The new Volvo V40 ‘handles like a dream’

The Swedish car manufacturing giants have, once again, made a premium compact car to rival their class leading competition. Not only is the new Volvo V40 for sale complemented with Volvo’s usual fortress like safety, but the car also has incredible fuel economy, stunning looks and an incredible safety record. The new Volvo V40 is a real contender this time around.

Volvo-V40-for-sale

Volvo has gone out of their way to make a car that can be customized to the driver. You really are spoilt for choice with the V40. The car comes in six engine variants (three diesel and three petrol) and then there is the beefed up Volvo V40 cross country, which boasts an elevated ride height and plastic body protection to reinforce its added aversion to bad road conditions. Then there are six trim levels that you can also choose from. We will go through the variants of this car and delve a bit deeper into what makes this such an amazing buy.

Exterior

Volvo has always been very subtle and restrained in terms of design. This premium hatchback has reserved looks and a suave appeal that make this one of the most handsome cars in its class.

Volvo-V40-Exterior-view

It has a low stance and a sporty appeal that isn’t really present in other Volvo models. The smooth, sloping bonnet has been taken from the V60 to compliment the flowing front end. It been given projector style head lights and a part glass hatchback door. Diffusers have been used in the rear bumper that flow nicely into a pair of sporty, chromed tail pipes. The newly designed roof spoiler has aircraft mimicking fins and winglets that enhance its sporty and aerodynamic appeal.

One great feature of the new Volvo V40 is its detachable tow bar. When you need it, the rugged tow bar is easily mounted and, when you don’t need it, can be removed just as easily. When the tow bar is not is use, Volvo supplies a colour coordinated tow bar cover to keep your car looking great.

Interior

Inside the new V40 you will find reserved luxury. The materials used are of the highest quality and have their own distinctive Volvo appeal that cannot be found in other cars. There is a floating center console, which seems to hover in the air, which is filled with all the kinds of tech you would expect in a Volvo.

The infotainment system has upgraded graphics and cloud-based access to music and maps while you drive. You can even get a digital dashboard option which replaces the conventional analogue dials in the car. It performs many different functions, which includes operating the 130w Harmon Kardon sound system.

Volvo-V40-Interior-view

There is also a new piece of tech called Sensus which is now seen as the best-in-class infotainment system in the industry. You can stream and listen to music, the radio or books through your car’s audio system. It has its own Wi-Fi hotspot built into the car which you can run other devices off and connect to the internet right on your car’s dashboard. Lastly it has an iGo navigation system so you will never get lost on your journey.

The Space in the Volvo V40 is very good, but you might have a hard time getting three adults into the back seat. The seating itself is incredibly comfortable with support in all the right places. Headroom in the back seats can be a bit of an issue, but this is due to the panoramic sunroof which trumps the limited head space.

The boot has a 335 liter capacity with rear fold-down seats that increases the load space to 1,032 liters when folded down. There is a load organizer mat in the back that allows you to keep your valuables well organised on or under the car’s compartment floor. There are three movable aluminium dividers that can be customized to your size requirements.

Engine

The Volvo V40 has been given an all new set of engines. These have been dubbed Drive-E engines as they lower running costs across the range. These engines have a power mode for sporty, quick response driving. Then there is the pure/eco which is for quick, short trips and produces far less emissions and uses far less fuel. We will go through these variants below:

Volvo V40 petrol engines

There’re three petrol engine variants to choose from, namely the T3, T4 and T5. The Volvo V40 T3 is the base engine of the range and it produces 120hp with a combined fuel consumption of 5.5 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions of 127g/km. The 152hp Volvo V40 T4 goes from 0-100 kph in 6.9 seconds (the T3 does it in 8.3) but the T4 shares the cheaper models’ running costs.

If you are looking for out-of-this-world performance then the Volvo V40 T5 is the model to go for. Its 245hp is enough to rocket the V40 from 0-100 kph in just 6.3 seconds, but when combined with Volvo’s eight-speed automatic gearbox it can return a fuel economy of 5.9 liters per 100 km.

Volvo V40 diesel engines

There are also three Diesel engine variants. The D2, D3 and D4. The D2 can reach speeds of 190 and can get from 0-100 kph in 10.5 seconds. It has the lowest combined fuel economy of all the engine variants and only uses a staggering 3.6 litres of fuel per 100 kms. The 150hp D3 sits in the middle of the diesel range, which can go from a standstill to 100kph in 8.4 seconds

The pick of the diesel range is the D4 diesel. Its significant power hike up from 120hp to 190hp will give you much more grunt. It accelerates from 0-100kph in just 7.4 seconds and is the perfect over taker, even at motorway speeds. It almost matches the running costs of the D3 with a combined fuel usage of 4.2 litres per 100 km (the D3 uses 4.0 litres)

Driving

In terms of driving pleasure, the new V40 is a great all-rounder. This car was created to dispel the myth that Volvo’s do not provide an engaging driving experience. The company went back to basics and modelled their driving of class leaders like the Ford Focus. The car has direct steering which makes the V40’s steering very sensitive around corners. The suspension absorbs the body roll perfectly and the lowered suspension really makes the car hug corners.

At high speeds the Volvo V40 for sale is a quiet cruiser. The engine noises are very soft inside the cabin and if you couple this with the Volvo’s very comfortable seats then what you get is an incredibly comfortable ride with great fuel consumption.

Safety and technology

As you would expect, the leading name in car safety has made a very safe ride. The model comes standard with all the latest safety technology that the Swedish car manufacturer has to offer. It received a full 5 star safety rating from a Euro NCAP testing facility, and was named the world’s safest car as it achieved the highest score in the safety rating history.

The car has the usual safety items like reinforced, three point seatbelts and specially designed child car seats and airbags, but the most prominent feature is probably the Intellisafe package which actually avoids accidents for you. It has adaptive cruise control which slows the car down automatically if there is an obstruction when the cruise control is engaged. It has a 360 degree camera so you can see everything that is going on from the driver’s seat with active high beams, blind spot sensors, and a lane keeping aid which tells you if you are straying from your driving lane by vibrating the steering wheel and gently guiding you back to your lane by itself.

If this wasn’t enough, there’s a Forward collision warning system that scans 150 meters in front of your car and if an accident will occur, it warns you and pre-charges the brakes for a quick stop. This also works for cyclists or pedestrians that might walk or ride into your car’s path. The car will actually brake for you if this is necessary.

Trim levels

As we mentioned earlier, The Volvo V40 for sale comes with six distinct trim levels that range from the entry level ES to the trim topping R-Design Lux. The Sensus infotainment system is available across the range and the Volvo V40 Cross Country model adds a rugged appeal to the standard vehicle.

Volvo-V40-Trim-Levels

Volvo V40 SE

The SE trim package has a more comfortable interior that is complimented with aluminium trim, with added equipment like cruise control and electronically folding door mirrors.

Volvo SE Lux

The SE Lux version comes with leather seats and 17-inch alloy wheels. This package has LED daytime running lights and very strong Xenon headlights, including a washing function that changes direction in relation to the positioning of the steering wheel.

The R-Design

The R-Design trim is probably the most popular in the range. It has a sportier look thanks to unique 17-inch alloy wheels. A revised grille design and matt silver door mirrors. Inside the R-Design are leather sports seats, a sports steering wheel and a larger eight-inch TFT (Thin-film-transistor) display.

Volvo-V40-R-Design

R-Design lux

This trim package has the best of both worlds. It uses the R-Design Lux trim combined with the additional features of the SE Lux variant.

Volvo V40 Cross Country

This is the rugged variant of the V40, but you should be aware that the Cross Country isn’t designed with off-road driving in mind. Only top-of-the-range Cross Country models get four-wheel drive. The basic variants have an increased ride height that has been raised by 40mm, a unique bumper design and black roof rails. It’s a lot more distinctive than the standard models.

Here are some great Volvo V40 deals available on Auto Mart

Volvo V40 T3 Essential 2013

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Volvo V40 D2 Excel 2014

Volvo-V40-D2-for-sale

Volvo V40 T3 Elite 2015

Volvo-V40-T3-Elite-for-sale

With its luxurious design and impressive features, the Volvo V40 is a ready competitor to the rival models in its class. Its luxury and technology set it apart from the crowd. Why not browse for a Volvo V40 for sale on Auto Mart? Our website allows you to easily find and compare prices online, why not find an affordable Volvo V40 and take it for a test drive today.

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Bruce Ungersbock

Bruce is an SEO guy that has his eye on the prize and traffic on his mind. A lover of good music and a connoisseur of all things awesome.

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