Went to look at V60s as we want to downsize from current barge and our inability to park the **** thing anywhere. 😆

We’ve now been prompted to further downsize when we saw the V40. I like the Cross Country, which of course is purely a cosmetic thing, and in no shape or form an off-roader in the FWD models (only has AWD in the top-end model) but it has integrated roof-rails and a few other touches which are quite nice. We may have to roof-box it for camping trips and the integrated rails will adaptation of current Thule bars & bike carrying kit a bit easier and cheaper. I’m not wedded to the CC though and would quite happily drive the normal version.

So anyone have one and recommend or never drive again?

Quite tempted by the zero or low-tax smaller (D2) diesel engines, although there are quite pokey low-emissions diesels (D3 and D4) which wouldn’t break the bank either.

Looking at 2nd hand, lowish mileage 1-3 year old jobbies.

[And yes, all models have heated wing mirrors before the usual suspects chip in… 😛 )

I had a 1.6 diesel for a hire car recently. It had plenty of poke, but only in a 500rpm range, so you were constantly changing gear. The gearshift wasn’t particularly pleasant so it got really annoying after a while having to keep going up and down the box to keep the engine in its sweet spot.
If you let the engine drop below 1500rpm then trying to accelerate resulted in a bit more noise but no more speed. Drop a couple of gears and it’d be fine.
Test drive one and then try the 2.0 – they’re more relaxing to drive.

Brother’s got the 1.6 diesel with the R-design trim level, I think.

It’s nice. He likes it.

He previously had a Golf and seemed to think that was just about the perfect family car for him, but I think it was a bit too ‘white goods’ for him, whereas the Volvo is a better looking car with a more distinctive interior.

He reckons the boot is a bit smaller than the Golf, but is big enough for the family requirements.
I don’t think he’s had any issues with it in the couple of years he’s owned it.

I have a V40. It’s shit. But it’s the older estate that was also, confusingly, called a V40, but it’s a completely different car. So irrelevant to you, but thought I’d point it out in case you get other comments about the old ones.

The Mrs works for a firm with a large pool car stock and always ‘bags’ the V40 r design when she has to go anywhere of note, says it’s the nicest to drive and on par with the Golf.

It’s based on a Focus chassis I think so that’s a good start, the boot is quite small as mentioned previously. I’d go for the 2.0 d4 engine I think though as the 1.6 d2 is a bit lethargic if you’re trying to ‘make progress’

Buttons on dash are a little confusing mind and I don’t think the car is all that cheap but a good alternative to a Golf I reckon.

Thanks all for opinions so far.

Interestingly enough, a few reviews I read mentioned avoiding the smaller diesel in manaul, as it took a lot of gear changing with a frustrating gearbox to get anything out of it.

So, real world experiences of this have been noted.

So, the D4 190bhp in Geartronic it is then. 😀

Volvos are ace! Safe, too…..

I’ve heard mixed reviews on the Geartronic, but otherwise a very nice car overall.

Oh, and heated wing mirrors usually means the Winter Pack had been fitted. Heated seats too! Oh teh luxuries!

🙂

Even the base model has heated mirrors. 😐

Spec up a bit and they are power-folding. 😮

Winter pack gets heated seats, windscreen and an illuminated (gear)knob! 😀

Even the base model has heated mirrors.

Oh, so even hoi polloi have them? Disappointed.

I had a 2.0 Cross Country D4 as a hire car for a week, and it was ace.

I know it’s not much help, I am not a ‘car’ person, so can’t describe how it felt coming out of the corners etc. All I do know is I put my foot down and it made very satisfactory progress….plus the heated leather seats were lovely in December.

Floating centre console is very well thought out as well.

Mainly ford focus based. Only issue I’ve seen are the availability of front discs aftermarket at the minute for some models, but I’m sure this will be solved.

The only other issue is the same as some Ford Focus gearboxes with the six speed manual box is the bearings getting very nice, requiring the gearbox removed and rebuilt with fresh bearings.

Well the build quality on my XC60 is most pleasant if thats any recommendation. And if the car you are looking at has the 215horse version then it’ll positively fly along. Consumption’s a bit weird mind, can get 46 to the gallon most days, drops to 25 when stuck in town though, even with start/stop.

Nice cars, I like em’

I like the XC60 – a mate has just got one and it seems a very nice place to be but it’s way out of budget and just too big to park on my street – I dunno…it just a bit big for a little fella like me. If anyone saw me getting out of it, they’d think somebody’s child was dropping himself home from school. 🙂

Yep 🙂

Had mine for 2 years/40K miles now. Older 5 cylinder D3 version which I don’t think they make anymore but is a great engine. Not the best for CO2 or MPG but gives pretty good results even with bikes on top.

I love the interior apart from there is an annoying bit of hard plastic trim right where my left leg naturally leans which has led to some soreness on longer trips. Seats are exceptional, my boss in his much more expensive Mercedes prefers to travel in my car!

Its certainly not the best handling car in its class, not even as good Id say as a golf and nowhere near the BMW or Mercedes that I also looked at. However it comes with much more kit as standard (I have satnav, cruise control, TFT dash, and many other toys) Most of the time I spend ploughing up and down the M5 with mine and it does this brilliantly. Audio quality form the upgraded system is brilliant.

My only real issue with it is the size of the boot, which is tiny. Sadly my job now requires me to lug a load of demo kit around which ends up stacked on the back seat. Due to H&S I’m having to change to a larger estate car but the Volvos have been removed from our CC list so I can’t get the V60 😥

is that the ford focus effectively? more expensive though?

Well, that took a while. (The “it’s a focus” comment.)

Kieran, cheers – tbh, I wondered about the handling side, but really, it’s no big deal anymore. Any decent mileage will be on motorways. Otherwise it’s crawling through Bristol traffic. I like the seats and the list of kit. Just need it to be a nice place to be inside.

I’m yet to find a comfier place to sit for any driving distance than a Volvo seat. The 944 seats I have for my camper are close but still not as good.

Its not quite a focus, it is partly based on the Global C Platform which the Focus uses.

Have a v60 D4 (4 cyl) but test drove a v40 Cross Country before (they only did the D3/D4 with the 5 cyl engine when I was looking).

Really liked it but in the end wanted the extra space the v60 gives. Seats/dash are broadly the same and as said above a great place to sit. 295 miles yesterday Durham to Camberly, clear dash. Centre consol a bit crowded but control most of it via the steering wheel.

I get no where near the quoted MPG but I drive like a nob most of the time and if I relaxed a bit would see the MPG climb.

D4 is more than powerful enough for me with c190bhp and mines is only 99grams CO2 so cheap car tax (compared to some others). In the small D4 I expect it would fly.

Volvo dealer near me seems to care and has picked up/dropped off the car for the 2 services I’ve had.

Will be looking at Volvo again when this one goes back

I’m yet to find a comfier place to sit for any driving distance than a Volvo seat

Agreed.

The V60 is not entirely off the cards yet…we’ll be downsizing from a 60 plate A6 estate which is frickin’ massive…just wondering if the drop in size is going to matter that much. Still like the V60 but there seem to be plenty of very well specced V40 CCs around. The V60s I’ve seen for similar money all either have smaller engines and/or cloth upholstery and/or poorly specced wrt kit (not that it has to be leather…just the last few cars have been, and well, with toddlers…makes for a cleaner back seat). These days we’d rather the creature comforts inside a safe car…not too bothered about speed or handling.

I only called out my XC60 as it’s a nice car. 😀

I’ll agree with the small boot, well the opening at least, it does have a kink either side where the lights are that I have to squeeze my bikes through. But they go in with wheels on, thankfully (as that was my main reason for it).

I had an XC90 before this one, thats huge, you’d certainly get a few looks dropping out of that..

What about the read interior door handles? My roadie front wheel catches my rear drivers side.. I’ve a few scuffs on that now that I can’t get rid of..

I had an XC90 before this one

A mate has one. 😮 In white. 😡

It’s called “The Iceberg” 😀

They are freaking massive!

Ceeeeripes, a white one 🙄

Mine was Black, it was a PITA to keep clean, nice barge on a good day. Comfy, bit noisy when doing 70 odd, thirsty 30mpg on ave, tyres were massive.. and you needed a lift to chuck anything in the boot once the rear boot drop down was open..

Don’t get one, they’re not really worth the money nor I’ve been told very reliable (mine was only 2years old so had no probs with it.) Think Sharkbait had a one for many years until it fell apart.

Anyway, Volvos are good cars, after CFH’s run in with the special branch last week is really all you need to flip the decision to Yes.

Enjoy choosing.. 😀

Got interested and had a quick look and I suspect the 1.6l petrol I4 engine is the same engine in the T3 and T4 models and simply tuned differently. I also suspect it is the same Ecoboost engine as there is in the Fiesta ST and thus is capable of being tuned to put out 197bhp.

After running around in Merc’s & BMW’s supplied by my employer for years. I opted out and bought a 2 year old XC70 D5 AWD – its great for family/bike duties.

The D5 engine with Polestar upgrade is easily a match for the old 330d – in terms of pace. Just handles like an ocean liner!

Highly recommend a Polestar upgrade!

I’ve got an r-design v40 d4 as my work car. My commute is 60miles a day nearly all motorway.

Pros
It’s fast, very, very very fast
Does c50mpg at 80mph
Low emissions for tax
Lots of toys
Ride is quite comfy
Easy to drive
Quite like the media console but took getting used to

Cons
Can see **** all out of it so hard to park in a tight space
Boot is small, rubbish in fact for its size
Has bad torque steer if you hoon it 🙂
After 17k I’ve got both an emission engine fault and the tyre pressure sensors failed
It’s used two tyres already
The kids don’t like sitting in the back as the roof is low and the Windows high so hard to see it.

It really is fast but if it were my money I’d get a skoda or something. It’s not a bad car but I think there are better ones.

Useless comment-

I’ve had an old V40 for eight years can’t be bothered getting rid of it nice leather seats and a good stereo, all I need in a car.

Bought a late C30 on the back of how good that car has been. Thinking of another Volvo next, V60 V70 or V70XC. I’m ‘only’ 43 and already a serial Volvo buyer. Deary me.

Verdict – I would buy a new V40, except maybe for the boot size.

We’re looking at this sort of car and my wife likes the v40 although we think the interior lags behind the bmw and Audi, especially the top of the centre console that is a huge chunk of hard plastic after thought.

Not driven one yet but the comments above suggest we’ll be getting another 1 series as they’re great to drive. She thinks the Audi is boring inside and out.

If I were you I’d be looking at new as Volvo are offering some great deals atm. Unless you have a pocket full of cash it makes second hand redundant within a couple of years old.

Oh, and ‘based on a focus’ is no bad thing, they have a great chassis.

That huge chunk of plastic with the ventilation and hazard lights button. I saw that too. The rest of it seems pretty sleek and then there’s that! Thankfully it wasn’t just me that noticed it. 🙂

We’ve had a D2 R-Design with winter pack, nav and parking sensors for 3 months now. Love it, so comfortable to drive. Agree with some of the visibility comments, it’s not the easiest to see out of when parking, but ok.

Also agree that it is worth looking at new rather than a year or two old. We went in expecting to come out having paid outright for nearly new. Ended up going the PCP route after the guy showed us how we would pay the same amount but get a brand new car (e.g. Deposit contribution, all servicing included with PCP etc… Not possible with nearly new).

Other bonus has been insurance. We upgraded from a 5yo car with a tiny engine worth £20k-ish less. Insurance works out about £50 less for the year for the V40. Which considering we wasn’t paying much in the first place is a pretty big reduction.