which admittedly doesn t majority of Volvo s new sports do much for body airflow but at least coupe, the 480 ES, will be headed. makes it easier to free frozen wipers There are plans for some 20,000 to in icy and snowy conditions. A small be sold there in 1987 while the UK but logical point. arm of Volvo s operations will have The presence of those dominant to make do with far less - around impact resistant bumpers, which 2000 units by current estimates. Volvo say will withstand a 5mph col- That means the 480 ES is bound to lision without deformation, probably be in short supply when it does adds about 6-8ins to the Volvo s eventually arrive here in the spring. overall length. At 167.6ins, it s signifi- In mainland Europe though, it s been cantly shorter than near Capri and on sale for some while, having first Audi rivals (VW s Scirocco however appeared at the 1986 Geneva Show. is actually shorter than the 480) In some cases, the presence of a although width and height are high profile, sports coupe can have broadly similar, as is wheelbase. the planned effect of brightening up Inside, where the Volvo seats the an otherwise lack lustre model front occupants comfortably, not to range, the idea being that some of say luxuriously, there s also room the glamour attached to it would rub behind for two adults to travel in off on some of the duller versions. reasonable comfort. This was one of Not that Volvo conceived the 480 ES the main criteria laid down by the It s one of the most radical with that purpose in mind. Quite the design team at Volvo BV in Holland, opposite. Their strong-selling family whose original outline proposals for Volvos yet. The sporting 480 of saloons and estates is popular the car six years ago were accepted enough as it is. ahead of those of three other ES, front-wheel drive and No, the newcomer - Volvo s spi ri- sources: Volvo Sweden, Bertone tual successor to the famous Simon and the little-known Italian styling Dutch-built, centres on Templar P1800 coupe of the sixties - house of Coggiola. The 480, the sleekness and style - as has appeared for an entirely differ- directive said, had to be able to seat ent reason. To appeal to the modern up to four adults in comfort - and so does Honda s refined breed of coupe driver, the person it does, inside a well equipped, interested in style and sportiness sporty cabin. The Dutch connection Aerodeckwhich lines up rather than out-and-out practicality. continues by the way, for the 480 is Someone a little younger than the built at Volvo s plant in Born, near against the new Volvo in this typical current Volvo buyer, the Eindhoven, albeit in left-hand drive exclusive twin test. They re driver who might perhaps own a form only at present. Scirocco or Fuego. Until now, Initially, the 480 is available in just natural rivals but one just Volvo s catalogue had nothing that one form. Under its long, sloping came anywhere close to that ideal. bonnet lies the rather tame 1721cc has the advantage Naturally the 480 ES comes with Cleon four cylinder engine, a unit
57
TWIN TEST:
H 0 N D A A E R O D E C K
Wedge-shaped Honda has smooth, uncluttered profile. Deep windows give excellent visibility. Highly refined 2.0-litre engine has 12 valve head and gives effortless performance but fuel thirstcan be heavy with fastdriving. Optional four- speedauto box is very responsive. Honda's interior features wide, comfortable seats in the front but short rear bench and poorly shaped tailgate compartment. Finish throughoutis to Honda's usual high standard
1. Clock 2. Heated rearscreen 3. Rheostat 4. Revcounter 5. Speedometer 6 Fuel 7. Temperature 8. Rear fogs 9 Horn 10. Driving lights 11. Indicators, wipers 12. Fan 13. Heater temp
Volvo co-build with Renault (who At the front, suspension is conven- Steering sees the refinement of tive US market where Honda are use it in the R11 and R21) and which tional enough with MacPherson variable power assistance as stan- especially strong - even more so also appears in Volvo s 300 series. struts, lower wishbones and roll bar. dard. At parking speeds, the Volvo s than the Swedes-there s no limit to For the 480 though, it s gained multi- However Volvo engineers have rack and pinion system receives full the number of cars they can sell. point fuel injection and Bosch spent quite some time ensuring that servo assistance- but this gradually There the 480 versus Aerodeck engine management electronics. the car doesn t suffer from any anti- decreases as driving speed builds showroom battle is likely to be pretty Power has risen to 109bhp at social front-drive habits such as up, to the point where there s practi- keen once the swoopy, front-drive 5800rpm (up from the 81bhp of the wheel scrabbling under power and cally no assistance at, say, motor- Volvo fully comes on stream. carburettor version) with torque of poor traction, so have modified the way speeds. Gearing is nigh on per- When last year Honda unveiled 103lb ft peaking at 4000rpm. suspension bushing accordingly. fect atjust 3.1 turns lock to lock. their new, third generation Accords, This high compression low fric- Also present are near equal-length To find a suitable rival for the 480 the surprise was how un-Japanese tion engine sits transversely driveshafts, which help keep the car ES, we straightaway looked across they were. Bigger, more prestigious- between the front driving wheels, stable under hard acceleration. to Honda whose stylish three-door looking and far more European in mounted in unit with a five-speed Rear suspension, consisting of a Aerodeck is very much a car in the style both inside and out, they transaxle on a detachable subframe. dead beam axle, coil-sprung and same mould. It s the sporting hatch- showed the way Honda wanted to Later, sometime in 1987, Volvo pro- located by a Panhard rod and Watts back member of Honda s latest go: upmarket, towards BMW and the raise an automatic option for the 480 linkages seems more designed for Accord range and like the Volvo is profitable executive sector. Indeed along with a more powerful 1.7 turbo predictable, sporting handling rather highly specified, expensively engin- right from the outset, the Accord was version offering 125bhp - and also than optimum ride comfort. Although eered and fairly exclusive (in this designed with European roads and anti lock brakes. As tested, the 480 non-independent, it is an effective, case, because of Honda s limited driving styles specifically in mind. ran with four wheel disc braking. well-proven design, nevertheless. annual sales quota). But in the lucra- No expense was spared. New
58 What car? January 1987 HONDA AERODECK EXi, VOLVO 480 ES
V 0 L V 0 4 8 0 E S
Low slung, sleek and sporting-can the 480 ES really be a Volvo? In fact, its the first of a new generation of Dutch-built Volvos and is transverse-engined and front-drive. Torquey 1.7 litre injected engine powers the 480but a more powerful turbo is on the way. Fine road behaviour coupled with comfortable, well-appointed interior are hallmarks of the smartly presented 480 but rear accommodation is on the tight side . Tailgate space is small too. The Volvo s price has yet to be fixed
1. Rear fogs 2 Heated rear screen 3. Rev counter 4. Speedometer 5. Trip computer 6 Trip control 7. 011 pressure 8. Heater temperature 9 Volts 10. Fan 11. Clock 12. Hazard warning 13. Wipers 14. Driving lights 15 Lights, dip, indicators 16 Lights bodyshells, engines, drivetrains and EXi, is the version we test here. Volvo has these too, remember) to price, the Volvo could well appear interiors were all brought in. In fact Though the Aerodeck is so similar resulting in an identical 0.34Cd initially in Britain at around the just about the only thing carried over to the 480 ES in concept-from some figure. However, proving that £11,000 mark, which might well give from the previous Accord was the angles the two cars do look very appearances sometimes can be a few rivals some sleepless nights. name. From stem to stern, the much alike - it differs in some im- deceptive, the Honda is actually nar- Honda really was a new car. portant respects, such as suspen- rower than the Volvo yet longer in PERFORMANCE For Europe, two versions were sion design. Principally for a low wheelbase and bumper to bumper AERODECK available: four-door saloon and bonnet line (and thus a respectable length. Weight sees the 480 with a VOLVO Aerodeck hatch, both sharing the drag coefficient), Honda decided useful 2.1cwt advantage. same front-drive mechanical parts on coil-sprung double wishbone With the EXi badge, the Aerodeck Perhaps it s not as fast as it looks, and smart interior style. Under the suspension at the front, a formula certainly doesn t lack for equipment. but with a 116mph top speed and bonnet, the Honda boasted a new that has since spread across to the But then it does cost nearly £12,000 with a 0-60mph time of 8.9secs, the 1955cc all-alloy transverse engine Rover 800. Wishbones appear at the at showroom prices. Power steer- Volvo is respectably fast without with a belt-driven overhead cam- rear of the Aerodeck too and anti roll ing, electric windows, sunroof, anti being super-quick. shaft operating three valves per bars support both its front and rear lock all-disc brakes (Honda s own Our test 480 ES, lent to us by Volvo cylinder (two inlet, one exhaust). In axles. The end result sees the Aero- ALB system) and electric mirrors BV themselves, was a well run in, carburettor trim, 106bhp was avail- deck sitting close to the ground as are just part of the standard equip- willing performer. Its 1.7 injected able but with Honda s PGM-FI injec- intended, its smoothly profiled ment list. For its part, the 480 is also engine ran easily and responsively, tion, power went up to a more potent wedge outline - complete with pop- likely to be generously equipped - only becoming noisy if taken close to 120bhp, achieved at 5500rpm. This up front lights, flush-mounted side although its final UK specification the rev limiter set at 6200rpm. A latter hatchback Accord, badged glass and abruptly cut-off tail (the has of course yet to be decided. As slight and occasional hesitation on
What Car? January 1987 59 TWIN TEST: HONDA AERODECK EXI, VOLVO 480 ES overrun was the only sign of each other so well. There s not a Equally impressive is steering what the front wheels are doing. driving temperament. rough edge anywhere and dropping quality. The variable assistance Ride comfort, especially at low to To be honest, we were expecting down one ratio, or maybe two for results in perfect weighting and feel: medium speeds is first class, the the Volvo to be slower than it quick overtaking sees the Honda in fact overall, it s difficult to tell the damping making short work of actually was. However, having pick up briskly right through the rev system is power-assisted. The bumps and ridges. But motorway unstrapped our Piesler test equip- band, kickdown still being possible action is sharp and direct, particu- dips are less successfully taken care ment and analysed the computer even at 80mph speeds. larly at motorway speeds where the of. These see the Aerodeck lurch print-outs, we found the Volvo to be The Volvo might be quicker off the slightest move of the wheel instantly and wallow to a quite suprising comfortably inside the factory s mark but engine bay sophistication affects the car s direction. The firm, degree - again, very much the op- acceleration claims (that s 9.2 secs definitely favours the multivalve all-disc brakes bring the lightweight posite of the Volvo. to 60mph) but 2mph short at the top Honda Aerodeck and that, we feel, Volvo to a halt in confidence-inspir- end, where more than 118mph is just gives it the edge in this case. ing fashion, the pedal working pro- ACCOMMODATION quoted by Volvo. gressively and unobtrusively. With AERODECK We were also impressed by the HANDLING AND RIDE ALB anti lock brakes as part of the 480 s all-round flexibility. Although EXi package, the Honda has an VOLVO VOLVO the engine s torque peaks at advantage over the 480 - for the There s little to choose between the 4000rpm, there s plenty of pulling AERODECK moment at least - but Honda s sys- pair as far as interior spaciousness power on tap lower down - and Chalk and cheese here. The Volvo is tem which unusually allows one and luggage carrying ability are con- again the print outs show the 480 to the successful marriage of sporting front wheel to remain locked in an cerned. It s the Honda, though, that have the third and fourth gear flexi- handling, strong grip and a com- emergency can be caught out. There subjectively feels airier. Perhaps it s bility to match that of more powerful pliant ride. The Aerodeck on the are other ABS systems around the effect of that big front screen or machinery such as Ford s Sierra other hand, goes more for ride which are more sophisticated in con- simply that the Honda s side 2.0iS . Suprise number two. In fifth, comfort at the expense of cornering cept, but of course any type of anti windows are deeper and hence where the 480 ES reaches its maxi- tautness. Two different formulae pro- lock device is better than none at all. glassier. Compared to the 480, it mum with the engine rewing well ducing two different driving styles. The Aerodeck is at its best when seems wider and lower too although short of the red line, the Volvo also The enthusiast driver will immedi- cruising smoothly and seemingly the tape measure says otherwise. seems to lug quite vigorously, par- ately approve of the Volvo s quick effortlessly on the motorway. There, Inside, the Aerodeck provides a ticularly in the mid-range. reflexes and well-balanced hand- li ke the Volvo, it runs arrow true, un- couple of comfortably padded seats Adding to the sprightly perform- ling, neither of which comes at the affected by side winds. Around town in the front which support well and ance is a smooth, well-engineered gearchange which offers unbeatable syncromesh and a fluid gate action. The lever itself is a suitably solid affair as one would expect in a Volvo, yet it shifts between ratios lightly and precisely. As Honda supplied us with an Aerodeck fitted with the company s own four-speed automatic gearbox, naturally we are not able to make direct performance comparisons between the two cars. Although surely one of the smoothest, most responsive auto boxes currently available, its pres- ence is almost certainly going to compromise the Honda s acceler- ation to a slight degree. Indeed, compared to the Accord EXi which in five-speed manual trim managed 0-60mph in 9.4secs in our hands, the Aerodeck needs an extra 0.4secs for the acceleration yardstick. That makes it nearly 1.0sec slower to 60mph than the lighter, more com- pact 480 which moves progressively further and further ahead as speed builds up. Changing gear manually expense of an unremitting ride. too, it s very refined. But power it offer simple adjustment for backrest with the Honda, instead of letting the Suspension control is extremely along a twisting country road and the rake and cushion fore and aft. But box do it for you, doesn t improve the good, permitting safe, neutral- underlying softness of its suspen- less satisfactory is the positioning of Aerodeck s test track times, inciden- biased cornering without undue roll sion soon crops up, the Honda suc- the side wheel to raise the height of tally: on the contrary, we found that and a ride quality that s comfortable cumbing to wallowy understeer long cushion: this is awkwardly close to overall, it added 1.1secs to the and effective in soaking up road before the cornering limit. It is, the door and difficult to reach. No standstill to 60mph run. shocks. The presence of those though, quite a safe, entirely predict- problems, though, with the Aero- With intermediate speeds of equal-length driveshafts means a able kind of understeer. deck s basic driving position which 32mph, 58mph and 90mph, the welcome absence of torque steer Not that the Honda s power steer- combines a tiltable wheel with Honda ended up with a best two-way under power - not that the Volvo ing is ideally suited to fast driving. ideally positioned pedals and gener- 112mph maximum in top which really has the bhp under the bonnet Though the weighting does firm up ous head, leg and shoulder room. again gives the Volvo the advantage. to upset such a carefully set-up at speed, the set-up doesn t quite The Volvo betters the Honda in Theoretically at least. So why first suspension in the first place. As it is, possess the feel and precision of some respects, most notably in its place and a full five blobs for the the chassis can easily handle the Volvo s system. However, at just range of seat adjustments which are Japanese car? On account of the horsepower available. over three turns lock to lock, the ratio more versatile and convenient to superb all-round refinement of its The car feels entirely predictable is exactly the same. For parking, the use. There s adjustable lumbar sup- sewing-machine smooth 2.0-litre and chuckable. With hard driving, a steering is very light - you can liter- port for example and a simple floor engine and the instant, effortless degree of understeer does eventu- ally twirl the wheel with one hand - lever for cushion tilt - the cushion kickdown response of the trans- ally start to creep in but it s easy to but on the move, the driver always having an effective two-stage move- mission, both of which complement kill with a fractional throttle lift. feels just that little bit distanced from ment, front to rear. The slim seats
What Car? January 1987 61 TWIN TEST: hold you tightly but comfortably. as much visibility as possible for Panel fit and paint quality are to of 27.0mpg. The Aerodeck was The doors of the Volvo open wide overtaking. In the same situation, the Honda s usual high standard, while clearly thirstier: its fuel range was for easy access to the front. Those of optional air conditioning is instantly inside the Aerodeck is also well 19.7mpg (following performance the Honda on the other hand are irri- by-passed so as not to compromise finished throughout. testing) going up to a best of 26.0mpg tatingly heavy, the awkward door engine power. The presentation of the Aero and overall average of 22.8mpg. catches not helping either. In other Volvos, this kind of deck s instrument pack parallels that That doesn t look promising but Move to the back - not easy in obsessive attention to detail is of BMW for style and clarity but early last year we saw 32.1 mpg from either car as only the front backrests sometimes overdone but with the minor switches and knobs are unti- the Accord EXi saloon with five tip forward for access-and there the 480 it thankfully doesn t grate. There dily scattered along the dashboard. manual speeds, so the Aerodeck 480 mirrors the Honda in having are no irritating bleepers or buzzers The column stalks operate with slick does have good economy potential. split-fold seats and limited luggage for instance - and the interior pres- efficiency though, and the one-shot Insurance for the Honda is group accommodation. A central console entation is smart and the fittings, electric window switch on the six and we would expect the Volvo to with lockable compartment means such as the simple-to-operate on- driver s door is a useful touch. be in a similar bracket. Warranty that space is strictly for two only board computer, logically laid out. Neither Volvo nor Honda have cover is the customary 12 month/un- whereas the Aerodeck can conceiv- The computer monitors such func- particularly effective heating/ li mited mileage package in each ably squeeze three across the back tions as engine oil level and average ventilation systems. The Volvo s is case. Honda s anti-rust protection but for short distances only. speed, instantaneous fuel consump- certainly comprehensive, running to lasts for six years whereas Volvo You wouldn t perhaps expect a tion and outside air temperature. no fewer than six air vents on the don t offer a rust clause in the car like the 480 to offer saloon-style The principal dashboard controls dashboard but it s unable to com- accepted sense: they do, though, spaciousness in the back but while are all within easy reach and, for the bine hot and cool air simultaneously have their Lifetime Care scheme head and knee space are restricted most part, sensibly positioned. We and on a wet day, finding the right which covers all aspects of the car. to a certain extent, the Volvo can weren t so happy with the rocker setting for window demist/fresh air Servicing sees both cars have accommodate an average-sized switches to the left of the dashboard flow is difficult, if not impossible. The major services at 12,000-mile inter- adult in reasonable comfort, albeit though, which are partially obscured Honda s controls are less elaborate vals, with half-way check-ups. The with knees resting against the front by the rather ugly, height-adjustable but sadly no more successful in this Honda s service last for 2.8 hours, to seats and feet tucked underneath. A wheel. Also, we would have pre- respect. the Volvo s shorter 1.0 hour time. welcome refinement is the adjust- able backrest recline, which obvi- VERDICT ously helps with the headroom prob- VOLVO lem. Not that you can see much AERODECK while in the back of the Volvo, Prepare yourself for a shock. The though: forward vision is limited by 480 ES is genuinely fun to drive, the the tall front backrests. In the Aero- most unVolvo-like Volvo yet and the deck, the seats are shorter and the winner, by a short head, of this hemmed-in feeling of the Volvo is closely-fought contest. absent. The side windows open too. The principal difference between Neither car has a big boot. The Volvo and Honda comes under Aerodeck s tailgate incorporates an handling and ride where the former unusual glass roof panel and is for- is enjoyably taut and responsive, the ward-hinged to facilitate loading of Aerodeck altogether softer and less bulky items. The Volvo has instead a sporting. The Volvo will appeal to the simple hinged window but like the enthusiast driver, although that s not Honda suffers from a poorly-shaped, to say it has a numbingly hard ride, high silted load floor with space- and noisy, cammy engine. It is a re- encroaching suspension turrets. A fined all-rounder with well-balanced vertically-mounted space saver tyre handling, compliant ride, useful cuts down further on the Volvo s mis- (though not spectacular) perform- erable 5.6cu ft capacity and you have ance and smart finish. Its oddball to drop down the rear seats for styling won t appeal to everyone - decent load volume. the nose in particular could hardly be described as pretty-and interior LIVI NG WITH THE CARS spaciousness isn t its strongest VOLVO feature there being a small boot and room for just two in the back. AERODECK ferred to see the electric window COSTS Without doubt, the Aerodeck is an You expect-and get- plenty of com- switches on the doors instead of excellent car. It has a superb 12- monsense in a Volvo and the 480 is hidden away on the floor console. VOLVO valve engine offering smooth, willing no exception. When you unlock the But the general solidity and quality AERODECK performance and a transmission driver s door for example, the finish of the Volvo is unmistakable, that s slick and responsive. The central locking system automatically the car imparting a strong feeling of We have to guess a little here Honda has an effortless driving style switches off the (standard) burglar security. At speed, it s also markedly because there are some important and easily matches the Volvo for alarm which triggers the car s horn quieter than the Aerodeck which lets pieces missing from the Volvo s presentation, equipment and practi- should a forced entry be attempted. through proportionally more wind costs jigsaw. We don t, for instance, cality. While we would like to see Locking the car re-arms the alarm. and tyre roar. The suspension is know what its UK price will be more positive suspension control Another facility sees the auxiliary better supressed too. The Aero- (although £11,000 or perhaps even and firmer power steering to go with driving lights stay on for 30 seconds deck doesn t come with as much lower has been suggested) and its the Honda s pretty shape (although when the car is parked after a night electronic trickery as the Volvo but insurance grouping is another un- Honda lovers probably won t mind drive; flick the flasher stalk and the day-to-day, it s still highly refined known. As to parts prices and this anyway), the Aerodeck is never- lights come on to help you find your and easy to live with. Like the Dutch general servicing costs, those too theless a very well engineered car way from car to house. car, it s well specified as standard have yet to be confirmed. with a quality image to rival Volvo s There s more. Apply full throttle but the non-availability of central Though on this showing the 480 is However the Volvo, lighter, more while the wipers are in intermediate locking is a surprising (and some- shown to be the more economical economical, better noise-sup- mode, and the Volvo s Electronic In- what annoying) omission. car, remember we are comparing pressed and with a likely price formation Centre computer auto- It s the mechanical sophistication automatic and manual trans- advantage, is a car with more con- matically switches them to continual of the Aerodeck that really stands missions. During our Dutch test, the sistent all-round ability. We could wipe, the logic being that in poor out and marks it down as a car that s Volvo ranged between 25.9- quite happily live with either car, but weather conditions, the driver needs both easy and rewarding to drive. 28.2mpg, emerging with an average it s the Volvo that just wins.
62 What Car? January 1987 What Car? January 1987