Orlando Sentinel's view

For a long time Volvo has been trying to get away from its image as the company that built the 240 — that box on wheels that defined and confined Volvo for years.

Out came more expensive cars. Out came cars with curves. Out came front-wheel drive cars. Out came turbocharged cars with all-wheel drive. Volvo even made a convertible, its first since the 1950s. Volvo did everything and anything to bury the 240, which was interred at the end of the 1993 model year.

But none of these new cars was as affordable as the old 240. And in redefining the company, Volvo left a lot of its loyal customers with their noses pressed up against the showroom windows looking in at the cars they loved but could no longer afford.

The new S40 sedan and V40 wagon fix many things. For one, they are the spiritual successor to the old 240. One turn of the key warms the heart of anyone familiar with the feel of a four-cylinder Volvo. For another, the cars are affordable.

Anyone who still mourns the 240 will be quite happy with the S40 or V40. These cars cost about the same as the last editions of the 240, yet offer more style, performance, utility and safety features. You can have your Swedish meatballs and eat them too. Performance, handling

The V40 wagon comes with a peppy, turbocharged 1.9-liter engine rated at 160 horsepower. It’s a four-cylinder that thinks it’s a V-6. Power comes on strong at all speeds and builds seamlessly.

At idle the engine has that unique Volvo feel. It doesn’t run rough, but it vibrates a little, just enough to let you know its there. I like that feeling. It doesn’t detract from the car. Instead, that engine vibration gives the V40 character.

Volvo engineers have proved themselves competent at conquering technologies new to them. Before the 850 came along in 1993, Volvo had never made a front-wheel drive car, yet the 850 performed brilliantly and turned out to be extremely durable.

The V40 builds upon the lessons learned from Volvo’s recent new autos. It offers more refinement over the road than you might expect in a car priced in the mid-20s. The drivetrain’s performance feels well-matched to the V40’s four-wheel independent suspension system and anti-lock, four-wheel disc brakes.

The car handles as well as any other premium import sedan, such as a Volkswagen Passat VR6 or a Nissan Maxima. The brakes are strong. The anti-lock system works really well — you don’t feel much pulsing at the pedal. And I like the fact that you have to step on the pedal very hard to make the system kick in.

There’s only one deficiency that I noticed. Sometimes the suspension system gets noisy when you drive over large bumps and potholes. Fit and finish

The V40 is the smallest car yet from Volvo.

In terms of size, imagine a compact Ford Escort wagon and a midsize Ford Taurus wagon. The V40 would be right in between the two. I wouldn’t call the V40 a compact, but it isn’t really midsize when compared with American cars.

In fact, some of its dimensions really put me off. When the front doors are closed, there is so little room between the side of the seats and the door panels that it’s almost dangerous.

On the passenger side, if your fingers are resting on the side of the seat when the door is closed, your fingers will get smashed. The driver’s side is a bit different because of the power seat switches. Still, there’s barely enough room to work those switches with the door closed.

Something else seems a bit off, too. When I was in the driver’s seat, my left leg rested against the door panel. There was no space. Being so close to the door made me feel vulnerable.

Vo lvo has built its reputation around its pioneering efforts to make its cars the safest on the road. But when you look at where your leg rests and think about what might happen in a severe side-impact collision, your confidence is severely undermined.

Be that as it may, I found very little else to dislike about the V40. The front bucket seats are firm and comfortable. Like all other Volvo seats, they hold your whole body firmly. The dash is straightforward in terms of design and layout. All the buttons, switches and controls were easy to figure out and use.

Rear legroom may be tight for larger adults. But three children should fit in back there easily. The rear seats split and fold forward, exposing a large area for cargo.

Our test car came well-equipped. It sported such things as a power sunroof, cruise control, power windows, mirrors and door locks, automatic headlights, roof rack, CD player and more.

I never could get comfortable with the car’s dimensions. However, it should be noted that Volvo equips the V40 with side-impact air bags, a whiplash protection system, two front air bags and a very safe, sturdy and strong body that is designed to absorb the energy in a crash.

If Volvo’s interior designers could just figure out a way to put a little air between the seat and the door panels, that would further enhance the feeling of safety one expects from a Volvo. 2000 Volvo V40 Base price: $23,900 Safety: Dual front and side-impact air bags, daytime running lights, traction control, anti-lock brakes, seat belt pretensioners and whiplash protection system Price as tested: $28,375. EPA rating: 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway. Incentives: None. Length – Overall : 176.4 Front Compartment – Head room: 38.7; Leg room: 41.4 Rear Compartment – Head room: 38.3; Leg room: 32.7 Warranty – Four-year, 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and drivetrain protection and eight-year, unlimited mileage rust protection. Mechanical – Drivetrain layout: Traverse-mounted front engine and transmission, front-wheel drive; Brakes: Power-assisted, four-wheel disc with ABS; Engine: Turbocharged, 160-horsepower, 1.9-liter, four-cylinder. Transmission: Four-speed automatic. Other Models – N/A.

Inches unless otherwise specified