I really think some of you are unfairly going off on Volvo's "cheap" plastic interrior. On the contrary, the platics used in Volvos are mostly much better than in most other cars made now. I have had 4 Volvo's, and a number of other cars over the past 20 years (VW, Chevy/GMC, Ford, Honda, Nisson, Toyota, Subaru, and yes even a Hyundai). In my business I have had the opportunity to rent several hundred cars in that time. They are all filled with plastic, my 2003 Honda Odyssey has nothing but plastic - and it is all hard plastic, though it is very high quality. On many cars I have had many parts just break off in my hand or seriously warp from normal summer heat. The coatings on the plastic parts (chrome, soft feel materials, etc) have often come right off in a short time. I had a Honda Accord where the chrome covering on the plastic door handles pealed off on two of the fours doors. The hood unlocking lever under the dash of my Passat broke right off in my hand when the car was a few months old. The seat back plastics have broke right off on a Chevy Malibu and a GMC Sierra. My two Subaru's had too many rattles to locate. The plastics on my in-law's Saab 95 are all easily scratched, as it was on both of my Passats.

The main difference seems to be the quality of the plastics (density/weight, strength, etc.), and I feel the plastics in the Volvo's are a step above most. The Volvo dash thing is just something that happens to 850's and 70's, like other things that happen to all cars. Unfortunately it can be expensive.

The Volvo is still the safest and one of the better vehicles one can buy, though I personnaly would not by one brand new due to cost.