Is there such a thing as a sexy Volvo? Before you wave your hand in dismissal, be sure to take a look at the latest addition to our long-term fleet, an S40 T5 painted a minty Mistral Green.
The compact S40 is the car that will change Volvo's fortunes in the entry-level luxury sedan segment. It's luxurious enough to make VW Jetta buyers aspire for more. It's sporty enough to make BMW 3 Series buyers question the need to spend the big bucks. And it's so stylish that you'll realize it's the Swedes, not the Germans, who are on the cutting edge of fashion.
Yes, this is a Volvo with plenty more going for it than top-notch safety credentials, as we noted with enthusiasm in our full road test of the car. However, you never really know a car until you live with it, so we're going to do just that with an automatic transmission-equipped T5 model.
As on other Volvos, T5 designates a turbocharged five-cylinder engine, and this one makes 218 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The T5 model comes with all the amenities the average person needs — automatic climate control, a power driver seat with memory, nifty T-Tec cloth upholstery, a six-speaker CD stereo and a complete menu of airbags. But of course we loaded a few options into our long-term car, not the least of which is a fantastic 12-speaker Dolby Pro-Logic sound system. Other extras include bi-HID headlights, a sunroof, a CD changer and, for safety's sake, stability control. The total sticker comes to $32,010 — less than you'd pay for a comparably equipped German peer.
Already three of our editors have spent some quality time inside the S40, and all of them like the cockpit design. Senior Features Editor Joanne Helperin wrote in the log, "The controls for everything were very intuitive. The overall design is streamlined, unfrivolous, yet not at all spartan. I felt immediately at home."
Managing Editor Donna DeRosa remarked upon the "sleek and slim" design of the center stack and said she found the seats comfortable. After a seven-hour road trip, Senior Content Editor Erin Riches gave a similar report, noting that "although the ultrathin center stack seemed gimmicky at first, it's actually quite functional, as all the buttons have detents that make them easy to operate while driving. Seat comfort is generally excellent. My back began to get sore after five hours, but I just readjusted the seat and all was well."
Joanne found the headroom a bit tight. "I would have liked another inch or two," she said. "Either that or a lower beltline so that I could lower the seat and still have good visibility."
The stylishly high beltline is one of the small compromises the S40 makes in the name of style. Dainty side mirrors are another, and both Erin and Joanne said they would prefer a larger set.
Editors thought the turbocharged engine offered plenty of power for just about any driving situation. However, Donna noted that our automatic-equipped long-termer seemed a bit sluggish compared to the manual-shift S40. Joanne was a little annoyed by the car's nonlinear throttle response. "It takes a significant amount of pedal pressure to make the car go, but then it shoots out quickly," she said. "This is an issue for city driving, when the majority of the time you are trying to move along slowly."
Erin shared neither of these complaints but wasn't exactly enamored with the sounds coming from under the hood. "Like other Volvo turbos, this engine has a brooding personality, like Eeyore. Oh, it's refined and all, but there's something downtrodden about it as it revs. It does give the car character, though."
More character came out when Erin turned onto a twisty two-lane highway. "The S40 surprised me with its balance and quicker-than-expected reflexes. I hadn't realized you could push this car as much. It's not a feisty car. There's no athlete under the surface fighting to get out, as in the Subaru Legacy GT. But this Volvo is a competent handler."
Join us as we uncover more surprises in the S40 T5 in the coming months.
Current Odometer: 1,225
Best Fuel Economy: 27.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 14.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 21.6 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
The compact S40 is the car that will change Volvo's fortunes in the entry-level luxury sedan segment. It's luxurious enough to make VW Jetta buyers aspire for more. It's sporty enough to make BMW 3 Series buyers question the need to spend the big bucks. And it's so stylish that you'll realize it's the Swedes, not the Germans, who are on the cutting edge of fashion.
Yes, this is a Volvo with plenty more going for it than top-notch safety credentials, as we noted with enthusiasm in our full road test of the car. However, you never really know a car until you live with it, so we're going to do just that with an automatic transmission-equipped T5 model.
As on other Volvos, T5 designates a turbocharged five-cylinder engine, and this one makes 218 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The T5 model comes with all the amenities the average person needs — automatic climate control, a power driver seat with memory, nifty T-Tec cloth upholstery, a six-speaker CD stereo and a complete menu of airbags. But of course we loaded a few options into our long-term car, not the least of which is a fantastic 12-speaker Dolby Pro-Logic sound system. Other extras include bi-HID headlights, a sunroof, a CD changer and, for safety's sake, stability control. The total sticker comes to $32,010 — less than you'd pay for a comparably equipped German peer.
Already three of our editors have spent some quality time inside the S40, and all of them like the cockpit design. Senior Features Editor Joanne Helperin wrote in the log, "The controls for everything were very intuitive. The overall design is streamlined, unfrivolous, yet not at all spartan. I felt immediately at home."
Managing Editor Donna DeRosa remarked upon the "sleek and slim" design of the center stack and said she found the seats comfortable. After a seven-hour road trip, Senior Content Editor Erin Riches gave a similar report, noting that "although the ultrathin center stack seemed gimmicky at first, it's actually quite functional, as all the buttons have detents that make them easy to operate while driving. Seat comfort is generally excellent. My back began to get sore after five hours, but I just readjusted the seat and all was well."
Joanne found the headroom a bit tight. "I would have liked another inch or two," she said. "Either that or a lower beltline so that I could lower the seat and still have good visibility."
The stylishly high beltline is one of the small compromises the S40 makes in the name of style. Dainty side mirrors are another, and both Erin and Joanne said they would prefer a larger set.
Editors thought the turbocharged engine offered plenty of power for just about any driving situation. However, Donna noted that our automatic-equipped long-termer seemed a bit sluggish compared to the manual-shift S40. Joanne was a little annoyed by the car's nonlinear throttle response. "It takes a significant amount of pedal pressure to make the car go, but then it shoots out quickly," she said. "This is an issue for city driving, when the majority of the time you are trying to move along slowly."
Erin shared neither of these complaints but wasn't exactly enamored with the sounds coming from under the hood. "Like other Volvo turbos, this engine has a brooding personality, like Eeyore. Oh, it's refined and all, but there's something downtrodden about it as it revs. It does give the car character, though."
More character came out when Erin turned onto a twisty two-lane highway. "The S40 surprised me with its balance and quicker-than-expected reflexes. I hadn't realized you could push this car as much. It's not a feisty car. There's no athlete under the surface fighting to get out, as in the Subaru Legacy GT. But this Volvo is a competent handler."
Join us as we uncover more surprises in the S40 T5 in the coming months.
Current Odometer: 1,225
Best Fuel Economy: 27.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 14.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 21.6 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
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