The original Volvo 40, introduced here as a 2000 model, was a halfhearted, easily overlooked car that was supposed to invigorate the brand with an affordable entry-level vehicle. It invigorated nothing but the competition. The S40 was built in the Netherlands at a plant shared by Volvo and Mitsubishi, and it was not a high point for either manufacturer.
Technically, there was nothing much wrong with the S40, but it didn’t feel like a Volvo — not the way the BMW 3-Series still feels like a BMW, or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class feels like a Mercedes.
In late 2004, this changed with the introduction of an all-new Volvo S40 that feels like a Volvo. Mildly updated for 2006, the Volvo S40 T5 model — that’s the sporty version — is handsome, sure-footed and deserving of its slot in the lineup of a premium European brand.
Volvo, now owned by Ford, builds the S40 not in the Netherlands, and not in Sweden, but in Ghent, Belgium. The T5 engine comes from Sweden, the automatic transmission from Japan.
The T5 is powered by a 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder engine. The base engine for the S40 is a nonturbo 2.4-liter, five-cylinder with 168 horsepower. Though plenty of manufacturers, ranging from Acura to Volkswagen, have offered five-cylinder engines, I’ve yet to meet one I genuinely liked. The engine in the S40 T5 is reasonably powerful, though it doesn’t feel quite like 218 horsepower. It’s also less smooth than its competition. Fuel mileage is an acceptable 22 miles per gallon in the city, 30 mpg on the highway. All S40 models prefer premium gas.
The base transmission with the smaller engine is a five-speed manual, with the T5 getting a six-speed manual. The test car had an optional five-speed automatic transmission, which added $1,200 to the price.
Aside from my lukewarm opinion of the powertrain, there wasn’t much else to complain about. This is one of the best-looking Volvos ever — and that isn’t meant as faint praise — with an athletic profile and confident presence, aided by pretty 17-inch alloy wheels and performance radials. They are part of a $2,025 “Dynamic Trim Package” that also gets you front and rear spoilers, side moldings and a firmer suspension. The package is worth the money.
Inside, instruments and controls are properly designed, though the climate controls are a little eccentric and hard to manage. Cloth-trimmed seats are supportive and firm. Rear-seat room, for a car this size, isn’t bad. As you would expect with this safety-minded brand, side and side-curtain air bags are standard.
On the road, the S40 T5’s ride is taut, but I found it to be acceptable, given the car’s handling prowess. With an overall length of just under 176 inches — 15 inches shorter than a Honda Accord — the S40 is very maneuverable in town, but still, thanks to the perceptive packaging, far roomier inside than you would expect. Trunk space, at 12.6 cubic feet, is adequate.
The S40’s base price is $24,040, with the T5 model starting at $26,615. Options on the test car included the aforementioned automatic transmission and trim package, plus a premium sound system ($895), metallic paint ($475), enhanced electronic stability control ($695) and a destination fee ($695). Bottom line: $32,600. You also can get an all-wheel-drive version of the T5 that starts at $28,715, and if you prefer a wagon, there’s the Volvo V50 that’s built on the same platform. It has a base price of $26,490.
If you’ve overlooked the S40 based on the original model, give it another chance. It is, this time, a Volvo.
Sentinel Automotive Editor Steven Cole Smithcan be reached at scsmith@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5699.
