2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 11:11
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - Trilogy.

Drove one this week.

17 inch wheels - completely unnecessary, even on a smooth road felt every irregularity

Driving position - offset

Centre console - not set for right hand drive, ditto handbrake. Over styled gear knob not a particularly pleasant shape for your hand

All black inside including roof lining, relentless black!. Alloy high lights on dashboard and console catch the sun.

Reversing camera necessary and very useful.

Not as sharp to drive as the 2006 1.6 petrol Focus I also drove. Steering and gear change better on Focus although console and gear change of Focus set up for LHD even though it was RHD. A fault of many cars nowadays - car designers should either angle console like an Alfa 159 or just keep it flat.

Not in the market for a car, just had the opportunity to drive both this week. Usually just get to drive the Focus. Unfortunately the Volvo was rather disappointing to drive, better just to sit in and listen to the posh Harman Kardon stereo.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 12:59
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - Engineer Andy

I must admit I was also very underwhelmed when I sat in one when I was on the lokkout to replace my Mazda3 back in early 2017.

As the car (latest model) didn't have a left foot rest, I didn't even consider a test drive, as one is a must for me. I know that the ICE display is now bigger than it was back then, but I also found the huge array of buttons on the centre console very poor, ergonomics-wise.

Both were something I thought that a make such as Volvo (like Saab) would be far better at, given how much attention to ergonomics the Swedes had gone in for over the previous decades.

There's no way I would've got one if the driving position had been offset.

TBH, the sales staff were only interested in selling diesels, and I wanted a T3 non-Powershift auto, and they didn't know which auto box it used.

No chance of a sale, both make and dealership. In the end, nothing really 'spoke to me' (even the gen-3 Mazda3) and so I stayed with my existing car. Glad I did.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 13:36
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - Trilogy.

No foot rest - that was one of the few things I liked about it, Invariably they're the wrong distance away, so find I prefer not to have one

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 21:49
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - pd

Driven loads of them. Never have single issue with driving position or ergonomics. Headroom and boot a bit average but overall a good car if you want a mid sized hatch with some larger car features.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 22:39
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - JF1975

Sounds like you drove the r design model Trilogy with dark interior headlining and 17 inch alloys. I am on my second V40, now a base level petrol after a diesel r design. A stylish departure from the usual hatchback suspects. Plenty of room for a one child family and I am 6 foot 5. The button laden centre console takes a little while to get used to but is far better than any touchscreen. The base level momentum has more than enough equipment as standard.

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Sun 19 Jul 2020 06:39
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - daveyK_UK
Found the interior to be cramped compared to similar size models.

It would get tiresome if you had regular passengers.
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Sun 19 Jul 2020 16:35
2016 Volvo V40 1.6 D drive - Trilogy.

Yes, it was the R. The owner got a very good deal on one when it was new. Expect a petrol to handle better, that's provided the engine is lighter.

Agree it felt cramped. Great place to sit for 20 minutes or so, if you don't have to drive it.

Not quite sure how they manged to get the steering wheel on the right side. Having to grab the handbrake right next to a passenger's leg is poor from a company like Volvo. No doubt now cured by unnecessary electronic ones. Centre console, like many, remains angled towards drivers in LHD cars. It's only a bit, but given it disadvantages RHD drivers surely it would be better keep flat like some other manufacturers.

Had been looking forward to driving it, bit of a let down TBH.

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