Volvo V40 (96-04) - Review

Review by Parkers on
Volvo's efforts to build a convincing medium car have brought us the modern V40/S40 series, a huge improvement over the uninspired, stodgy old 440/460 series. Compared with the class-leading Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, Volvo still has some way to go, but the S40/V40 is far from ordinary and has safety and solidity on its side. The turbo engines, particularly the T4, have attracted a new wave of younger, fashion-conscious buyers, though Volvo is still not as trendy as its compatriot, Saab. 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 buy, new or secondhand.
3 out of 5

Other Volvo reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

Smallest Volvo has the smallest running costs in the range, but still not cheap to own. Resale values are improving now the car is out of production.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,534 - £2,192 *

Diesel

£1,233 - £1,457 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

Every 10,000 miles

Warranty

Mechanical 3 years, bodywork 8 years

Road tax (12 months)

£135.00 - £270.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
    142
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
    236
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

V40 performs reasonably on the eco front. With an average of 187 g/km CO2 across the model line-up, its emissions are fairly standard for a medium-sized estate. The range is not particularly economical, averaging 36 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2