1990 Volvo 740 Turbo Tested: Still Square But More Speedy

From the June 1990 issue of Car and Driver.

“Wow, what a Volvo!” Not an expres­sion you hear very often, right? Volvos have always been safety-oriented, family­-hauling vehicles. And although the tur­bocharged versions have made family driving a little more fun, the marque has never specialized in cars to shout about. But now Volvo has the Generation 3 tur­bo, a new engine that deserves a more enthusiastic reception.

Volvo holds the U.S. sales lead in the European-luxosedan market, a category under serious competitive pressures these days. To hold its edge over Saab, Sterling, and Audi, Volvo sticks with tried-and-true marketing, pushing safe­ty, dependability, and value (though the company’s pricing is now only competitive rather than value-oriented). And for those who need more, there is that turbo­charged pep.

The new 740 Turbo is still every bit a Volvo, meaning it still looks like a box. Nothing much new in styling, just a few minor changes for 1990. Among them, the taillights are similar to those found on the sporty—or rather, sportier—780. The body panels have been smoothed a little, and the front grille has a sharper angle for better wind-carving ability. But the overall shape is still distinctly Volvo.

Nor has much changed inside the new 740. The seats are very firm, to prevent submarining under the seatbelt in an ac­cident. The seat-adjustment controls are oddly placed on three sides of the bottom cushion, and the rake-adjustment knob is so far back that it’s almost in the rear compartment. But a comfortable driving position can be found. The turn-­signal and wiper stalks are still too high, requiring a bit of a reach. And all of the straight lines and boxed-off areas of the dash look as if only a T-square were used in the design. This makes for clear defini­tion and simple instrumentation, but the interior appearance is very conservative, matching the exterior lines.

Safety is still a primary Volvo focus. The crumple sections of the car, the air bag, and the reinforced cabin all add to higher chances for survival in an acci­dent. But avoiding a collision in the first place is at least as important, and the anti-lock brakes and the quick accelera­tion from the turbocharged and in­tercooled engine help there.

Of course, a lively engine means some­thing more to the driving enthusiast: good performance. The Generation 3 turbo reaches its maximum boost pres­sure at a low 1800 rpm, removing virtual­ly any sense of turbo lag—or even turbo build, for that matter. Step on the gas from a dead stop and boost peaks in sec­onds. This is the advantage of having a small, lightweight turbine in the turbo­charger. There are disadvantages, too. Boost builds quickly but doesn’t help much at high rpm, hence the horsepower peak at a modest 4800 rpm. The kick of the turbo is always there for quick bursts of speed, but its effect trails off at maxi­mum revs. The engine does not like to climb much past 5000 rpm, even though it is redlined at 6000 rpm.

But the 740 Turbo has plenty of grunt to get up and go. Its acceleration times of 7.2 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and 24.8 seconds from 0 to 100 are impressive for a big luxury sedan. Because the boost peaks so quickly, power gets to the ground almost immediately—and with rear-wheel drive, the tires easily break loose on dirty or rainy roads. Amazingly, this 3081-pound family hauler can also stop from 70 mph in just 174 feet.

One disappointment is the four-speed automatic transmission. The autobox doesn’t like to shift down to its lowest possible gear when the pedal is floored. Cruising at 35 mph and stomping on the gas will only get second gear out of the transmission, even though the engine could easily handle first gear and still have plenty of revs to go. The added thrust of the lower gear would allow bet­ter passing ability and, sometimes, more accident-avoidance options.

Another problem is that the car carries a pretty weighty price tag for a product that promotes value as an incentive: $28,100 as tested, with $895 leather­-faced upholstery as the only option. The Volvo does have a long list of standard equipment: power windows, locks, mir­rors, and sunroof, cruise control, and heated seats. And its base price of $26,840 puts the 740 right on par with the Audi 100 ($26,900), the Saab 900 Turbo ($26,045), and the Sterling 827Si ($26,500). Volvo used to represent clear value for money. Now its cars trade at the standard market price.

Volvo has maintained its style and im­age through thick and thin, and its cars will always have their idiosyncrasies. But the 740 Turbo can make family driving a lot of fun. The instant response from the turbo is a nice kick in the pants, and the car feels safe and secure. We’d like to see more enthusiastic running above 5000 rpm, and the rear-wheel drive is a take-it-­or-leave-it trade-off, especially if you live in a bad-weather climate. But this car makes an excellent case for Volvo’s con­tinued market leadership among Euro­pean luxury sedans.

Specifications

Specifications

1990 Volvo 740 Turbo
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE

Base/As Tested: $26,840/$28,100

ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled SOHC inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 141 in³, 2316 cm³
Power: 162 bhp @ 4800 rpm 

TRANSMISSION
4-speed automatic 

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 109.1 in
Length: 188.4 in
Curb Weight: 3081 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 7.2 sec
100 mph: 24.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.7 sec @ 86 mph
Top Speed: 119 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 174 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g 

C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 16 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/City/Highway: 18 mpg 

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED