1.9T is a great performer, excellent seats, sleek European Styling..looks great in red! Precise handling, seems well built, good gas milage

Cup holder position, quantity and design lacking, Leather package should include a leather steering wheel cover. ( I installed a very nice Wheelskins brand cover)

So far I have found the S40 to be a fun and well designed driving experience. The 1.9 Turbo provides excellent real world performance. The S40 has crisp handling and feels like a true sports sedan. The interior is made of first rate materials and the seats and driving position are outstanding. I compared this vehicle to the Audi A4 1.8T and the VW Passat 1.8T. The combination of performance, ride, safety and value offered by the S40 was clear.

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Nissan Maxima. The Maxima is a great car but there is something special and more luxurious about the S40, It seems like a genuine luxurty sports sedan

Very very very fast
Very good handling.
Excelent Brakes
Estabilty and traction control
Good quality
200 hp turbocharged engine
5 speeds automatic transmision
Xenon lights
16'' BBS wheels with Pirelli tires
Security items

Difficult to park in reverse due to the high tail.
No cup holders.
This model is not available in US but believme if you love the normal S40 (165 hp) you will adore the S40 T4 (200 hp)

I live in Mexico I bought the car because I allways want a VOLVO but VOLVO is in Mexico since 1999. Any way I went to BMW dealer to compare the cars, the 323 was horrible (no electric seats, no automatic air conditioning, no cd, horrible wheels 15'') then I went to an Audi dealer an my opinion is that the Audi's cars are very expensive and they still have a big gap among BMW, Mercedes (german cars) or Volvo, they are relatively new in luxury brand, they have good performance and nice looking but they have not the reputation standars for the price and about reliability well.. I prefer to omit my opinion. I know about Audi because I am working in a project In vw's factory in puebla Mexico and I know the highs and the lows

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Nissan Maxima, Audi A4 1.8T 180 Hp, BMW 323

Fun to drive. Engine's got plenty of kick without sacrificing gas mileage. Sporty body design.

It's in the shop nearly once a month. In 12K miles, I've had the front strut replaced, both headlights replaced, dash lights going off on a weekely basis and it's currently in the shop having the rear brakes replaced (apparently they're dangerous in need of replacing). And how does a car designed (partially, anyway) by people who are so respected for their designs, allow the dash cup holder to happen?

I would be a satisfied owner if it weren't for the fact that it's been serviced (and not just regular maintainence) more times in the past 10 months than my Saturn (or any other car I've owned) has in six years is a little disheartening. I've really gotten to the point where I despise owning this car! I've replaced the struts at 6k miles, headlights at 10k (which I'm told is normal), brakes at 12k (which I'm told is also normal), wheel emblems every 6k, and dash lights nearly every fill-up - what will go wrong next? Sure, it's under warranty (except the brakes), for now. But I can assure you that I will be unloading this car long before the warranty is up. Am I the only one experiencing this level of frustration? Please give me some feedback.

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I like the style of the S40, an unique Volvo. The local dealer's deal on warranty is great - 10 free service + parts check ups every 10k KMs is a good deal.

cabin noice; engine and road noice is very high. This 2.0L engine feels a and performs a lot like a smaller engine. Should have waited for the T version.

The CD changer cost a good portion of my ARM.

For most parts, the Volvo S40 is a great car to drive (below 110Km/h). Above that, just have the great HiFi on loud, to drown out the road/tyre noice and engine (screams)

Would love to know what I can do to reduce NOICE and increase ride comfort.

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Audi A4 - similar priced BUT drives and 'feels' every dollar.

Styling, solidity, comfort, acceleration, safety.

Only average gas mileage & requires premium. Steering could be tighter and communicate more road feel. Back seat legroom is limited. Minor malfunctioning of dashboard indicators.

I would recommend the Volvo S40 for someone wanting a smallish, nimble, sensible yet somewhat sporting European sedan. I've owned mine for eight months and have 11,300 miles on it. I've averaged 24 miles per gallon in mixed driving. With the exception of certain dashboard icon lights (including "check engine")coming on for no apparent reason (and usually going off again after some time), I've experienced no problems. The car has comfortable seats and generally appears to be well-made. The S40 isn't inexpensive, but I do think it offers an overall quality that makes it worth the money. The sales assistance and service contacts at my dealer have been pleasurable.

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Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord

Handles great, extremely comfortable, excellent security features, fit and finish definitely meet Volvo quality. A lot of thought was put into many features. Heated seats are great! Plenty of power without excess. It turns heads, because it looks much trendier than a typical Volvo. Leather seating is very comfortable. Mostly, I feel safer than I ever have in a car.

The upgraded radio is giving me very poor reception (fades in and out). If you experience that too, email me. My Check Engine light comes on after a wide open throttle. There is much more wind noise than I expect from a Volvo, especially with the moonroof open, but other noise is effectively blocked out. Auto climate control is fine, but not excellent. Window controls are poorly placed in the center console, but they fixed that for 2001.

Mine is almost fully loaded (no fog lights or CD Changer) and I believe the sticker was $28K, although I got it for less and on a 39 month lease. I would recommend it highly, despite the concerns I mentioned. None of them affects the drivability, and I hope they develop a fix for the radio soon (until then, I'll listen to CDs).

This car is perfect for those who truly recognize value, safety and quality and who enjoy a distinctive vehicle that stands out unpretentiously. It would best fit those who rarely have more than two large adults in the car, but the back seat accomodates others much better than it looks. I have rear booster seats and they seem like they would be great for small children (untried).

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I owned a Ford Contour SVT and drove prior-year Volvos. Power is just right, and the handling compares extremely well, although much less actively, to the sports suspension of the SVT. Somehow, when you think you might be pushing it too hard around a curve, it handles it smoothly without complaint, just like older Volvos I've driven.

• Front end looks great
• In silver it looks like a BMW
• Spirited performance and handling
• Unique (there are few on the road in Toronto)
• Superior value when compared to others in its class
• Great drivers seat (in leather)
• Turbo is awesome
• Feels tight, good quality construction in and out.
• Trunk space
• Perceived image
• Front, side, and window curtain airbags
• Produced by a country with a really cool flag

• Cup holder
• Radio controls (no preset buttons)
• Blindspot over right shoulder
• Legroom in the back
• Moonroof in the full open position will rupture eardrums over 50km/hr.
• Cheep-ish door handles
• May pre-dispose drivers to crave lingonberries, and become nostalgic for Borge Salming.

I struggled with this one for a long time.
Purchasing the Volvo meant abandoning the Japanese market, having owned three Honda's previous to this and always admiring the Mazda styling.

After a lengthy comparisson, and countless test drives, it came down to the Volvo S40 and the Mazda 626. (Honda has priced themselves out of my market when you consider how much they have thrifted their interior/exterior over the past year or so). The Mazda brand seems to be in a state of flux. The management themselves seem unsure and lack the confidence and certainty necessary to market and sell their cars. The 626 meant more of the same of what I was used to whereas the Volvo seems to suggest a step up and away from the masses. It is a unique brand with a unique image.

The S40 looks awesome. In silver it looks like a BMW. The interior when upgraded to graphite leather is great value. The car looks like a 40k plus vehicle. The turbo and the 170hp are absolutely terrific. The car drives tight and corners well. The drivers seat is among the best I have ever tested comparable to the Lincoln LS in terms of comfort, support and quality.

At only $14.00/month more than the 626, it feels like a steal.

I am guessing that the cup holder and radio controls will be re-designed in the next model year. They will also find a way of stealing some more leg room in the back at the expense of the over-sized trunk (it could be smaller and you would not miss it).

When these minor non-performance related flaws are corrected, the S40 will be a complete and exceptional package.

After a self imposed ban of 5 years due to excessive line-ups and an aversion to allen keys, I may have to return to IKEA, and park it among its kin.

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Compared it to the Mazda 626, Honda Accord, Ford Taurus

Economical gas milege , Decent power, Practical design for compact vehicle.

Somewhat of rough rid from hash suspension, but understandable for necessary control.

I think is not fair for people to complain small interior of this vehicle, after all you did buy a compact, I find it more than adequate , considering is the smallest Volvo model. I think this vehicle has good fundamental design. To be objective and fair, the main problem I is think is the assembly line in the Netherlands. When I first purchased this vehicle, I also had many problems, but it was all QC problems, such as battery cables not secured tightly enough on the battery, causing the car not to start. Lack of lucubration in the gear box. Engine mounting loosed, causing sound Etc..

But after I got all of these tighten and QC the way they should have after the first 3 month, the car drove like a dream for a year afterward with absolutely no problem.

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VW, Buick, Chevy, Volvo 940, and many others

Front seats.

High fuel consumption. Cramped space. Lousy quality. VERY rough ride and far to sensitive steering. Noisy.

I finally got out of my contract with this car, and boy was that great! My new V70 is a dream. I can not imaginge that these two cars actually carry the same brand.

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Volvo V70, VW PaAssat, Nissan Primera. It is worse than all these, by far.

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I urge anybody who has bought an S40 where the check engine light has come on to do something about it. Last Friday 4/20 after owning a 2001 S40 for 123 days the car simply caught fire and is totalled. This happened after several attempts to get the volvo people to fix and we awere always told it was releated to the gas cap not being turned 3 times after filling up with gas. Volvo claim to be a stand up company they are proving to be anything but a stand up company.

Our experience is that a car should not have any problems within 123 days. Their care, customer service are reprehensible and you should avoid this product at all costs.

It is quite possible that lives could be lost due to serious electrical problems with the car. I know that last friday as i went running away from the car we thought the car was about to blow up. PLEASE BEWARE.

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