Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please

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Sun 3 Sep 2017 21:16
Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please - Nomag

Still deliberating what to replace my ix35 with.

The cross country version of this appeals. I don't need 4WD now, but the slightly raised ride height is beneficial. I see its cramped inside but 95% of the time its just me. It looks a comfy thing to spend time in.

Please don't give me the diesel vs petrol arguments, it'll be a diesel for my 16k a year, interested in anyone's experiences with the newer Volvo D-- engines, it would be a D3 or D4. It appeals as no Adblue, seemingly good real mpg and quite well rated by HJ in an S40. However, there is plenty on the internet about "EGR cooler" problems on these. Has this been sorted now?

I'll be buying nearly new, about a year old with 10k on the clock. Plan to keep 5 years.

I think Avant has this engine in his V60?

All info gratefully received.

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Sun 3 Sep 2017 21:31
Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please - RT

I can't offer specific advice - except that Adblue-equipped diesels should ger better reliability from the EGR - the EGR is there to reduce NOx, if that's the only way of reducing NOx, the EGR has to work hard, very hard, given that NOx is the "bad-boy" and restrictions will only get tighter - Adblue is also there to reduce NOx, so the combination of both means that the EGR can work less and give fewer issues.

Edited by RT on 03/09/2017 at 21:32

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Sun 3 Sep 2017 23:40
Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please - Avant

That's right - my V60 has the 190 bhp D4 engine.

There were problems with the EGR on this engine - usually when it had done between 10,000 and 15,000 miles - up to about May 2016. I got mine new in May 2016 and I was assured that Volvo had fixed the problem and the fix applied to my car. I can only say that there hasn't been any sort of a problem in the 18,500 miles that it's done to date.

It's as well that you're looking for a diesel: I didn't really want one last year, but Volvo sold very few petrols and I was persuaded to have the diesel, which is Euro 6 compliant. As diesel engines go, this one is quite good: performance is vigorous and it's only noisy when you're accelerating hard. The automatic is a torque-converter and works well. Fuel consumption is OK but no more than that: 40 mpg in town, 50 on a long run, but put to shame by SWMBO's petrol Audi A1 whose range is 45-55 mpg.

The V40 is quite a bit smaller than the V60: I tried one and it felt quite cramped and closed-in. It's also a lot smaller than your ix35. Rear visibility in the V40 is awful; not bad in the V60.

It's certainly well-built and likely to last a long time. I would say that a Volvo (V40 or V60, depending on the size you want) should be on your shortlist, but it'll be worth trying a few others for comparison, which might be less solid but more exciting to drive.

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Tue 5 Sep 2017 10:45
Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please - Ian_SW

My Dad's got one, and I drove it regularly for few weeks last year after we swapped cars when he needed a large estate car for a while.

It was ok, but I didn't really see the appeal. It was much like the Focus which it is based on to drive (which is a good thing), but the Volvo specific features, in particular the infotainment system spoilt it rather than improved it. Some people say the seats are very comfortable, but I struggled to find a position as good as I can get in my Octavia. I wouldn't pay a premium for one over a high spec Focus, though if both were the same price nearly new I might do as the interior materials are more 'premium'.

It was pretty economical (Diesel D2) getting about 58mpg with me driving it without really trying to be economical. My dad reckons he can get 70mpg out of it, but he does drive like the stereotypical pensioner.....

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Tue 5 Sep 2017 19:35
Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please - Nomag

Thanks for the information and opinions. Particualrly the mpg on yours Avant, which seems reasonable for the performance, but quite a long way off what HJ got when he ran a D4 S40. However, that was a manual, perhaps that is the difference here. I really need to go and drive one now and see if I actually like it to sit in and steer.

Also RT very interesting re the EGR having to work harder without Adblue: I had thought I would be avoiding pitfalls by steering clear of an Adblue equipped engine, but perhaps I am short sighted in this respect. HJ has been posting some "horror stories" of expensive replacement Adblue heaters on some cars.

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Sat 9 Sep 2017 15:43
Volvo V40 - Volvo v40 opinions please - confusedbuyer

We have a standard V40 1.6 D2 with almost every extra pack. We've replaced twice but each time we tend to replace our other car and have now had this for nearly 5 years which probably tells you how much we love it.

It's not quick but it is supremely comfortable. We've had the mk7 Golf which every review states is the most refined, but my other half in particular is convinced it was noisier and firmer than the V40. I had the new D4 as a courtesy car once, but the engine was far noisier and harsher which I'm not sure I'd choose to live with but it did settle on the motorway.

It isn't the most spacious. Space is a little tight with 4 aboard, but similarly most the time its just 1 or 2 of us. Boot is surprisingly small (like the Focus its based on) so I'd double check you're happy with that as my Renualt Megane Coupe seemed to have a bigger one.The "infotainment" is a bit backward but you soon get used to it. It's extremely safe but I would watch out and see how the front pillar angle works for you. I find it blocks exactly the worst possible angle as you approach zebra crossings making people invisible so you have to take extra care.

I live in London and get 50mpg from it, on longer runs its 65mpg.

Upgrades I'd make sure you get - self-park (gets into the tightest gaps), winter illumination pack with heated seats, and nav pack with speaker upgrades.

Had no major problems with it until quite by surprise the clutch just went at 60k miles without any previous slipping a couple of months ago. Volvo service was great despite being out of warranty and the breakdown service and replacement car you get if you service with them was a first for me coming from Fords and Renaults in the past.

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