Volvo V50 Defective Throttle Valve

That sounds frustrating! While I don’t have experience with Volvos specifically, I had a somewhat similar issue with my old 2012 Opel Astra. It wasn't exactly the same, but it would feel like the car was being choked, like someone was slowly stepping on the brakes. The car went into limp mode and sometimes the engine stalled. I think the air flow was somehow restricted, maybe the air intake. Does your engine idle smoothly, or is it rough?

Interesting analogy. My engine idling isn't perfectly smooth, and there's a slight response delay when accelerating. What was the resolution for your Opel Astra? Was it a costly repair?

Well, the Opel Astra situation turned out to be somewhat less spectacular than I feared, but annoying nonetheless. It did end up costing money. While I am not a mechanic, my advice would be go to the workshop. They'll be able to run diagnostics and pinpoint the exact culprit. It could save you money in the long run.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I took it to the workshop, and the diagnostics confirmed a defective throttle valve, the cost was 265€. As suggested, it did indeed involve the electronics inside. Appreciate the advice!