I am looking to buy a new 05 Volvo S40 w/o the Turbo.

The motor is a 2.4 w/ 168 hp.

I liked the way the interior and body looks.

But how is its performance and reliability?

I called the dealership and he told me its compared to the BMW 3-series.

I am not sure if thats to praticle for me, but I figure I ask on here to see what volvos test drivers thought of the S40.

Thanks

 

I've never driven it but have sat in one a few times. Thought it was horribly small.

And I doubt it can be compared to a 3 series either but at that price point why would it.

 

I'd take the TSX over the S40, T5 or not, any day. The S40 is far too small, literally the size of a Mazda 3.

 

get a v50

 

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/nvc/edmu...op=3&tab=print

The interior dimensions are about the same on the TSX and S40, but the S40 exterior dimensions are a lot smaller and weighs less then the TSX.

 

TSX > S40

The S40 looks tiny compared to the TSX and the looks are just blah.

 

i drove the T5 and it didnt seem all that fast. there was some turbo lag and the trunk opening is small. suspension was really soft too.

 

the base engine is slow, and the 5 cylinder is not as smooth as the TSX engine

 

i've test driven one. slightly considered it when i was buying, but the interior did feel more cramped than the tsx. there's one that parks next to me at work, and it does look tiny compared to the tsx.

i do like the center console though.

 

The demensions may be the same but there is far less space in the Volvo. You have to sit in both to get an idea.

 

well i was looking into getting one, but its one of the smallest fours door I've seen and been in. And now take into acount all the damn probelms its had, no thanks. visit swedespeed.com and look through its s40 forums, not good....

 

So the interior room is smaller then my 1999 TL?

I guess its not worth getting rid of my 99TL for one then , huh? U Think?

 

Thats an understatement.

 

i had one of these as a rental from enterprise. they suck!

performance? this thing lacks.

reliability I have no clue as I only had it for a week.

 

Volvo also has a nasty coupla blind spots due to the active head restraint headrests...I hated driving it.

 

I've sat in a few of these. The interior seems very down market compared to the rest of the Volvo line. Almost feels like a Ford.

Funny story about one, though -

I looked at this car before I ended up buying my TL. I pulled into the Volvo dealership, and you know how as soon as you park in front of these dealerships, the salesmen are all over your jock about how you're doing, what are you looking at etc? Well nothing. I just sort of walked around and no one came out.

I got a bit miffed because I couldn't look inside any of the cars, and there was a Lexus dealership next door, so I decided to take a look over there instead (left my car parked at the Volvo dealer). Test drove some ES300's, etc., and the Lexus dealer gave me all this junk - brochures, pens, you name it - even a bottle of spring water with a Lexus logo on it.

Then I come back around to my car at the Volvo dealership, and when this guy sees me practically dumping all this Lexus junk in my car, he comes out, eyes wide open, like his jaw is going to drop off, and generally flipping out about how he needed to help me. "Dood, what are you doin'? Come on, let me help you out, eh?" Since I was sort of in a cranky mood in the first place, I kinda put myself into "jerk customer" mode. I took out a nice used S70 T5, and really hammered it. This didn't seem to phase him too much. He just held on to the grab handles and looked a tad scared. Then we get back, and while I'm fucking with the guy about how Volvos should be sold at Ikea, I see a S40 parked out there. So we go take a look.

I don't know if you've sat in an S40 before, but the leather seats have this pouch on the front, under your thighs. Since they're leather and elastic at the top, for some reason they looked like scrotums. So I sit down inside, and "dood" is hanging on the door spouting off how cool the dealership is, and I ask him about the pouches.

Me - "So what are these?"
Guy - "Aw dood, those are just pockets, you know fer like sunglasses and maps and stuff-"
Me - "I expected to find a set of balls in here."
Then the guy kind of half cracks a smile, looks off somewhere and starts looking uncomfortable.
Guy - "Uh, yeah, this is a really nice car and all."

After that they didn't want to talk numbers on the S70, so I left, drinking my Lexus spring water all the way home.

 

in the past 3 weeks i have test driven a few cars and the volvo S40 was one of them (T5 version with 208hp)

the motor pulled ok, pretty good for a inline 5, but the rest of the car just felt cheap, felt very...well like someone else said it was like driving a ford. I was a bit disapointed, now the S40R is a different story, totally different inside and out with 300hp!!! but those are made to order only so you would have to find a carmax or something with a used one to test drive it.

The cars i have took out for a test drive are:

Volvo S40 T5
Infinit G35 (6 speed)
Infinit M45
Audi S4
Acura tl (automatic)
Acura TL (6 speed)

If money where no object i would be buying the M45, what a car, powerfull,beautiful and all the modern gadgets. but i want to take that 20k and put in a inground pool next spring so the car that best invokes passion into driving for me is.........

The Acura TL 6speed. has most of the gadgets the M45 has but has a sporty drive to it and the fit and finish of the car is by far better then the second place G35.

just food for thought

Jim