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ROARING FORTIES?

Models Covered:: (4dr saloon, 1.6, 1.8, 1.8 Flexifuel, 2.0, 2.4, 2.5 petrol, 2.0, 2.4 diesel [ S, Sport, R-Design Sport, SE, SE Sport, R-Design SE Sport, SE Lux])

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Volvo has a lot to thank the S60 for. This was the first car to make small Volvos respectable and paved the way for Volvo to reach into a new market niche with the second generation S40, launched in 2004. But what about the MK1 S40? Well, despite Volvo’s perseverance, that car never really stood up to intense scrutiny. The MK2 S40 is a vastly different and massively superior proposition. As a used buy, it stacks up extremely well, a previous owner taking the sting out of the upfront price for you yet leaving you with a whole host of classic Volvo values.

What does this S40 owe to its predecessor? Virtually nothing bar some wisdom on the part of its designers. Whereas the old S40 was a car that never eked its own niche, the MK2 S40 looks a whole lot better equipped. The key lesson was not to separate the S40 so far from the rest of the Volvo line up. The old S40 seemed something rather un-Volvo when the next model up was hugely bigger and more expensive. The latest S40 doesn’t make that mistake, looking for all the world like an S60 having been treated to a hot wash. Sold alongside its V50 estate sibling, the S40 was introduced in February 2004 and quickly proved a steady seller amongst those looking for a car that had the prestige but not a big price tag. The range kicked off with 1.8-litre petrol, 2.0-litre petrol and diesel variants and a beefier 2.4-litre petrol version. The sporting 220bhp T5 version topped out the range and in early 2005, budget 1.6-litre petrol and diesel models were slotted into the line up. The next engine to materialise came in mid 2006, a five-cylinder 180bhp diesel known as the D5. It was priced equivalently to the T5 but featured the Geartronic automatic gearbox as standard. The 2.0-litre 145bhp powerplant came on the scene at around the same time. A range reshuffle at the start of 2007 saw prices cut across the S40 line-up. Trim levels were also tweaked with the SE gaining a powered driver’s seat and an upgraded stereo. A little later that same year, a wide-reaching facelift was carried out with a reprofiled grille featuring a larger Volvo badge and tweaks to the interior. Flexifuel models were also introduced, capable of running on normal unleaded or renewable E85 Bioethanol. The R-Design Sport and R-Design SE Sport models were introduced towards the end of 2007 with more extrovert body-styling kits and sporty interior trim upgrades. They gave the S40 a useful dose of extra attitude.

The S40 features a number of styling touches which we’ve genuinely never seen before. The exterior won’t get too many pulses racing, effectively resembling a shrunken S60, but the cabin is a delight. Volvo interiors are traditionally odd things. Although they work supremely well, they are often clunkily designed with scant regard for the sort of slickness that separates them from rivals. Little of the design flair we usually associate with the Scandinavians has traditionally seemed to translate into their cars. Here, its different. The ‘spaceball’ gear selector in the S60 showed that Volvo could come up with some neat ideas and the S40 takes the spaceball and runs with it. The key design feature is a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can specify wood, aluminium, plastic or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This is probably the neatest interior design feature we’ve come across since the original Audi TT was launched. Like the TT’s cabin, the S40’s feels like it has just rolled off a motor show stand. Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. Would the S40 look a little sexier with BMW-style flame-surfaced concave flanks? Probably. But side impact protection involves having as much deformation space as possible, which is why it’s slab-sided to keep its occupants looking good.

Prices for the Volvo S40 kick off at around £6,400 for a 2004 53-plated 1.8 S model with SE trim adding another £1,000. The powerful 2.4-litre cars are thinner on the ground, and expect to budget around £7,350 whilst the first 2.5 T5 models have suffered a steeper depreciation hit and are currently changing hands at around £8,550 for a 2004 53-plated car. Prices for the 2.0-litre diesel models start at just under £7,225. Insurance for the S40 is inexpensive, due in no small part to Volvo’s enviable safety record. The 1.6-litre models are rated at Group 7 and even the pacey 2.5-litre T5 variants are only ranked a reasonable Group 15.

The S40 is impeccably built and owners report few significant problems. Even in the hands of motoring journalists – traditionally some of the most neglectful drivers around – the S40 has proven a doughty counterpart.

(approx based on a 2004 T5) A clutch assembly is around £175, whilst an exhaust system is in the region of £350. Front brake pads will require the thick end of £55, whilst rears are £45 a pair. A new alternator will be £165, but a new starter motor is a fairly reasonable £110.

The undemanding lower powered models are the ones to go for. If you must have something like a T5, then don’t expect a BMW 3 Series driving experience. This variant feels recognisably Volvo at the wheel with a strong, characterful engine and handling that’s safe rather than spine-tingling. The turbocharger runs at a modest level of compression, which means that torque is spread widely across the rev band. Drop the throttle at 1500rpm in almost any gear and you’ll get clean acceleration without bogging, hiccupping or any unseemly lunging. The only clue that it is a turbocharged engine comes in the form of a mild underbonnet whistle in the midrange and a slight mushiness to the accelerator pedal when you blip the throttle. The T5 will notch off the sprint to 60mph in just 6.5 seconds and run on to 150mph. This would seem to promise great things if Volvo ever created an S40R, although recent experience with the underwhelming S60R tempers the enthusiasm a little. Fast Volvos rarely hit the mark and after sampling the 170bhp 2.4-litre model, there’s little to modify that opinion. This engine will still get to 60mph in 7.9 seconds but needs a bit more work to do so. Despite this, with taller tyres and less torque steer to contend with, the 170bhp car feels a good deal more composed and unruffled than its slingshot sibling.

The MK2 Volvo S40 is probably the first small Volvo that really upholds the marque’s values. Although some may sniff that underneath that pretty bodywork is the bones of a Ford Focus, anybody who knows anything about modern motoring will realise what a boon this is. If you want the driving manners of a Focus with the design and image of something a little more chi-chi, this Volvo S40 is the perfect pick. Reliable, refined and getting affordable, the S40 makes a very clever used buy.

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
Volvo’s 1.6-litre versions of the S40 offer a lot of presence and panache for sensible money. Andy Enright reports…

Brand management is an art. It’s easy to point out many manufacturers who have lost their way when trying to juggle various brands but Ford’s ownership of Volvo has been largely exemplary. There have been a couple of minor slip-ups such as initially undercharging for the Volvo XC90 but the introduction of the Volvo S40 shows how subtle and effective good brand management can be.

If you’ve done your homework and are looking to buy a Volvo S40, you’ll probably know by now that it shares a good deal of its DNA with Ford’s latest Focus. It’s no secret, but by the same token, it’s not common knowledge. The last thing Volvo wanted when they launched the S40 was for a vast groundswell of opinion to build deriding it as an expensive way to buy a plushed-up Focus. Therefore when it was first introduced, there were only large-engined versions made available priced well out of Focus territory. As a result, the S40 seemed a car far removed from the humble Ford. With this seed firmly planted in the collective consciousness, Volvo felt it right to start introducing more affordable versions, first with 1.8-litre petrol power and then with a pair of budget 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines. It wasn’t a new strategy. Ford oversaw a similar trick back when Jaguar introduced the X-TYPE. To differentiate it from the Mondeo, only the upspec all-wheel drive six-cylinder versions were initially launched. The front-wheel drive 2.0-litre model came later. All this marketeering hasn’t fooled us of course, so we’re back to the original million dollar question: namely, whether Volvo’s S40 is worth the premium over a Ford Focus. The two 1.6-litre engines in question here are available in a trio of trim levels. The petrol-powered version comes in S or R-Design Sport trim and kicks off at £14,295. The diesel prices at £17,095 for the S, £18,595 as an SE and £19,095for the R-Design Sport. These prices pitch an S40 around £1,500 over and above an equivalently specified Focus, a premium offset somewhat by superior residual values. Although the Focus is undeniably a well-finished car, there can be few who get into the S40 and begrudge the additional asking price. It’s one of the most beautifully designed cars in the sub £20,000 price bracket.

"The S40 1.6 models look a good deal more expensive than their price tags would suggest"

Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel. At the front end, the chrome-framed grille has been reprofiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper. All too often, we hear about innovations in car design and what we really get is moderately incremental changes. The S40 features a number of styling touches which we’ve genuinely never seen before. The exterior won’t get too many pulses racing, effectively resembling a shrunken S60, but the cabin is a delight. Volvo interiors are traditionally odd things. Although they work supremely well, they are often clunkily designed with scant regard for the sort of slickness that separates them from rivals. Little of the design flair we usually associate with the Scandinavians has traditionally seemed to translate into their cars. The ‘spaceball’ gear selector in the S60 showed that Volvo could come up with some neat ideas and the S40 takes the spaceball and runs with it. The key design feature is a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can specify wood, aluminium, plastic or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This time around, the controls have been altered, while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest. Despite the 1.6-litre cars being the entry level models, Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. Both 1.6-litre engines are bang up to date, the petrol unit being a lightweight aluminium powerplant with fuel injection and a five speed gearbox. Peak power is rated at 100bhp with a sprint to 60mph taking 11.7 seconds. Fuel economy is pegged at 39.2mpg on the combined cycle and carbon dioxide emissions are a reasonable 171g/km. The diesel is also largely constructed of aluminium and features common rail technology and a variable geometry turbocharger. Business users will love the fact that it emits just 129g/km of carbon dioxide and also that it will eke 57.6 miles from a single gallon of derv. It’s only a fraction slower to 60mph than the petrol engined model, dispatching the increment in just 11.8 seconds but its 240Nm torque figure puts even the 2.4-litre petrol S40 in the shade. It may be light but this diesel unit packs a hefty wallop. Taken on an entirely rational basis, the Volvo S40 1.6-litre models don’t at first glance represent stellar value for money. But look again. Check out the gaping void in the market between the likes of Focus-class cars and the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 models and it’s apparent that Volvo have pitched the car very cleverly. If you’re looking for a car that’s a cut above the norm but don’t want to hand over silly money for a premium German saloon, the S40 is the prime contender.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 1.6 range PRICES: £14,295-£19,095 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 7-8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 129-171g/km PERFORMANCE: [petrol] Max Speed 115mph / 0-60mph 11.7s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [petrol] (combined) 39.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

DRIVETIME
If you’re after a more eco-friendly compact executive saloon, then Volvo’s S40 1.6D DRIVe model might fit the bill. Jonathan Crouch checks it out

If you’re after a company car, then you’re also after low CO2 emissions. Come to think of it, even if your car is privately owned, then its green credentials are also pretty important these days. Which is why if you’re running one of those prestigious but thirsty compact executive saloons, you might be thinking of downsizing to something a little smaller.

Before you do, it might be worth checking out the car we’re looking at here, Volvo’s S40 1.6D DRIVe. You probably haven’t heard of Volvo’s ‘DRIVe’ range but you may be familiar with BlueMotion versions of popular Volkswagens or BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme. Even if you’re not, it isn’t a difficult concept to grasp. These are cars that feature a clever package of changes to improve the CO2 emissions and enhance their fuel economy. In other words, you don’t need to buy a very small car to be very green. So let’s look more closely at this S40 1.6D DRIVe model as an example. Its CO2 figure of 118g/km easily beats the 123g/km of BMW’s 318d ES and the 122g/km of Volkswagen’s Jetta BlueMotion. The fuel economy’s very impressive too, with this car achieving 62.8mpg on the combined cycle and getting on for 70mpg at motorway speeds. It’s a decent improvement over the standard model – which it needs to be to justify the couple of hundred pounds premium that the DRIVe package will cost you. So how have Volvo done it? Well apparently, the Swedish engineers focused on four areas. The first was reduced air resistance. To this end, the chassis height was reduced by approximately 10mm to help reduce drag, then the radiator grille was covered and behind it added a wind-deflecting panel that provides better aerodynamics inside the engine compartment. Wind deflectors in front of the front wheels steer the airflow and there are aerodynamically optimised wheels with a unique ‘Libra’ rim. The diamond cut finish adds to the unique design and the large unobstructed area that goes all the way out to the tyre makes the rim look considerable larger than it actually is. The total drag reduction of 10-15% is due to the design of the Libra rim. Finally, the car borrows the front and rear spoilers from the performance T5 model.

"You don’t need to buy a very small car to be very green.…"

Next up, the boffins sought to lower the car’s rolling resistance, adopting a set of new generation Michelin tyres designed for that purpose. Higher gear ratios would also help, they decided, so the gearbox features altered ratios for third, fourth and fifth gears. The longer gear ratios contribute to a 1.5% reduction in fuel consumption without, say Volvo, affecting the drivability of the car. Finally, a more efficient driveline was targeted, which meant optimisation of engine cooling, engine management and power steering systems. A different transmission oil which creates much lower friction is used in the gearbox and a gearchange indicator in the information display tells the driver the ideal time to change gears. None of this stuff does much on its own but collectively, it all adds up to a lot. Changing the transmission oil, for example, offers up a 0.75% improvement in fuel consumption. Tyres with low rolling resistance save another 2% and so on. With lower carbon dioxide emissions, the DRIVe models salve Volvo’s conscience by reducing its net contribution to global warming, although the company reckons it was already doing its bit by fitting all its diesel models with a maintenance-free particle filter that traps about 95 percent of all soot particles. Plus of course, if the 1.6D diesel option doesn’t appeal, you could also go green and cut costs by ordering your S40 in Flexifuel form, where it can use part petrol and part bioethanol. Otherwise of course, it’s the usual S40 recipe, this car on offer as a saloon or, in V50 form (where the ‘DRIVe’ package is also available) as an estate. The 1.6-litre diesel chosen for these modifications was already a very efficient engine, constructed of aluminium and featuring common rail technology and a variable geometry turbocharger. It’s only a fraction slower to 60mph than the comparable 1.6-litre petrol-engined model, dispatching the increment in just 11.8 seconds but its 240Nm torque figure puts even the 2.4-litre petrol S40 in the shade. It may be light but this diesel unit packs a hefty wallop. Despite this particular S40 being effectively an entry level model, Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. It’s all very sensible – much like the DRIVe package. Thinking of downsizing to a cheaper car to lower your running costs? At this rate, you may not have to.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 1.6D DRIVe PRICES: £17,260-£20,260 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 118g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 118mph / 0-60mph 11.4s [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 62.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/width/height 4476/1770/1454mm

ROARING S-FORTIES
With 178bhp on tap, the Volvo S40 D5 is a small but seriously potent diesel car. Andy Enright reports

The first time the full 258lb/ft of torque comes on stream in Volvo’s S40 D5 is a genuinely eye-widening experience. Yes, you may have digested all the information in the press pack beforehand but the bald figures in no way prepare you for quite how rapid this car feels when the rev needle hits 1,800rpm and the turbocharger spools into action. This car might just be the perfect antidote to the old stereotype of humdrum Volvos. This diesel might well be more exciting to drive than many so-called sports coupes. It certainly left our Alfa Brera camera car trailing in its wake.

What’s more, the engine has a real characterful five-cylinder off-beat thrum to it that encourages you to rather naughtily open the taps at almost any opportunity. The combination of that soundtrack, the elastic midrange urge and the surprising ability of the front tyres to deploy all that torque – in dry conditions at least – make the S40 D5 a real grin inducer. Press a little harder and you’ll encounter the car’s handling limits a tad earlier than you might expect but it’s still a car with a whole lot of utility packed into its 4.47m body length. Let’s put that torque figure into perspective. It’s almost as much as a E46 BMW M3 or a Nissan 350Z manages and in excess of what a Porsche Boxster S or a Subaru Impreza WRX can churn out. It’s also enough to embarrass cars like Ford’s Focus ST, Vauxhall’s Astra VXR or the Megane Renaultsport Cup, some of the best regarded hot hatches on sale. Although all of these cars will leave the Volvo for dead on a twisty back road, this compact saloon plays to a different agenda, and is more at home on sweeping A-roads and motorways where a mere flex of your ankle will dispatch middle lane dawdlers. The great thing about the S40 D5 is that it doesn’t engender feelings of guilt when you do prod the loud pedal. In an M3 you can almost see the fuel gauge stutter as soon as you acquaint the gas pedal with the bulkhead, but the Volvo will manage to eke over 40 miles from a single gallon of fuel on the combined cycle. On a run, that figure extends to a smidgeon over 50mpg, while in town you can still expect almost 30mpg. Try getting within 25 per cent of those figures in any of the sporty models previously mentioned and you’ll come up dry. The S40 D5 also scores when it comes to emissions, making it a tempting target for company car user choosers. The 184g/km it emits is roughly the same as an entry level Ford Mondeo 1.8, and with this sort of performance on tap, it’ll leave you searching for the catch. In case you were wondering, this Volvo will pitch itself through 60mph from standstill in 7.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 140mph.

"The Volvo S40 D5 is a pocket decathlete. It racks up some serious points in virtually every discipline it turns its hand to"

Replicating quoted acceleration figures is usually almost impossible as road testers are notoriously hard on clutches, engines, gearboxes and tyres but you won’t need any Neanderthal gear shifting techniques to get near those figures in the S40 D5 as most models are ordered with the Geartronic auto box, the first time Volvo has offered the combination of diesel power and automatic transmission for the S40. A six-speed manual transmission can also be ordered from your dealer. Either way, rest assured that in real world conditions, the S40 D5 feels much, much faster than its on paper figures suggest. The 2.4-litre turbodiesel is a version of the already proven Volvo D5 engine available with the Volvo S60, V70, XC70 and XC90. Trim levels run through SE, R-Design Sport and SE Lux to the range-topping R-Design SE Sport with on the road prices starting at £21,120 for the S40 D5 Geartronic SE. The S40 rides on the same basic chassis set up as the Ford Focus, the Mazda3 and the Volvo V50. That’s not to say the S40 is simply a rebodied Focus. Although the underbody, subframes and suspension layouts are the same on all these models, there’s vast scope for tuning of individual aspects so all drive differently. Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel. At the front end, the chrome-framed ‘egg-crate’ grille has been reprofiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper, boot handle and tail pipe design. Drop inside and the controls on the trademark floating centre console have been altered while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest for better driver comfort. Volvo hasn’t skimped when it comes to safety and it claims that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. Would the S40 look a little sexier with BMW-style flame-surfaced concave flanks? Probably. But side impact protection involves having as much deformation space as possible which is why it’s slab-sided to keep its occupants looking good. It’s not often that cars turn up that combine as many favourable attributes as the Volvo S40 D5. As an all-rounder it’s very hard to beat with excellent build quality, a premium feel, manageable running costs and punch to spare from that 178bhp engine. Although it may disappoint really keen drivers with its safety-first handling bias, it otherwise comes highly recommended.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 2.4 D5 range PRICES: £21,120-£22,920 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 184g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 140mph / 0-60mph 7.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 29.1/ (extra urban) 51.4 (combined) 40.4 mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

ROARING FORTIES
The S40 has been a resounding success for Volvo over the past few years but the competition hasn’t been standing still. Here’s Volvo’s response. Andy Enright reports

Most of the tough stuff had already been done by the time Volvo’s S40 arrived at the start of 2004. Changing Volvo’s image from purely a manufacturer of setsquare vehicles built like tanks to that of a proper premium car maker producing modern, relevant, desirable models was a burden shouldered by cars like the original C70 and the S60. The S40 rode on the coat tails of this change in perception and did very nicely as a result. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Volvo did much to capitalise on the market’s rapid acceptance of the S40, rolling out new engines and trim levels with frightening pace.

The usual industry rule of facelifting a model at three years old has applied in this instance and the latest S40 range looks a little different but retains much the same appeal as the car that has been selling as fast as the Swedish company can screw them together. The range opens with 1.6 petrols and diesels, then come the 125bhp 1.8 and 145bhp 2.0-litre petrols followed by a 2.0-litre 136bhp diesel. Step up again and there’s a 180bhp five-cylinder D5 diesel that’s now offered with a slick six-speed manual transmission. The range is finally topped off by another five, this time the T5, now packing another 10bhp, lifting the total to 230bhp. If none of these appease you environmental conscience, there’s always the 1.8-litre Flexifuel model which runs on either normal unleaded or renewable E85 Bioethanol. As you’d expect, the S40 rides on the same basic chassis set up as its estate counterpart, the V50, but it also shares the same underpinnings as other Ford group models like the Ford Focus and the Mazda3. That’s not to say the S40 is simply a rebodied Focus. Although the underbody, subframes and suspension layouts are the same on all these models, there’s vast scope for tuning of individual aspects, so all drive differently. Volvo hasn’t skimped when it comes to safety, and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. The hazard lights now switch on when the car detects an airbag inflation and during hard braking or when the anti lock is activated the emergency brake lights function flashes all three brake lights five times a second to warn following drivers.

"Volvo hasn’t skimped when it comes to safety"

Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel. At the front end, the chrome-framed ‘egg-crate’ grille has been reprofiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper, boot handle and tail pipe design. Drop inside and the key design feature remains. It’s a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can even specify aluminium or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This is probably the neatest interior design feature we’ve come across since the original Audi TT was launched. Like that TT’s cabin, the S40’s feels like it belongs on a motor show stand. This time around, the controls have been altered while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest for better driver comfort. Better cupholders, bigger door bins and an auxiliary input for the stereo under the armrest are all included while the instrument panels on the D5 and T5 models look a little racier. There’s now the choice of Nordic Light Oak for the floating centre stack or Virtual White if you’re feeling minimalist. The ‘spaceball’ gear selector is present and correct on manual cars. As with the previous S40, Volvo can only do so much with the wheelbase and space in the rear is a little tight but the huge boot comes as some consolation. Prices start at £14,295 for the 1.6 petrol. You pay £18,120 for the S specification 2.0-litre diesel. You’ll need to add £1,500 to these prices for ritzier SE trim and the SE Lux starts at £20,295 for the 2.0-litre petrol car. On the sportier side of the range, the R-Design Sport model costs from £16,910 in 1.6-litre petrol form and the R-Design SE Sport comes from £20,595 for the 2.0-litre petrol engine. The D5 diesel is available from £21,620 and comes with the option of a Geartronic automatic gearbox, while the range-topping T5 model is priced from £23,635 in R-DESIGN guise. Yes, these prices are a little higher than you’d pay for a car that rides on much the same chassis, such as a Ford Focus or a Mazda3 saloon, but then they feel very different cars. Volvo has worked hard to endow the S40 with its own identity and has, by and large, succeeded. Equipment levels are very strong to boot with some really high-end options available for the car. Dynaudio speakers are fitted to the Premium Sound system and there’s a hard-drive based RTI road traffic and information system for the sat nav. A lot of thought has gone into the details. Even the remote key fob has auto open and auto close functions for all side windows and the sunroof. Water Repellent Glass is fitted to the front side windows on SE models, offering better visibility at junctions. The biggest seller in the S40 range has traditionally been the 136bhp 2.0-litre diesel car and with good reason. Once you’ve swallowed the initial purchase price, it’s reassuringly inexpensive to run. An average fuel consumption figure of 50.4mpg suggests a lawnmower. The appeal of this S40 is the way it combines a refreshingly brisk turn of pace with outstanding economy without feeling insubstantial in any way. Quality oozes from every pore. True, if lighter weight componentry was used, Volvo could have maybe eked a couple of extra miles per gallon from the car and improved upon the already excellent 148g/km of carbon dioxide emissions but Volvo is a brand that campaigns under Ford’s Premier Auto Group so it has to look and feel the part. The only S40 to really generate a sharp intake of breath in terms of running costs is the range-topping T5 sports model. Drive the T5 hard then and it will consume fuel at a determined rate, certainly nowhere near the 33mpg combined figure Volvo quote. Compensation is offered in the case of a CO2 emissions showing of 208g/km which makes it one of the cleanest cars in its class and also an insurance rating of Group 15. If the T5 is impressive when cruising but less so when charging, why not save the expense and just opt for a lesser S40 model that may not have quite so much power but won’t lack its poise in quite such a ready manner? It’s an apposite question and it’s hard to find many justifications for the turbocharged T5. Perhaps it’s also a pointer as to why Volvo has quietly ditched the ‘R’ range of high performance models. Despite the change in perception of Volvo as a quality brand, at present the public just don’t buy a sporty Volvo. Most vehicle model ranges are inherently good or bad. The Volvo S40 range is not that cut and dried. There are some very good versions of this car such as the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel models, some pretty competent engines such as the 1.8 petrol and the D5 diesel and then there are the engine choices that genuinely leave you scratching your heads, into which we’d lump the 1.6-litre petrol and the range-topping T5. In these cases, the S40 is a car you’d buy in spite of its powerplant as it does very well in virtually every other regard bar interior space. The latest set of changes aren’t enough to change your mind if you hold firmly entrenched views on this model but the changes do freshen things up a little and set the car up for the next few years. Volvo needs to weed out some of the also-ran powerplants though, if they are not to affect the S40’s overall image.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 range PRICES: £14,295-£23,635 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 129-210g/km PERFORMANCE: [136bhp 2.0 diesel] Max Speed 130mph / 0-60mph 9.2s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [136bhp 2.0 diesel] (urban) 37.7mpg / (extra urban) 62.8mpg / (combined) 50.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

SAFE CRACKER?
Volvo’s latest S40 T5 offers a swift, stylish and safe alternative to mainstream Compact Executive saloons. By Andy Enright

The Volvo S40 T5 sounds like a surefire winner. Marry Swedish build quality and subtle design with the promise of serious performance and market it at a price well below the mainstream luxury marques and you have a certain recipe for success. Small Volvos have long been popular in the UK from the Dutch built 340 models through to the uninspiring but popular previous generation S40. The latest model is a good deal slicker thanks to recent revisions and the T5 variant we look at here is the performance flagship.

It hasn’t set an easy task for itself. Although its bigger brother the S60 goes head to head with cars like the BMW 3 Series, the Audi A4, the Jaguar X-TYPE and the Mercedes C-Class, the S40 T5 sits in a sub-niche that’s a whole lot more difficult to classify. Whilst the ‘cooking’ versions of the S40 compete with cars like the Volkswagen Jetta and the SEAT Toledo, this £22,335 sporting version competes pricewise against mid-range models of the premium marques. Although this section of the market has been proved time and again to be a dead end, Volvo are gamely trying again. The T5 certainly has the power to make an impression. Thanks to recent revisions, there’s now 230bhp (10bhp more) from the turbocharged in-line five-cylinder engine and it’s difficult to find a challenger to compete with it at this sort of price. What’s more, it’s not as if Volvo have merely planted a big engine in a rep-spec car. Sit inside the S40 and it feels at least on par with a Mercedes in terms of interior fit and finish. So where’s the catch? Shouldn’t the T5, despite its somewhat ambiguous market positioning, be a guaranteed sales success? In short, no. The key issue with the S40 T5 is that other S40 models make a whole lot more sense. Yes, it would be worth the premium for the added asking price and running costs of the T5 if it offered entertainment by the bucketload but it’s immediately apparent within a few yards of moving off that the T5 is more high-speed smoothie than all-out funster. The on-paper performance data are mightily impressive; the 149mph top speed and the 6.3 second sprint to 60mph being figures that far pricier offerings from the prestige German manufacturers are quite unable to match. When it comes to showroom appeal, the S40 T5 may well gain a few conquest sales.

"When it comes to showroom appeal, the S40 T5 may well gain a few conquest sales"

More demanding customers who insist on a longer road test may well be less convinced. Both power and torque curves fall away dramatically beyond 5,000rpm which means that you won’t get too much benefit beyond a slightly raucous engine note by really extending the car. Its best work is done between 3 and 4,000rpm where its mid range punch makes it a devastatingly effective overtaking weapon. Below or above this relatively narrow band, however, the T5 feels weak and the throttle pedal feels disappointingly vague. The brakes, whilst undeniably strong at first, also feel a little spongy and several high speed stops overwhelmed their retarding power noticeably. Drive the car about in a relaxed fashion and it feels fine. Ask a little more of it and it feels a little unconvincing. The same goes for the handling. Safe and secure is the byword here, with a stability control system that can be disengaged but automatically re-enters the fray if you really get out of shape. The steering feels pleasantly direct when cruising but when cornering hard it lacks feedback, the same going for the car’s overall body control. Grip is very impressive but in wet conditions the effect of that large engine thrown out ahead of the front axle will result in mild, if safe, understeer. Drive the T5 hard then and it raises more questions than it answers. It will also consume fuel at a determined rate, certainly nowhere near the 32.5mpg combined figure Volvo quote. Compensation is offered in the case of a CO2 emissions showing of 208g/km which makes it one of the cleanest cars in its class and also an insurance rating of Group 15. If the T5 is impressive when cruising but less so when charging, why not save the expense and just opt for a lesser S40 model that may not have quite so much power but won’t lack its poise in quite such a ready manner? It’s an apposite question and it’s hard to find many justifications for the turbocharged T5. Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel in recent times. At the front end, the chrome-framed ‘egg-crate’ grille has been re-profiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper, boot handle and tail pipe design. Drop inside and the key design feature remains. It’s a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can even specify aluminium or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This time around, the controls have been altered while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest for better driver comfort. Better cupholders, bigger door bins and an auxiliary input for the stereo under the armrest are all included while the instrument panels also looks a little racier. There’s now the choice of Nordic Light Oak for the floating centre stack or Virtual White if you’re feeling minimalist. The ‘spaceball’ gear selector is present and correct on manual cars. As with the previous S40, Volvo can only do so much with the wheelbase and space in the rear is a little tight but the huge boot comes as some consolation. Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. Would the S40 look a little sexier with BMW-style flame-surfaced concave flanks? Probably. But side impact protection involves having as much deformation space as possible which is why it’s slab-sided to keep its occupants looking good. Although the Volvo S40 T5 looks impressive on paper, its depth of talent is in fact disappointingly thin. Despite its dynamic shortcomings, there’s still a great deal to commend it. The downside is that these qualities are shared with the rest of the S40 range at far less expense to the consumer. Almost everything T5-specific about this car is at best a qualified success. The T5’s problem is exacerbated by the amount of very talented rivals that while not offering its outright pace, can nevertheless display a subtlety and feel that this S40 so manifestly lacks. Still, if speed is of the essence and you don’t care too much how it’s achieved, this Swede might be worth a try.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 T5 PRICES: £22,335-£23,635 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 208g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 149mph / 0-60mph 6.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 32.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

FLEET SERVICES
For many buyers, the 1.8-litre S40 represents the first step on the Volvo ladder. Andy Enright can see why owners stay loyal

Think for a moment about who buys medium range cars. Most of the mainstream brands’ products are snapped up by companies to be used as fleet cars. Only a surprisingly small percentage of new Vectras and Mondeos are bought by private buyers who walk into a showroom. In contrast, compact executive cars from BMW and Mercedes, despite making respectable profits from corporate buyers, are still bought largely by private buyers. It’s rare that a car can appeal to both at the same time, although Volvo’s S40 1.8-litre range may have that particular trick taped.

It’s tricky to know quite how to classify the S40. Volvo calls it a ‘Premium Compact Saloon’ and it’s ostensibly designed for someone who’d like something nicer than a medium range Mondeo or Vectra-style model but can’t quite stretch to a BMW 3 Series, an Audi A4 or even Volvo’s own S60. The 1.8-litre engined models open at £16,295 for the S trim level and top out at £18,295 for the R-Design Sport; still less than even the most humble BMW 3 Series saloon but pitched halfway up the Mondeo range. Private buyers like the S40 because it looks good, is well styled, is based on a modern chassis, has slick interior detailing and features a semi-premium badge that sets it apart from the usual M25 foot soldiers. Business users will warm to it due to its high residuals, reasonable upfront asking price and surprising interior space. Both fleet managers and private buyers will like the car’s 39mpg fuel economy figure although the 174g/km CO2 figure is respectably meagre. The engine may be a compact unit but it still cranks out 125bhp and will get the S40 to 60mph in 10.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 124mph. Buyers looking do go beyond the call of duty in the quest for fuel economy and low emissions could also consider Volvo’s 1.8-litre FlexiFuel engine that is capable of running on renewable E85 Bioethanol or normal unleaded. Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel. At the front end, the chrome-framed ‘egg-crate’ grille has been reprofiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper, boot handle and tail pipe design.

"It’s rare that a car can appeal to both private and fleet buyers at the same time"

Three versions are offered in 1.8-litre guise. The S model features 16-inch alloy wheels, a CD stereo, driver and passenger airbags, an inflatable curtain, a height adjustable steering wheel, dynamic stability and traction control and electronic climate control. The SE model adds leather upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, a choice of aluminium, wood or iced aqua trim, rain sensing wipers, a trip computer and a whole host of other electronic gizmos. Body-coloured side mouldings and front fog lights are also included. There’s also the option of the ritzier R-Design Sport derivative that delivers a fully bodykit and upgraded interior trim. Of course, cynics will point out that Volvo’s old S40 campaigned on the ‘Premium Compact Saloon’ card for years without much success, but then that car never had an engine like this in its armoury – or the high-tech design and engineering to go with it. One of the best things you can say about this car is that it takes many of the features that have made the larger S60 so successful and shrinks them into a handy-sized package. All too often, we hear about innovations in car design and what we really get is moderately incremental changes. The S40 features a number of styling touches which we’ve genuinely never seen before. The exterior won’t get too many pulses racing, effectively resembling a shrunken S60, but the cabin is a delight. Volvo interiors are traditionally odd things. Although they work supremely well, they are often clunkily designed with scant regard for the sort of slickness that separates them from rivals. Little of the design flair we usually associate with the Scandinavians has traditionally seemed to translate into their cars. The ‘spaceball’ gear selector in the S60 showed that Volvo could come up with some neat ideas and the S40 takes the spaceball and runs with it. The key design feature is a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can specify wood, aluminium, plastic or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This time around, the controls have been altered while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest for better driver comfort. The S40 rides on the same basic chassis set up as the Ford Focus, the Mazda3 and the Volvo V50 estate. That’s not to say the S40 is simply a rebodied Focus. Although the underbody, subframes and suspension layouts are the same on all these models, there’s vast scope for tuning of individual aspects so all will drive differently. Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. The Volvo S40 1.8 is a true crossover car. Equally as appealing to fleet and private buyers, it looks set to continue to be a very appealing first rung on the Volvo ladder. The Swedish company will be hoping that they’ve finally cracked this ‘Premium Compact Saloon’ thing once and for all.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 1.8 range PRICES: £16,295-£18,295 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 10 CO2 EMISSIONS: 174g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 124mph / 0-60mph 10.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 39mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

RELYING ON BOOT FORCE
Upmarket small saloons with big engines have never sold well in the UK. Volvo hope their S40 2.4i can forge a new path. Andy Enright reports.

Amidst the reams of press releases we wade through every week promising the next big thing, it’s rare to come across much that is in any meaningful way groundbreaking. Yes, there are ‘new’ cars but they usually plough a well used furrow in conventional genres. Volvo’s S40, featured here in 2.4-litre petrol form, claims to take a different tack. It gamely attacks a section of the market that has been proved time and again to be a dead end, namely that of the ‘Premium Compact Saloon’.

But what on earth is that? Well basically, a car for someone who’d like something nicer than a medium range Mondeo or Vectra-style model but can’t quite stretch to a ‘Compact Executive Saloon’ like a BMW 3 Series, an Audi A4 or, yes, Volvo’s own S60. Or perhaps they could stretch to one of these but only aspire to the cheapest, slowest, most poorly equipped version. This 2.4-litre S40 is firmly aimed at those in the latter category for, at less than the price of a comparatively anaemic 129bhp Audi A4 2.0, you get 170bhp, a prestige badge, hi-tech engineering, plenty of equipment and all the quality you could want. Cynics will point out that Volvo’s old S40 campaigned on the ‘Premium Compact Saloon’ card for years without much success, but then that car never had an engine like this in its armoury – or the high-tech design and engineering to go with it. One of the best things you can say about this car is that it takes many of the features that have made the larger S60 so successful and shrinks them into a handy sized package. The 170bhp 2.4-litre model is available two versions. There’s SE priced at £19,495 or the plush SE Lux for £20,995. The engine is available with Volvo’s Geartronic automatic gearbox at no extra cost. All models are well equipped, the SE version adding 17-inch alloy wheels, rain sensing wipers, a trip computer and body-coloured side mouldings along with a host of other refinements to the basic spec. As we’ve already suggested, these prices elevate the car into direct comparison with ‘proper’ Compact Executive fare like the lowlier BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class models – cars with less in the way of engine and equipment but a whole lot more clout when it comes to car key kudos. Can a Volvo running on what is essentially a modified Ford Focus chassis really better a Mercedes or BMW? It has to be said that the Swedes have their work cut out. As we’ve touched upon, the S40 2.4i’s 170bhp engine is a good deal more powerful than you‘d find for the same money with a more prestigious badge and it’s enough to accelerate the Volvo to 60mph in eight seconds and on to a top speed of 137mph. The ‘big engine in a small car’ package also means that fuel economy isn’t bad either, the S40 managing a reasonable 33.4mpg. The trouble is, this sandwiches the S40 between the prime movers in the compact executive division and more powerful offerings with humbler badges such as the 150bhp SEAT Toledo 2.0FSi Sport or its Volkswagen sibling, the Jetta 2.0FSI. The SE version of the S40 2.4i even impinges on the territory of cars like Saab’s 9-3 and the Jaguar X-TYPE.

"Big engine in small car is a formula that rarely fails to entertain"

Still, bear with us. Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel. At the front end, the chrome-framed ‘egg-crate’ grille has been reprofiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper, boot handle and tail pipe design. All too often, we hear about innovations in car design and what we really get is moderately incremental changes. The S40 features a number of styling touches which we’ve genuinely never seen before. The exterior won’t get too many pulses racing, effectively resembling a shrunken S60, but the cabin is a delight. Volvo interiors are traditionally odd things. Although they work supremely well, they are often clunkily designed with scant regard for the sort of slickness that separates them from rivals. Little of the design flair we usually associate with the Scandinavians has traditionally seemed to translate into their cars. The ‘spaceball’ gear selector in the S60 showed that Volvo could come up with some neat ideas and the S40 takes the spaceball and runs with it. The key design feature is a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can specify wood, aluminium, plastic or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This is probably the neatest interior design feature we’ve come across since the original Audi TT was launched. Like the TT’s cabin, the S40’s feels like it belongs on a motor show stand. This time around, the controls have been altered while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest for better driver comfort. The S40 rides on the same basic chassis set up as the Ford Focus, the Mazda3 and Volvo’s V50 estate. That’s not to say the S40 is simply a rebodied Focus. Although the underbody, subframes and suspension layouts are the same on all these models, there’s vast scope for tuning of individual aspects so all will drive differently. Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. Would the S40 look a little sexier with BMW-style flame-surfaced concave flanks? Probably. But side impact protection involves having as much deformation space as possible which is why it’s slab-sided to keep its occupants looking good. The 2.4-litre fuel injected engine of the S40 will be enough for most but if you really hanker after jet-heeled performance, there’s a 220bhp T5 variant that retails from £21,845 in R-Design Sport guise or a D5 performance diesel. The T5 will notch off the sprint to 60mph in just 6.5 seconds and run on to 150mph. This would seem to promise great things if Volvo ever created an S40R, although recent experience with the underwhelming S60R tempers the enthusiasm a little. Fast Volvos rarely hit the mark and after sampling the 2.4-litre model, there seems little to modify that opinion. The 2.4-litre version is a little slower than the 2.5-litre T5 but feels a good deal more composed in the way it accesses the far margins of its performance envelope. With taller tyres, the Geartronic gearbox and less torque steer to contend with, the 170bhp car feels a good deal more composed and unruffled than its slingshot sibling. The Volvo S40 2.4i is a very interesting proposition and represents the pick of the petrol-engined models in this fledgling range. Although it’s a vastly more assured car than its predecessor, it’s difficult to see it remaining anything other than a rather specialised taste. However, if quality matters rather than quantity, the S40 2.4i could just boot its rivals into touch.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 2.4i range PRICES: £19,495-£20,995– on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 203g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 137mph / 0-60mph 8s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 33.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

BETTER BY DESIGN
Volvo’s S40 has always been a very capable car. In R-Design form, it’s trying harder to let people know. Steve Walker reports.

The Volvo showroom isn’t usually the first port of call for thrusting young buyers looking for a compact car with a bit of attitude. That’s not to say that Volvo wouldn’t like it to be and there have been signs of a more concerted effort by the Swedish marque to loom larger on the radar of image-conscious twenty and thirtysomethings. First the C30 hit the streets bursting with fresh design and athletic overtones and then we got the R-Design sub-brand. This collection of accessories has been created to breathe some extra edginess into the S40 and V50 - models that had previously been too easy to overlook.

Sport and its friend sporty are prime candidates for the most overused terms in the UK car market. Manufacturers will offer a ‘sport’ version of virtually any vehicle that they can realistically bolt a spoiler to and it’s reached the stage where most of the term’s meaning has ebbed away. Likewise, undertake the even the briefest of searches and you’ll find the most unlikely candidates being described as sporty. It seems even MPVs are sporty these days. What is the world coming to? Everything’s relative, of course, but that doesn’t help Volvo when its S40 Sport and Sport SE versions are supposed to be the dynamic standard bearers of the range. What was needed was a new brand that could be carefully fashioned to speak of vibrancy, speed and thinly veiled aggression to its target audience. R-Design was the answer. It’s Volvo speak for, well, sportiness. You can get any of the S40’s engines with one of the R-Design packages. That means the petrol range from the 99bhp 1.6 up to the rapid 227bhp T5 and diesels from the 108bhp 1.6 to the punchy D5. Which one you go for rather depends on how convincingly you want your R-Design S40 to live up to its looks. The T5 is the obvious choice for true performance nuts, capable of running to 60mph from a standing start in 6.3s but the 178bhp D5 diesel might also appeal with its 7.9s showing. The D5 is a five cylinder engine like the T5 but it’s only offered with the Geartronic automatic gearbox. Although the system shifts quickly in manual mode, set to automatic it’s a bit of a dimwit - changing gears mid-corner and at other inopportune moments. The engine is noisy too, so you don’t tend to feel like leaving your foot in and accessing the strongest performance. A far better choice is the 2.0-litre diesel. Its 134bhp output gives a useful turn of speed with 60mph coming up in 8.9s. It’s lighter than the D5 and this is evidenced by a sharper front end and more a pointier feel to the steering.

"R-Design should raise the S40’s profile nicely"

Getting the Geartronic ‘box really doesn’t make much sense as the super-slick 6-speed manual that comes as standard is one of the S40’s best features. The stubby lever feels good in the hand and moves around the gate with some precision. If you really want an auto, you really should ask yourself whether you’re an R-Design kinda customer after all. The S40 deserves a good engine and gearbox combo because it’s a fine-handling car. It runs on Ford Focus underpinnings and inherits much of that model’s composure and cornering poise. So, what do you actually get with your R-Design Volvo? The package upgrades the interior and exterior of the S40, sharpening the impact of its styling and raising the tone in the cabin. A full body kit lowers the car visually, the grille and mirrors are picked out in a silver matt finish and a roof spoiler brings up the rear. The Sport models get 17" five-spoke alloy wheels but those are swapped for 18" efforts on the SE Sport version. Inside, the seats look great in Volvo’s unusual T-Tec fabric and cream leather, there’s a sports steering wheel, sports pedals and the displays are illuminated in blue. It’s all very fetching. The R-Design logo is liberally splattered about and even the floor mats get special cream edging. Overall, it feels like a quality package and definitely a cut above the standard S40s. The R-Design package works well partly because the Volvo S40 is a solid starting point. The car’s neat and chunky shape looks good in comparison to other compact saloons and if anything, the V50 estate version is better-looking still. The interior is an impressive piece of work from Volvo. The floating centre stack with nothing but fresh air behind it is the stand-out feature but the clean, minimalist lines and textured surfaces do give the impression of quality that so many manufacturers are striving for these days. The buttons on the aforementioned centre console are a bit fiddly but the major functions are simple enough to access. Legroom in the rear is generous and there’s a very spacious boot that family buyers will appreciate. You’ll need at least £16,910 to get yourself into one of these R-Design trimmed S40 models. The R-Design Sport 1.6 petrol starts at that level then you have the 1.8-litre version, the 2.0-litre and the T5. The diesel options start with the 1.8-litre model and the desirable 2.0- on top of that. Only the 2.0-litre and 5-cylinder engines are available with the plusher SE Sport trim and there’s a premium of around £1,650 to get it. As well as the R-Design accessories, the Sport comes as standard with climate control, electric windows and an MP3 compatible stereo while the SE Sport adds a trip computer, rain sensing wipers and cruise control amongst other things. These prices are a little higher than you’d pay for a car that rides on much the same chassis, such as a Ford Focus or a Mazda3 saloon, but then they feel very different cars. Volvo has worked hard to endow the S40 with its own identity and has, by and large, succeeded. Equipment levels are very strong to boot with some really high-end options available for the car. Dynaudio speakers are fitted to the Premium Sound system and there’s a hard-drive based RTI road traffic and information system for the sat nav. A lot of thought has gone into the details. Even the remote key fob has auto open and auto close functions for all side windows and the sunroof. The biggest seller in the S40 range has traditionally been the 136bhp 2.0-litre diesel car and with good reason. Once you’ve swallowed the initial purchase price, it’s reassuringly inexpensive to run. An average fuel consumption figure of 50.4mpg suggests a lawnmower. The appeal of this S40 is the way it combines a refreshingly brisk turn of pace with outstanding economy without feeling insubstantial in any way. Quality oozes from every pore. True, if lighter weight componentry was used, Volvo could have maybe eked a couple of extra miles per gallon from the car and improved upon the already excellent 148g/km of carbon dioxide emissions but Volvo is a brand that campaigns under Ford’s Premier Auto Group so it has to look and feel the part. The only S40 to really generate a sharp intake of breath in terms of running costs is the range-topping T5 sports model. Drive the T5 hard then and it will consume fuel at a determined rate, certainly nowhere near the 33mpg combined figure Volvo quote. Compensation is offered in the case of a CO2 emissions showing of 208g/km which makes it one of the cleanest cars in its class and also an insurance rating of Group 15. The S40 is a car that’s very easy to like but a little too easy to overlook. The market for compact saloon cars isn’t a big one in the UK and with premium and non-premium hatchbacks vying for the public’s attention as well as its direct saloon car rivals, the S40 has a tricky job on. It’s a job that should be made a good deal easier by the R-Design package. By introducing extra visual flair both inside and out as well as a definite brand that will be easier for younger buyers can get a handle on, R-Design should raise the S40’s profile nicely. The R-Design features have been well judged to give the S40 a more dynamic look and feel without going over the top. Crossing into hot hatchback territory with garish colour schemes and monster spoilers would have been a mistake. Instead, the S40’s minimalist interior and chunky body work have been respected and injected with some useful extra excitement. There’s a very good car underneath and with R-Design, it’s one that younger buyers will feel more inclined to discover.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 R-Design PRICES: £16,910-£22,920 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 129-210g/km PERFORMANCE: [136bhp 2.0 diesel] Max Speed 130mph / 0-60mph 9.2s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [136bhp 2.0 diesel] (urban) 37.7mpg / (extra urban) 62.8mpg / (combined) 50.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm

THRUST HOUSE FORTY
A decently powerful diesel engine plumbed into the nose of Volvo’s small but perfectly formed S40 makes an attractive combination. By Andy Enright…

The S40 2.0-litre 136bhp diesel makes a perfect case study in how far Volvo have progressed in the past few years. Many buyers still associate Volvo with big estate cars, the company’s excellence in more compact vehicles, executive saloons and, latterly, luxury 4x4s having passed some less well informed customers by. The latest S40 model moves the Swedes into a new echelon of competitiveness and this 136bhp 2.0-litre model is probably the best of the bunch. Small Volvos haven’t always been great but this car will certainly upset a few applecarts.

The engine itself may sound familiar to those with their finger on the industry pulse. It’s the same diesel unit that’s found beneath the bonnet of the latest Ford and Peugeot models and it’s a little gem. It’s turbocharged and has second-generation common rail technology featuring moving rails. The injection system operates under immense pressure, ensuring extremely fine distribution of the fuel particles. This helps promote both good performance and low emission levels. With the help of piezo-electrical injectors, the fuel can be portioned out in several small injectors during each combustion cycle, helping cut noise levels and improve efficiency. So much for the science bit. In reality the diesel engine – helped in no small part by a slick six-speed manual gearbox – certainly cuts the mustard. A top speed of 130mph and a sprint to 60mph time of just 9.2 seconds suggests a sporting car. An average fuel consumption figure of 50.4mpg suggests a lawnmower. The appeal of the S40 is the way it combines a refreshingly brisk turn of pace with outstanding economy without feeling insubstantial in any way. Quality oozes from every pore. True, if lighter weight componentry was used, Volvo could have maybe eked a couple of extra miles per gallon from the car and improved upon the already excellent 148g/km of carbon dioxide emissions but Volvo is a brand that campaigns under Ford’s Premier Auto Group so it has to look and feel the part. Fire the diesel engine up and you’re treated to a light off beat thrum at idle. There are no cold weather histrionics or clatterings that will have your neighbours slapping antisocial behaviour orders on you. You’ll be constantly reminded the car sips from the black rather than the green pump not by any vocal sibilance but rather by its prodigious mid-range acceleration. Nose onto a motorway on-ramp at 30mph and give the S40 its head and it can easily warrant the attention of the boys in blue by the time you attempt to merge with the traffic. What’s more this sort of torque is enormously addictive to exploit and you can do so reassured in the knowledge that you’re not getting a sound wallop in the wallet every time you give the right hand pedal a prod.

"Quality oozes from every pore"

The S40 2.0-litre diesel makes a great motorway car, taking long distances in its stride. Ride quality is very good and if you couple a 63mpg cruising ability with a twelve-gallon fuel tank, you can easily see cruising ranges of around 750 miles. This S40 certainly isn’t about to make many oil companies rich and nor will it unduly swell the coffers of the British insurance industry, the insurance rating of Group 10 being almost laughably reasonable. Volvo has made some small incremental improvements to the car’s look and feel. At the front end, the chrome-framed ‘egg-crate’ grille has been reprofiled and features a bigger Volvo badge. Clear lensed headlights and a wider air intake look a little more distinctive, while at the back there’s a revised LED tail light assembly as well as a modified bumper, boot handle and tail pipe design. Drop inside and the key design feature remains. It’s a centre console that’s a softly contoured moulding featuring supremely easy to use controls and fresh air behind it. You can even specify aluminium or semi-transparent plastic finishes and everybody who gets in will notice it. This is probably the neatest interior design feature we’ve come across since the original Audi TT was launched. Like that TT’s cabin, the S40’s feels like it belongs on a motor show stand. This time around, the controls have been altered while the centre tunnel storage area features a smaller handbrake and a revised armrest for better driver comfort. The S40 rides on the same basic chassis set up as the Ford Focus, the Mazda3 and the Volvo V50. That’s not to say the S40 is simply a rebodied Focus. Although the underbody, subframes and suspension layouts are the same on all these models, there’s vast scope for tuning of individual aspects so all will drive differently. Volvo haven’t skimped when it comes to safety and they claim that the S40 is as good to crash in as the flagship S80 saloon. Making a small car as safe as a big ‘un takes some doing and it’s only when you look at some of the finer points of how Volvo have achieved this that you realise quite what this commitment means. It involves casting the turbo housing as one with the exhaust manifold so that the engine is more compact when mounted transversely, giving more space for crush zones. It means developing the Intelligent Driver Information System which monitors how hard you’re using the throttle, brakes and steering and will hold incoming telephone calls or satellite navigation instructions until things have calmed down so as not to distract you in the middle of a manoeuvre. It means using four different grades of high tensile steel for crash protection. Would the S40 look a little sexier with BMW-style flame-surfaced concave flanks? Probably. But side impact protection involves having as much deformation space as possible which is why it’s slab-sided to keep its occupants looking good. Five versions of the 2.0-litre diesel-engined S40 are offered. The S specification model opens proceedings at £18,120 while the top specification R-Design SE Sport variant is pitched at £22,920. The S model features 16-inch alloy wheels, a CD stereo, driver and passenger airbags, an inflatable curtain, a height adjustable steering wheel, dynamic stability and traction control and electronic climate control. The SE model adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a choice of aluminium, wood or iced aqua trim, rain sensing wipers, a trip computer and a whole host of other electronic gizmos. Body coloured side mouldings and front fog lights are also included. If you want to go further, the ritzier R-Design Sport, R-Design SE Sport and SE Lux derivatives really pile on the equipment while the 180bhp D5 five-cylinder diesel piles on the power. The Volvo S40 has quickly established a reputation as an uncommonly high quality compact saloon. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine merely reinforces this impression and seems to be the ‘smart money’ pick of the range. It’s a vehicle that is very easy to buy and run and which imposes astonishingly few compromises. A small Volvo that’s genuinely desirable? That’s about the size of it.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo S40 2.0 Diesel 136bhp range PRICES: £18,120-£22,920 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 10 CO2 EMISSIONS: 148g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 130mph / 0-60mph 9.2s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 37.7 (extra urban) 62.8 (combined) 50.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and curtain airbags, WHIPS seats, side impact protection system WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4468/1770/1452mm