Volvo S40 (96-04) - Review

Review by Parkers on
The Volvo S40/V40 saloons and estates are often passed over because of their conservative looks and less than exciting drive. But they can be great used buys: comfortable, very safe, with a wide choice of specification. while its image may fall short of Audi A4, BMW 3-Series or VW Passat, S40/V40 makes a convincing case as a classier alternative to Vectra and Mondeo. Some early cars were not quite up to scratch in terms of build quality, but improvements were soon made and the range is now a sensible secondhand buy.
3 out of 5

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3 out of 5

Buying used

Used prices are easing, particularly for first generation 1996-00 cars; there are lots of fairly low spec ex-fleet cars about - these are much less desirable than fully loaded cars; option packs add to appeal but can be confusing and are often difficult to value. Early cars are cheap, but 1996-97 cars acquired a reputation for inferior build quality. Volvo quickly made improvements, and models from 1998 feel more substantial.

  • Interior Volvo S40 (96-04)

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See 42 used Volvo S40s for sale, starting at £495

3.5 out of 5

Selling

Lower-spec models don't sell well. Buyers of newer S40/V40 models tend to want air conditioning and front and rear electric windows as a minimum. Option packs such as 'Luxury' (air conditioning, leather and wood), 'Audio' (electric aerial, uprated stereo and autochanger) and 'Handling' (fog lamps, sports suspension and alloy wheels) are all attractive, but the numerous permutations of packs make valuation a confusing issue.