Volvo gives the new face of Volvo to the V40

Volvo V40

Volvo's five-door V40 has proved to be a credible entrant in the premium compact hatch sector against cars like BMW's 1 Series and Audi's A3. Now it's been facelifted and made even more efficient. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

As with most things in life, the best products take what seems a complicated bunch of requirements and reduce them to something very simple and elegant. The improved, facelifted Volvo V40 is just such a car. The Swedish company has built a premium five-door family hatch that looks great, drives well, makes sense on the balance sheet and which has an amazing amount of safety equipment built into it. It really is as good as it looks, especially with a set of highly efficient 'Drive-E' engines beneath the bonnet.

Background

Traditionally, Volvos have been better when they've been bigger. It's not that the Swedish brand hasn't tried its hardest with compact, more affordable models. On the contrary, it has a heritage in such designs stretching all the way back to the PV51 of 1936. None though has been what you'd call desirable, unless for you, desire is a virtue that's safe, solid and sensible. Here though, is a car that is. The improved V40 premium family hatch.

Despite the 'V' designation, traditionally used by the brand to reference estate cars, this is a Focus-sized family hatch - but a rather posh one, aimed at the top end of this segment where you'll find premium models like BMW's 1 Series, Audi's A3 and the Mercedes A-Class. It's job is to take on these elite rivals, a task that's been made easier since the introduction of a series of petrol and diesel engines from Volvo's efficient 'Drive-E' range. Now the car's been smartly facelifted too. Let's check it out.

Driving Experience

Here's a hatch clearly developed by people who care about driving and it delivers a very good compromise indeed of absorbent ride and assured handling composure. So much so that I've begun to question the 'less is more' mantra I tend to apply to the brand's other models when it comes to engine output. There's not much point in having loads of power in a car that handles like a pudding. This one though, can cope with a bit more, which is why it's worth opting for the fastest of the three diesel engines on offer, the 190bhp D4. Rest to 62mph here takes 7.4s en route to 143mph. All the diesel units available are now from the brand's frugal 'Drive-E' family of engines, all 2.0-litre units. The D3 develops 150bhp, while the entry-level D2 manages 120bhp.

Design and Build

This facelifted V40 gets a smarter front end, courtesy of the addition of revised LED headlamps that feature the so-called 'Thor's Hammer' style that's already been seen in the brand's larger XC90, S90 and V90 series models. A smarter grille mesh completes the more confident look. As before, the V40 has a relatively low and sleek bonnet line: that's because courtesy of a unique under-bonnet airbag, it doesn't have to leave an under-bonnet void to meet pedestrian impact legislation. So the bonnet line can be much lower, part of a lean, wide coupe-like stance in a shape very slightly longer and wider than rival BMW 1 Series or Audi A3 models.

Market and Model

As before, prices sit in the £20,000 to £35,000 bracket. Buyers also get the option of finding a £1,000 model-for-model premium for the 'Cross Country' variants with their SUV-style bodystyling.

All models come with alloy wheels, electronic climate control that also cools the glovebox, plus leather-trim for the gear knob and for a steering wheel that has audio controls for an eight speaker stereo with USB and iPod inputs, operable via the same 5-inch colour screen you can use to set up the Bluetooth connection for your 'phone. This display can also use Volvo's Sensus infotainment and navigation system. Within the range, you can also opt for a 'Cross Country' trim level, offering mildly SUV-style looks for a modest premium. Either way, safety-wise, there's a world first - an under-bonnet airbag that springs out to protect pedestrian in the event of an impact.

Cost of Ownership

If you want the reason why more than 60% of all UK V40 customers will end up buying the least powerful 120bhp D2 diesel variant, then you don't have to look far to find it. This model is capable of a headline-grabbing 83.1mpg on the combined cycle and an 89g/km of CO2 reading that'll side-steps the need for road tax and payment of the London congestion charge. I should point out that the super-frugal returns I'm talking about only apply if this V40 is fitted with an appropriately weedy set of wheels and tyres. Bigger sizes have quite an impact on those figures, so be warned.

Summary

With the V40, Volvo has brought its brand up to date - and continues to do so. More fashionable styling clothes some serious safety in a very assured piece of design further improved by Volvo's own 'Drive-E' 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines. In any case, careful development of this car's dynamic Focus-inspired underpinnings has left us with a car an enthusiast might still enjoy.

This car is efficient yet characterful, stylish yet sensible, it ought to appeal far beyond Volvo's core customer base. It ought to, but it may not. A drive in one of these would blow away quite a few prejudices. Whoever would have thought it?

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Volvo V40

PRICE: £20,255 - £32,015

INSURANCE GROUP: 17-35

CO2 EMISSIONS: 89-137g/km

PERFORMANCE: [D2] 0-62mph 10.5s / Max speed 118mph

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [D2] (combined) 83.1mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS with EBA & EBD, twin front, side, knee and curtain airbags, ESP stability control, Rollover Protection System

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4369/1857/1439

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