Volvo S40 D2 ES 4dr Car Review - March 2012

Inside the cabin there’s good adjustment available on the driver’s seat and steering wheel, so finding the best driving position is easy. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and all round visibility is good. The dash has a very stylish centre console, but some of the controls are small and not so easy to use.

The 1.6-litre 4 cylinder 8 valve diesel engine fitted in this S40 D2 is still quite powerful even though it’s the smallest engine in the range. It produces a maximum of 113bhp and 199lb-ft of low down pulling power making it nippy and responsive. Top speed is a decent 121mph and it takes 11.4 seconds to go from 0-62mph. Its average fuel economy of 65.7mpg is good for a medium-sized executive saloon car.

The S40 is sure-footed and well controlled on winding country roads and gives you lots of confidence in its ability thanks to minimal body-lean and plenty of grip. The suspension does a good job of soaking up uneven surfaces and bumps and keeping the S40 composed, but the ride may feel a little firm for some. The steering is responsive and well-weighted.

The diesel engine is smooth enough at all speeds and generates little noise. Road noise is well suppressed in the cabin but there’s a build up of wind noise around the door mounted mirrors at motorway speeds. Overall, the S40 is a comfortable and well refined cruiser.

The S40 saloon is well proportioned and while it may not possess the most dashing lines; overall it has an air of solidity and stylish durability. The interior, in particular, provides some nice design features such as the floating centre console.

The S40 ES comes well equipped with power steering, remote central locking, DSTC stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front and rear windows, alarm, immobiliser and a CD with MP3 connectivity. Volvo also offers as optional extras; metallic paint £565, rear parking sensor £385, Bluetooth £275 and satellite navigation £525.

The S40 offers ample leg and head room up front for driver and passenger, however, space in the rear is not quite so generous, and while it offers decent leg room, head room in the rear is a little tighter than some of its rivals like the VW Passat. The boot space of 404-litres with the rear seats in position and 883-litres with the rear seats folded down is reasonable, but its not class beating.

The S40 is the smallest model in Volvo’s saloon range, but it doesn’t skimp on safety features. Every S40 comes fitted with front, side and curtain airbags as well as stability control. EuroNCAP awarded five-stars for adult safety, four-stars for child safety and one-star for pedestrian safety in it crash-testing of the S40.

Security is taken care of by deadlocks, remote central locking, visible VIN, security-etched components, alarm and engine immobiliser fitted as standard.

The S40 is well built, using quality materials and fixings throughout the cabin. The engine is well tried and tested and Volvo was one of the top 10 companies in the 2011 JD Power customer satisfaction survey, and the S40 came third in its class, so you shouldn’t have any worries about reliability problems.

Volvo covers the S40 with its three-year 60,000 mile warranty and regular service intervals are every 12,500 miles.

The Volvo S40 ES isn’t cheap as a family car; however, its high quality image, excellent build quality, premium badge and level of standard equipment justify the £20,245 asking price.

Running costs are very reasonable. Insurance is in group 20, its low emissions of 114g/km put it in VED band C for Road Tax and average fuel economy of 65.7mpg is excellent for a car this size.

S40 resale values aren’t as high as you may think, so the 1.6-litre ES version is a good option; you get the best of the S40 for the lowest price and won’t suffer such rapid depreciation as the higher-spec cars. Look for promotions or discounts from Volvo dealers or extra equipment to make it an even more attractive choice.