Volvo S40
Refining the art of what to exclude |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: No ashtray. I don't need one, but Volvo shouldn't presume that.
G-FORCES: The 168-horsepower engine provides quiet and confident acceleration for a five-cylinder, but offers little exhilaration. A more potent 218-horsepower turbocharged model is also available. Handling is measured and stable but mediocre by European standards.
GIZMOLOGY: The clean, clever, and ergonomic design of the dashboard is a standout feature that makes you feel good about being in the S40. I appreciated the automatic up/down controls for all windows, not just those in the front—the usual shortcut. Nicely integrated storage pockets and other small features indicate high attention to detail.
KID MARKS: This is a relatively small sedan and the back seat is cramped for adults—but ideal for two kids. There's a small armrest with two cup holders, and the pass-through door handles make it easy for toddlers to let themselves into the car. That T-Tec upholstery also seems to clean up easier than ordinary cloth.
HOT OR NOT: Hot: This is a shapely, aggressive design that doesn't beg for attention but simply looks classy.
ENVIROMETER: Mileage ratings range from 22 mpg city to 30 mpg highway. The EPA hasn't yet assigned a "green vehicle" rating.
CRASH COURSE: Earns nine stars, out of 10, in the government's frontal side crash, and 10 out of 10 in the side-impact crash. Rollover rating is forthcoming. Details: http://www.nhtsa.gov/NCAP/Cars/3283.html. Also earned a "good" rating—the highest—from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a private testing group. That info is at http://www.iihs.org/vehicleratings/ce/html/0414.htm.
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $23,945 to $26,745. Price as tested: $26,890. (All prices include delivery fees.) Note: Premium fuel is recommended on all models.
MORE INFO: www.allnews40.com
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Model year tested: 2005
Is there a difference between being Swedish and being European? On one level, Europe is becoming more homogeneous, with a common currency and other nods to uniformity. But Volvo has made a plausible case, in the new S40, that there is still something unique about Scandinavia.
Just when it seems there aren't too many innovations left to be made on mid-market sedans, Volvo has come up with some nice ones. Chief among them is one thing we all crave in our 24-7 world: simplicity. The central console is arranged like a TV remote control—no sense denying our influences—with four large knobs for the radio and climate system surrounding it. It was intuitively obvious what to push, no matter what I wanted the car to do, which is not often the case when you climb into an unfamiliar vehicle. The climate system continues to use Volvo's mannequin-shaped diagram—one of the cleverest little features on any car—which allows you to direct air toward the head, torso, feet, or all of the above. And lest the remote-control layout seem a crass sellout to modern contrivances, it's set in a cool, streamlined display that is hollowed out in the back—more like a nod to a slick plasma TV.
Despite its upscale image, Volvo has kept the base price of its entry-level S40 relatively modest, at just under $24,000. That includes antilock brakes, stability control, and a full complement of airbags, safety features that are often optional on more expensive cars. So now for the trade-offs. There's a plasticky quality to some of the interior components, such as the shifter and the door handles. The baseline upholstery—which Volvo calls "dynamic T-Tec seating surfaces"—seems durable but has a synthetic, Teflon-like feel. Features that some drivers might consider requirements for an entry-luxury car, such as power seats, are options that cost extra. And on the road the S40 is smooth, adept, and easy to drive but not particularly quick, firm, or fun. Still, these are intelligent choices that indicate that Volvo put a lot of thought into what drivers really need and what they don't. And if you can't afford absolutely every indulgence a car maker can offer, you could do much worse than the Scandinavian solution.
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