Driving The Volvo V40 / V40cc
The Volvo V40 and its Cross Country sibling are popular cars globally and with MHH Japanese Cars. The specification hardly varies wherever you are. Whilst the Swedish company continue to put safety first, their cars these days are much more entertaining and modern to drive.
The model featured here is the V40 1.6L D2 SE Lux Nav with the Powershift auto gearbox. The red car is the Cross Country equivalent. For a small family hatchback it is not the cheapest on the market but you do get a very high standard of finish and of course the legendary Volvo safety. You get what you pay for.
The Cross Country is a more rugged version of the V40 with protective body panels, bigger wheels and tyres along with an increased ride height. The petrol variants feature Haldex Gen-5 All Wheel Drive as an option. Really, the Cross Country is just a high-riding version of the regular V40. Nevertheless, the handling is very good. A touch of understeer maybe if pushed but overall we found the car to be very comfortable.
The subtle grey colour of the regular hatchback featured here is augmented by the blond leather interior. The soft-touch plastic across the dash is textured which helps to soften the effect. There is very little hard plastic but where it exists it seems to of the solid and robust variety. The seats are very comfortable and the perfect driving position is easy to achieve. The interior is extremely good quality and includes all the expected connectivity and dashboard features.
The safety highlights (regionally variable) include a collision alarm warning and BLIS, a blind spot warning system that, instead of having the illuminated warning in the door mirror, has it on the quarter light. This works well with a driver’s peripheral vision. Volvo’s SOS/On Call feature was on the test car. Help is just a call away.
Elsewhere, the boot is roomy and has a false floor and, joy of joys, a proper temporary spare wheel (again, regionally variable). There’s plenty of hooks to secure luggage and the rear-seats split for bigger loads. It’s comfortable in the back with ample leg and head-room for full-sized adults.
Their are a variety of petrol and diesel engines available. The 1.6L diesel engine fitted to th featured variant is robust (there are petrol and diesel alternatives) and has some pulling power. Once up to road speed it proved to be a classy ride. The CC tested had a more powerful 2.0L diesel engine offering 187bhp.
Out on the road the Volvo engines are willing provided you keep the revs up. There is a ‘sport’ option on the gearbox which is handy for overtaking performance but it is not why anyone would buy this car. With its attractive, streamlined shape the Volvo V40 in both versions looks to be a genuine contender. Well worth considering as a used car buy.
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