- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
121kW, 240Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 9.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Volvo upgrades the roaring 40s
The Good: Torquey engine, seats, safety package
The Bad: Small, lacks luxury feel of rivals
Rating:
Four stars (out of five)
The mid-life upgrade of Volvos - the S and V40 models - has made little difference to the appearance of compact prestige cars. Changes to the body shape of the 40 series, which was, of course, the car that took Volvo on its first big step towards more rounded, youthful and sporty-looking cars, have been limited to new lights front and rear and slightly more aggressive front guards.
Not big changes by any means, but Volvo recognised that the 40 Series had other more pressing areas needing attention - dynamics and refinement.
Originally developed with the help of Mitsubishi, using its European Charisma model, these relatively humble origins were always going to hold the wee Volvo back against more fancied rivals from BMW and Benz.
Now under Ford's wing and part of the Premier Automotive Group, which is headed by former BMW heavy and product guru Wolfgang Reitzle, there is a renewed focus on engineering and dynamics.
This focus is immediately obvious in the updated V40 wagon, with the front-end being substantially revised. The track is wider and while the same basic suspension parts remain, the lower wishbone and steering housing are new.
The changes have increased the car's wheelbase by 12mm, and along with updated springs and damper settings, the car's ride is noticeably improved.
Helped by less-aggressive tyres, the car has lost much of the bounce and chop that it previously displayed, with a more progressive and controlled ride now in place. It's still not up with a 3-Series, or even the Lexus IS200, but it is much closer.
The steering also shows improvement, feeling more crisp and communicative than before, and the car turns into corners with a bit more enthusiasm.
When pushed, understeer or front-end push is still on the V40 handling menu, but it's dished up in slightly smaller and more palatable amounts.
A peaceful cabin is always welcome in this class of car and the update has brought improvements here with drivetrain upgrades and engine modifications reducing the amount of noise and vibration.
The original 2.0-litre light-pressure turbo engine was a more than decent performer, with large dollops of torque at low engine revs right where you needed it.
However, engine upgrades, including a reduction in friction and reciprocating masses and the adoption of continuously variable-valve-timing, has lifted peak power and torque.
The updated engine develops 121kW compared with 118kW for the old motor, while torque has jumped a more worthwhile 10Nm to 240Nm. The torque peak still comes in at a handy 1800rpm and it's held all the way to 4500rpm.
Buy the automatic model and you'll find the five-speed box previously found on the bigger Volvos. While it lacks manual tiptronic control, the quality of the shift changes and gear selection are better than before.
Volvo claims the manual T will hit 100kmh from rest in eight seconds when mated to the five-speed manual and take 9.4 seconds in automatic form. The big gap in performance between the auto and manual is noticeable, with the manual feeling far more spritely than the shelf-shifting model.
Although Volvo worked hard to improve the idle quality and cut engine-generated noise, we found the idle of both an S and V40 T to be quite noisy, with an exhaust groan seeping into the cabin.
Buy the 40 Series and the safety message is strong, with the front airbags now a dual-stage type that inflate to between 70 and 100 per cent depending on the severity of the impact.
The car also has front side airbags and the company's head airbag system is also standard. The back seat features two child booster seats and the front seats also have an anti-whiplash headrest system.
Anti-lock brakes are standard, as is a traction control device, while the wagon has a luggage net. For the first time, gas discharge headlamps are optional.
Inside, the dash has been given a slight restyle and it all works well enough. The leather-trimmed front seats are highlights, proving to be very comfortable and supportive and they even smell great.
The so-called Phase II S and V40 models may not look all that different, but they represent big improvements over the original models. The car's weakest areas of ride, handling and refinement are all much better than before. The problem for Volvo is that the competition has not stood still, and while the Volvo is a worthy prestige car, and one with a strong safety focus, the improvements haven't turned it into a class leader.
VOLVO V40 T
How much? $51,150 man, $53,050 auto
Insurance: Premium $973.75, $400 excess (RACV wholly owned, driver 30 plus, rating one, medium risk suburb)
Warranty: 3 years/100,000km
Engine: 1.948-litre, 16-valve, DOHC, turbocharged, four cylinder. 121kW at 5250rpm and 240Nm at 1800rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed manual or five-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive
Steering: Rack and pinion, 3.1 turns lock to lock. Turning circle 10.6m.
Brakes: Ventilated discs front, discs rear, ABS
Suspension: Independent, MacPherson struts, wishbone, anti-roll bar, front. Independent, multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar, rear
Wheels/Tyres: Alloy 15x6-inch, 195/60
How big? Length 4483mm, width 1720mm, height 1413mm, wheelbase 2562mm
How heavy? 1340kg manual
How thirsty? 11.1L/100km, premium unleaded recommended. Fuel tank 60 litres
Equipment: Airbags - yes, six; air-conditioning - yes; cruise control - yes; central locking - yes, remote; power windows/mirrors - yes; security - yes, immobiliser; sound system - AM/FM radio, cassette, CD, 7 speakers; cup holders - no.