The 2006 Volvo S80 now includes leather seating surfaces, a power moonroof, console wood inlays, a wood-trimmed steering wheel, a power passenger’s seat, 17-inch alloy wheels, and sport seats as standard equipment. The T6 trim line has been deleted, but the T6-style “watch dial” instrumentation has been carried over to the T5. The T5 AWD model gets a new Instant Traction version of all-wheel drive, and two new stand-alone options include 18-inch wheels and chrome-finish 17-inch wheels. Lastly, a new exterior color, Willow Green, replaces Platinum Green and Crystal Green.

Volvo’s venerable flagship, the S80, comes to the U.S. in two flavors: the 2.5T and 2.5T AWD. Both are powered by a turbocharged and intercooled 2.5L, inline-five-cylinder engine producing 208 hp. A 5-speed automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels in the 2.5T and all wheels in the 2.5T AWD version.

The S80, Volvo's flagship sedan, is nearing the final days of its product lifecycle, at least in its current iteration. In a segment where the competition is heating up from Audi, Cadillac and BMW, Volvo has rightly decided to load up this year's model with more standard features in the hopes of attracting buyers. For its part, the S80 offers all the safety features expected of a premium sedan, but the lack of a V8 engine and an aging interior design may detract some first-time Volvo buyers.