Volvo S40

The Volvo S40 is talented and affordable, offering something more than mainstream models - but not quite the ability of a BMW 3-Series.

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Rating: -
On the road price: £13,750 - £24,295
For : Price and equipment, neat, versatile interior, driving position, seats
Against : Noise intrusion, not quite premium-level handling

Driving
The Volvo S40 is a very good car. You perhaps don't expect the Swedish make to market sporty cars, so the S40's nimble nature is refreshing. Yet while it's neat and tidy most of the time, the car loses composure when pushed - the steering becomes vague and the chassis isn't as fluid and precise as some rivals. Mid-corner bumps also upset the composure and control of the chassis. The ride isn't particularly well damped and tends to get the jitters on potholed tarmac. Ford-derived diesels may seem humble but the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre units are nothing to be ashamed of. Petrol units are OK too and the 2.4-litre five-pot is a classy-sounding addition to the good-looking saloon car. There's also a 2.4-litre diesel five-pot mated to an automatic gearbox, for real compact saloon muscle.

Marketplace
The S40 is a slightly strange car. Volvo say it has been designed to battle with the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series, but the saloon bodystyle pushes it into the compact executive sector - competing with the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and... the Volvo S60! It only comes as a saloon, with the V50 estate essentially being an S40 load lugger. A simple model line-up offers good equipment levels in all guises; it's hard to fault the S40's standard equipment. It's based on a variant of the Ford Focus platform but Volvo has tuned it well to offer a grown-up feel and fantastic crash safety. We particularly like the sporty-look R-Design variants, with unique and racy trim, plus sportier suspension. It's the highlight of an extensive, and slightly confusing, line-up of trims and engines.

Owning
The S40's square, clean-cut lines are unmistakably Volvo, while the interior, with its 'floating' centre console, is very impressive indeed. The layout is simple, instrumentation clear and the soft, well-padded driver's seat is widely adjustable. It's a fuss free layout - although unfortunately, it's not flawless. The door pockets are far too small and there's no off-clutch footrest. In the back, there's a marked lack of headroom, due to the dipping roofline, while the rear doors are pretty small as well. However, legroom is adequate, and the fold-flat front passenger seat gives the Volvo's versatility a boost. It's a shame load-carrying ability is so disappointing with the folding seats in place, as the boot only offers 357 litres and the aperture is too small. Economical engines and low insurance ratings look good alongside premium rivals, while the S40's retained values are currently superb. The Swedish company even offers a low-cost Service Plan.