![]() | Auto Market Review |
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AMR Review: Volvo S40 - Good Herring
The Background Where the S60 is still a stylish car that carries itself well, the new S40 is a modern, crisp, sharp and yet flowing work of art,inside and out. Volvo has introduced the second generation S40 (and accompanying V50 wagon) by clearly doing its research and making an immensely compelling product visually, dynamically and, to a lesser extent, value-wise. Why do I like it so much? It ain't the herring. I Don't Like Herring, But... For the Swedes, the C1 is wrapped in a gorgeous rendition of the design theme first introduced on the S80, furthered by the S60, and interpreted on a larger scale in the XC90. The car is obviously a Volvo, and finally brings the level of sophistication and style to the lower end of the market that Volvo wished the first car did, and need in order to take any sales from the Germans. Volvo, one word on execution of the design - bravo. If one can fault the design at all, it might be that it looks too much like an S60, but that's not a bad thing. It has the same relation to its larger siblings that the Audi A4, A6 and A8 have to each other. It's called a brand identity or family look, and it's a good thing from a marketing stand-point. It instills brand loyalty as people have a clear progression of cars to buy as they move on in life and in affluence. Smooth exterior shapes mixed well with angles and creases define the figure. Make no mistake, this is a small car, and looks to be one. The S60 seems to be larger than it is by looking stretched, whereas the S40 looks like someone pressed an S60 from the front and back, squishing it into a smaller space. This isn't a bad thing. While I love the exterior of the car, the real design breakthroughs are inside. Let's go there. Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls So, take the novelty of the design out, and you actually have an elegant and very useful control center. Volvo designers may all use Macintoshes as their ergonomics are always first rate. Simplicity of layout and use have become Volvo hallmarks, and are no doubt part of the safety mentality. If you can just use their systems, then you need not divert your attention from the road. There's no doubt that the interior is a good place to be in this car. Well, at least in the front seats. As is the norm in this class, rear seat legroom is nearly an oxymoron. Better than some, worse than others, it's tight back there. I'm 6'2", so take that with a grain of salt if you're 5'5". You may not quip as much about rear space, that is unless you're sitting behind me. It is superior to the car it replaces though. The Drive Handling in all C1 cars is quite impressive, and the Volvo is no exception. Volvos are typically a bit softer handlers than the Bavarians, but the S40 seems to be soft yet precise at the same time. It's a very enjoyable drive, to be sure. Getting the chassis to skip or miss a beat is tough in this car. Really, Ford has done a tremendous job on this platform, and it shows in both the Volvo and the Mazda. I'm sure the Euro Focus is no exception, either. One other point you'll see consistently in reviews of this car is praise of the intelligent transmission. The automatic in the S40 is very good at anticipating gears and executing shifts. While that may be unimportant to many enthusiasts out there as you'd never consider a slush-box, automatics make up the bulk of car sales in the US, so this is something more manufacturers should either perfect or outsource. Where the car isn't quite as well tempered is off-the-line acceleration. Not that it's too slow, but the T5 can be a bit punchy. Picture parallel parking jobs with the car jumping forward or backward as you struggle to modulate the car's movements. For those of us with turbo experience, this is something we get used to, but it seems to be exacerbated in the Volvo as the car's throttle tip in is quite sensitive. This is a trait of many Volvos. The Final Review To me, this car is a winner. I'd like a better price point, but given where its competitors are, it's priced fine. Also, you can't underprice when you've spent the last 10-15 years building your image as a luxury brand. Who would think that of Volvo if they produced such a great car, and priced it at $15,000. Sure, they'd sell a boatload of cars (and most likely go out of business doing it), but I wouldn't think of them as luxury cars. Would you? No, this car is deserving of its price in all reality. Great car, great value. Good work, Volvo. You've earned your herring. |
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