Insurance Group: 25
MPG: 55.4
CO2: 134
0-62 Mph: 9.5 secs
BHP: 148 BHP
Range: 731 miles
PROS: The S40 is good looking, good to drive, well-made and very safe.
CONS: It's not the most practical car in its class and the ride is a little firm.
The S40 D3's 2.0-litre diesel engine produces 148bhp and 250lb-ft of torque which translates into a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 130mph. These are perfectly good performance figures for a car of this type.
The S40 handles very well indeed thanks to direct, precise steering and good suspension which minimises body roll through the bends. The ride is a little firm but wind and road noise are well insulated, only becoming apparent at motorway speeds. The engine, however, can get very noisy under hard acceleration.
The S40 is a very good looking car indeed and the interior feels very classy thanks to a good choice of materials and a high standard of build quality.
Standard equipment includes alloy wheels, climate control, electric windows, cruise control, rear parking sensors, leather seats, a CD player with MP3 connectivity and Bluetooth. Sat-Nav is an optional extra at £525 and metallic paint will set you back £565.
The S40 is very spacious in the front although the rear seats don't offer as much space as the Volvo's rivals do. The boot is a decent size and when the rear seats are upright there is 325 litres of space on offer, with 804 litres available with the rear seats down.
The S40 should be very safe indeed and scored the full five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests thanks to driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags which are all included as standard.
Volvo makes very reliable cars indeed and the S40 should be no exception. It ranked highly in the 2011 J D Power Survey and is supplied with a 3 year/60,000 mile warranty as standard.
The Volvo S40 D3 SE Edition 4dr can be bought for £23,360 which is very good value for money considering the amount of equipment included as standard.
The running costs will also be very low thanks to the Volvo's efficient diesel engine. You should get 55.4mpg (combined) and CO2 emissions of 134g/km mean that the S40 falls under a low tax band: E. Group 25 insurance is also more than reasonable for a big family car like this.
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