The current generation of Volvo diesels seem to have fairly robust DPF set-ups. I've got a 2011 V60 with the 2.0 5-cylinder diesel so am regularly on the Volvo UK forums.

There were some niggles with rising oil levels due to diesel dilution on the first cars fitted with DPFs (from around 2007 / 8) but that was addressed by updated engine management software, which seems to fix the problem according to the forums.

My own car had a DPF pressure sensor fail after two and a half years and 32,000 miles. However the car still drove normally (didn't leave me stranded) and was fixed under warranty without quibbles by the supplying dealer, Rybrook Volvo in Warrington, who've always delivered good customer service to me.

This seems to be an isolated fault, no other S/V60 owner on the forums has had a similar failure.

Apart from this, my own car's DPF has been unobtrusive, despite my driving pattern which consists of a 3.5 mile commute to work, and 3.5 miles home again, plus lots of short trips of under 10 miles in urban speed limits. The car gets a longer motorway run perhaps once a fortnight.

By the way, I had a V40 D4 for a couple of days as a courtesy car. It was a nice drive but I found the engine mapping was awful in urban driving, the first half-inch of throttle pedal movement did virtually nothing, so I'd press a little harder and WHAM, the engine would suddenly wake up and fling you forward. Yet at speed on a motorway, the accelerator pedal was easy to modulate and sensitive.

I'm guessing the ECU has been programmed this way, but I really didn't like it. If you're thinking of getting one, do drive it first ....

That's good news: it was the short runs that i was concerned about.

If you are only doing short runs get a petrol. Volvo do a decent small petrol turbo in the V40, quite fancied one myself. Problem is the dealer was a muppet and told me they only sold diesels.