Volvo V40 - no longer with a ruler

Volvo has long been associated mainly with armored limousines with lines of cheese cubes. Suddenly, the angular forms began to slowly smooth out, and the line was finally put aside, and a designer compact van came out - the second generation Volvo V40. Is it a good choice in the secondary market?

This design is already a little dated on the back of the neck, but thanks to the interesting design and the latest facelift, it still looks more modern than many cars that have just premiered. The manufacturer had relatively small models in its offer much earlier, such as the 300 series. It even has some design experiments, for example, in the form of the 480 model - the car was amazing, but people avoided it within a few kilometers, because they thought that this is the work of aliens, so the sale was a failure. In later years, Volvo became famous primarily for large and angular limousines such as the 900, 200 or 850 (later S70) series. The first generation Volvo V40, of course, existed, but it had nothing to do with the second - first of all it had a station wagon body. However, the manufacturer decided to change the strategy - in the second batch, the car became designer and impractical, because the space was allotted to the form. Is it a disadvantage? Surprisingly, no, because it turns out that many drivers actually buy a car with their "eyes" - the V40 II became Volvo's best-selling car in Europe, and was also recognized as the safest compact car in the world. Applause to the producer - the risk of changing the image was justified.

The Volvo V40 II began to conquer the market in 2012 and, after several modifications during its existence, is still on sale today. It's easiest to find a slim hatchback version at thrift stores, but don't forget that the car also left the factory in an off-road Cross Country version and a sports version with the Polestar logo. And if the hatchback is a bit cramped, you can look for a little more S60. Everyone will find something for themselves.

Usterki

The design is still relatively young, so the topic of major breakdowns is not very popular. However, users point to too delicate paintwork, small leaks of working fluids and traditional malfunctions of modern cars, usually appearing after about 150 runs. km of run - problems with the DPF filter in diesel engines, supercharging, and later with the injection system, especially in diesel engines. Interestingly, there are cases of minor quality flaws, such as problems with the rear window wiper. In addition, the clutch quality is rated average, and the most capricious after many years is the on-board electronics, which are quite a lot in the car. Despite this, durability is rated positively.

interior

At first glance, it is clear that the Germans did not work on Volvo. The cockpit is simple, almost ascetic, but at the same time clear, neat and completely unique. In many versions, the interior is somewhat gloomy, but all this is enlivened by well-placed silver inserts - fortunately, it doesn’t look like on the shelves during the fair. In addition, the dashboard does not “slap the mouse” - on the one hand, there are no fireworks, and on the other hand, electronic indicators and a flat center console, behind which there is a shelf, add zest. The different texture of materials is a plus, and a minus is their quality in the lower part of the cabin and their fit in places, even door handles can creak. On the other hand, the elements with which the hands come into contact (handles, armrest) are always soft and of high quality. However, if it weren’t too colorful, visibility through the rear window can be compared to looking at the world through a roll of toilet paper… Almost nothing is visible, and thick rear pillars make it difficult to maneuver. So it’s worth looking for examples with parking sensors or a rear-view camera. The distance to obstacles is then displayed on the center screen.

The cockpit looks austere, but there is enough space in the cabin for small compartments - cups can be placed in the central tunnel, there are hiding places in all doors and even on the sides of the sofa. The aforementioned shelf behind the center console is also a plus, although it could be deeper - during aggressive maneuvers, larger objects can fall out of it and, for example, get stuck under the brake pedal. And this is the first step to seeing all the saints through the windshield. The storage compartment in the armrest is large and secure. As for multimedia, the player works with external memory, the socket for a flash drive is located in the armrest. However, the memory must have a narrow case, since the entrance is located against the wall and prevents bulky disks from being mounted. The producer also thought of a "paw" for parking tickets.

On my way

The Volvo V40 is an example of a car that can make you happy on the road. Engines are to blame. All diesels and gasoline engines are equipped with a turbocharger, and the latter are the most fun. The base T3 petrol engine produces 150 hp. - that's enough to see the first "hundred" in less than 9 seconds on a lightweight compact. More powerful T4 and T5 variants already have 180-254 hp. The flagship has 5 cylinders arranged in a row. However, there are almost twice as many diesel engines in the aftermarket as gasoline engines, so diesels are usually chosen due to their availability. They also have a much calmer disposition - the base D2 (1.6 115 km) is economical (on average about 5-5,5 l / 100 km), but sluggish. While its maneuverability is good at low speeds, it runs out of power outside the city. Therefore, it is better to look for versions D3 or D4 - both have a 2-liter engine under the hood, but differ in power (150-177 hp). The more powerful variant is more interesting in that it produces much better performance and fuel consumption is the same as the weaker version (average 6-7 l/100 km depending on driving style). The V40 is front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with a choice of both manual and automatic transmissions. In the latter case, the car is a little more dynamic, but it will also consume more fuel, even up to 1 liter per 100 km.

The sales statistics of the V40 and its many years of experience in the market have themselves confirmed this Swedish development - it is simply good. There will be cheaper and more spacious cars, many will also opt for German designs. But do you have to be like them? The Volvo V40 II is an interesting alternative.

This article was created courtesy of TopCar, who provided a vehicle from their current offer for testing and photo shoot.

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