Volvo V40 (2012-2019)
Verified15 reviews
A dream to drive, if only they still made them – My Volvo is a MY2014, build year 2015. I love it!! It's comfortable to sit in for short or long drives (350km+). It is very responsive, has 3 modes, auto, sports auto, manual. The fuel economy is amazing, I drive to and from work every day, a round trip of 50km and I fuel up probably every 2nd week. I am most often the only occupant, but I… Read more
have had 5 adults in it, I wouldn't recommend this for long drives. The boot is a little small for my liking, but is adequate for regular use, groceries, picnics etc. Luggage for a trip away can be an issue. I haven't had any mechanical issues. The coolant may have a faulty sensor, but I've not been in danger of running out and overheating the engine. I would totally recommend this vehicle for city/town driving and solo/couple travel. I'd trade for a new one if they still made them.
Great car - why discontinue? – We bought the Volvo V40 new in 2019 - it has proved to be a really great car and we love the look of it. Apart from every safety device you can imagine, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian air bag, blind spot alert, etc etc, it is a very comfortable car to drive. It's mid size about the same as a Hyundai I30, but with a 250hp engine (2 litre… Read more
turbo connected to an 8 speed gearbox) but with similar performance as a Kia Stinger, it is really a delight to drive, comfortable seats (heated) with memory settings - it has everything I want in a car. Volvo allow you to do a self upgrade of the navigation system (quite simple and free) and we are very happy that we bought the car. The only downsides - no Apple Car Play and the car only came with a 3 year warranty - Volvo have since upgraded their warranties to 5 years but too late for us. We have a local Volvo dealer and they have been excellent in their servicing of the vehicle, the couple of warranty claims carried out with excellent results. I think they should have continued the V40 and not converted it into an XC40. They already have two SUV type vehicles (the XC60 and XC90) and I think there was certainly a place in their model line-up to include the V40. Anyway, We've got one and are extremely happy with it and I love driving it. In fact we are so happy with Volvo, we bought an XC60 which has identical controls and dashboard which makes it very easy to jump from one car to the other.
5 Years old and blowing white smoke out the back due to faulty turbo – Would never buy a Volvo again. Local mechanics unable to fix and Volvo quoted $6000 to $8000 to fix the faulty turbo. Volvo customer service is not very good either and I'd say unless you're a VIP customer you can forget about any decent help. BIG THUMBS DOWN FROM ME. Show details
The most comfortable car we have ever owned – Our 2016 Volvo V40 T4 Luxury, was an ex Volvo Australia Fleet car, which we purchased 2nd hand from a Volvo dealer. It had done 15,000 kms and had 2 years of the 3 year manufacturers warranty left to run. The purchase price was some 40% off brand new RRP and the car came with 12 months registration. The car was "loaded" with just about every… Read more
Volvo option, apart from a sunroof.
It took a little while to get used to the very sensitive accelerator and learn how to operate the cars other systems, especially as the comprehensive owners manual required a download to an iPad, rather than the traditional thick, printed owners manual. Welcome to the digital age.
The car is our daily driver and is an absolute joy to drive, both in urban traffic and also out on the nations highways. It is quiet, sips fuel and the seats ensure that fatigue is virtually non existent. High ambient summer temperatures do not stress the air-conditioning system at all. The brakes are superb and the car handles like it is on rails. However the 2.0 litre 4 cylinder Volvo Drive-E petrol engines do sound like a diesel when idling, which is understandable seeing that they share many commonalities with the Diesel versions of the same engine. The only 3 negatives are the cost of dealer servicing which is high, but we obtain the cost of the next service at the annual service time and just tuck a few $$ away each fortnight, to cover the cost of the next service. Problem solved. The second one is the engine stop/start feature that shuts down the engine when stopped at traffic lights or at an intersection. My wife and I both find the feature rather annoying, but fortunately there is an easily accessible button that can be pushed to by-pass the feature. We are now in the habit of pushing that button at the commencement of each trip. The third is tied in with the second and also has to do with the stop/start function. That being the life of the cars 2 batteries.
Cars with the stop/start function will usually be fitted with 2 batteries. The V40 is no exception. Both are 12V. The 1st is a large, 770cca battery that sits on the passenger side rear of the engine bay and is readily accessible from the top. The 2nd is a small, motorcycle sized battery of around 170cca that is located underneath the left hand headlight and cannot be easily accessed. This battery powers the stop/start function and also supply’s power to the cars computer memory, when the engine is switched off.
Both batteries are of the AGM type ( Absorbent Glass Mat) and have a maximum life of about 54 months. They are not cheap and therefore are not normally found on a discount sale special at your local auto accessory shop. However specialist Battery stores, like "Battery World" or "Every Battery" will normally have them on the shelf.
Expect to pay in excess of $A400, including free fitting, for a replacement main battery and around $A180, supply only, for a replacement secondary battery. (Note I wrote “Supply Only” for the secondary battery. The explanation follows.)
Forget trying to use one of the cheaper, old tech, lead acid battery’s. They will just not cut the mustard and will fail very quickly, leading you right back to where you started from and you won’t have saved a thing money wise.
Replacing the secondary battery is not necessarily a job for the home handyman, but any well equipped modern garage should be able to change it for you, provided they have a Scan Tool with Volvo’s V2 program installed, so it is not a task that has to be performed by a Volvo Dealer.
Now to get to the second battery, the complete front bumper/grill assembly has to be removed and to do that the car has to go up on a hoist or on a set of ramps. (Hoist is best) On top of that, after the battery has been replaced, the cars computer must be “told” that a new 2nd battery has been fitted by via the aforementioned Scan Tool.
Removing the plastic front, which is held in place by a series of plastic clips and Torx bolts, located in front of the top of the radiator and also on the underside of the car, is not a hard job, and competent technician would take less than 10 minutes to do. So don’t let a dealer or repairer frighten you with stories of it being a “major job” and quoting prices that would jeopardise the national debt!
For those who are interested, there are some excellent videos on You Tube that shows the whole task. Just type in “Volvo V40 Secondary battery Replacement.”
One of the best is narrate in German, (which I don’t speak) but it is easy to follow what the technician is doing step by step. Look for “Start-Stopp Batterie wechseln | Volvo V40 Stostange vorne demontieren | DIY Tutorial"
Automotive AGM batteries have a life of between 48 and 53 months max, so if you buy a V40 as a “keeper,” plan to have to change both battery’s at around 48 months or so. Don’t wait until the main battery fails, as you will then be up for a complete computer reprogram ($$) by a Volvo Dealer, after the new battery has been installed. So every 48 months, just replace both batteries.
In our 3 years of ownership the car has run faultlessly, much to the chagrin of the many "Doubting Thomas's" and other "experts" who all told us that Volvo's were unreliable etc etc. And yes, we have had both batteries replaced!
It is a shame that the next generation V40 is not being offered here in Australia as we would have no qualms about buying another one, when this car is ready to be passed on.
Great Car, excellent build quality, very comfortable – V40 II M Series MY17 D4 Inscription Hatchback 5dr Adaptive Geartronic 8 speed 2.0L Twin-Turbo Diesel Optioned with a Polestar upgrade (147kW 440Nm) performed by Volvo Polestar Dealership, delivering great blend of economy & performance. Excellent chassis with good all-weather driving dynamics, predictable handling & stunning braking efficiency. … Read more
Brake Discs are Vented 320mm at Front, solid 280mm Rear as standard. Tested the dry surface braking distance from 100km - 0 in 35.9metres, stopping in 2.74seconds (5.5mm tyre tread depth)
Suspension is firm to hard even with 'standard 17" tyres' (225/45 ZR 17" 97LR) Michelin Pilot Sport 4, noting that Volvo 18" & 19" Rims are optioned, but other reviews have stated the ride becomes somewhat harsh, such as:
https://www.chasingcars.com.au/review/2017-volvo-v40-polestar-performance-kit-review/ https://performancedrive.com.au/2017-volvo-v40-d4-polestar-review-video-0200/
Very comfortable on long journeys, highly adaptable driving position. Heated Leather seats, drivers electric memory seat is brilliant.
Economy further improved with a direct replacement JR Panel Air Filter seen here: https://www.bsrtuning.com.au/product/performance-air-filter-46300230/volvo-v40-ii-d4-2015 Overall economy now sitting at 4.7L/100km.
More info for this exact model can be found here: https://www.redbook.com.au/cars/details/2017-volvo-v40-d4-inscription-auto-my17/SPOT-ITM-451631/
Lastly Volvo have really made a great effort in design safety with the Volvo V40 II, this is recently backed up with a recent safety announcement in that they want to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries in their new cars by 2020.
Love my Volvo – I have a 2016 Volvo T4 and use for work and personal use. This my 8th Volvo and they only keep getting better. I drive around 20K per year. In the past 3 years I have only had to service it 3 times and the cost is around $ 450- $ 500 at the Volvo Dealership. Tyres are about $ 650 for 4 if you shop around online and put the original Pirellis and… Read more
ride is beautiful and quite in the city, road noise a bit more on country runs. It has all the safety you want and proved its worth when a car smashed into the back of me when the lights were Red. Minimum damage and I never felt a thing. Comes well equipped & Swedish Quality to go with it. Down side, boot space can be limited if you have 4 passengers and need to put luggage, and has an internet function which is slow and frustrating. Overall excellent value and reliability.
This is a great car – This car is very stable in the driving process, sound insulation effect is particularly good, do not feel outside disturbance. The interior decoration makes people feel very comfortable and steady with extraordinary breath. The operating cost of this car is acceptable to ordinary people. Of course, I will recommend him to my friends. Anyway, this is a very good car. Show details
So happy with my V40! – This is my second V40. Although it is considered a "small" car, it offers plenty of space and has that "roomy" feeling. We got the Sport package, with the black interior trim, and the leather seats: very comfy! All the options I wanted. Handles great. And to top it off, it is a looker! Show details
Very safe, comfortable car, but let down by some tech glitches – Drives and handles well. A little noisy, but very comfortable and feels safe. You get a lot for your money, with European build quality (albeit now Chinese owned). Love the adaptive cruise control which keeps the car below the set speed limit and at a safe distance behind the vehicle in front, slowing down and stopping as necessary (other makes… Read more
don't brake to slow down to if they exceed the set speed).
The car even reads the speed limits off roadsigns and shows it on your dash. It does get confused with school zones, and the occasional speed limit from adjacent streets and exit ramps. But it works well 90% of the time.
The lane departure warning gives a little buzz on the steering wheel and nudges the car back into its lane - it works most of the time.
Blind spot warning works well, by placing the warning light inside the vehicle, vs on the mirror as in some other cars, you can actually see the warning in even on bright sunny days.
It auto park works too - perhaps not as well as the humble 2014 Skoda - but it works well.
The customisable dashboard is cleverly designed to show everything from the current speed limit, your speed, the cruise control limit and the speed of the vehicle in front of you.
The car is let down by a very poor internet app, which includes TuneIn Radio, the now defunct Pandora and a bunch of useless apps. The European models come with a place to inset a SIM card, which is absent in the Australian model. So you have to get your own internet connection. I use a Telstra 4G dongle connected to power supply in the boot. Even on 4G the app is too slow, taking 2-3 minutes to fire up and TuneIn takes 15 seconds to change stations (vs. ~1s on a mobile phone). The controls and UI are clumsy - e.g., the EXIT key can either go back to the previous screen or hang up a phone call.
There is no touch screen either.
Another app promises to be able to look up destinations from your phone and send them to the car's navigation system. But the website for looking up destinations doesn't exist.
Volvo should have implemented Android's and Apple auto apps be done with it, as do many Korean and Japanese makes.
An otherwise great car let down by a poor infotainment system.
First car that I owned, really satisfied with it – I have a diesel car, so it is a bit noisy compared to petrol vehicles. However, I liked every other aspect of the vehicle. The driving experience is great. I just wish that navigation is standard since my car has to connect to the internet in order to use the navigation function. Show details
Very Happy – First Volvo I've ever owned and very happy. Always been a Honda driver so was a little sceptical about the change. I love the size which is a little smaller than I am used to which I find a benefit and the power is exceptional. Disapppointed that is doesnt have beepers on the front and I've had to get used to this. I found the Servicing to… Read more
be extremely expensive and therefore have been using a private mechanic. Nearly 3 years old and no problems so far.
Love it - fuel is good – My17 plate. Smooth driving and it has all the bells and whistles... though the Sat Nav does not understand my accent and took me for scenic tour most time. My 3rd Volvo in 9 years - all great. I am amaze how much economical fuel compared to my previous My13 plateV40. Highly recommended. Show details
Best car we've owned – Never thought I'd own a Volvo! Until i test drove the V40. Great looking car inside and out, great power, torque and handling, and plenty of features. A pleasure to drive, particularly long distance. Not particularly fuel efficient, but still good mileage. Got the better stereo - great investment - sounds great! PS - Great service from Gary!! Show details
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Safest in the world – The Volvo V40 is a small hatch sedan rated the safest passenger car in the world.Its nippy,easy to drive,comfortable,with all the extras of a car twice the price.Worth the extra for peace of mind
Great car, with everything you need for the daily commute and more! – The VOLVO 2.0L diesel has a great amount of power and torque, it will surprise you how quickly it will get you to 100km/hr. And how little fuel it uses. We do a lot of highway driving, approx 1000kms a week, and we average 5.4l/100kms. We purchased a car with the driver assistance package, well worth the money! It all but drives itself. In… Read more
particular the adaptive cruise allows for easy freeway driving, just set the speed and it keeps a safe distance between you and the car in front, even in stop, start traffic!
the navigation is easy to use if you use the voice commands. It picks up most words first time and if it doesn't it shows a list of alternatives which almost always has the option you need.
The interior is very well laid out with plenty of room in the front. The back seats can be little tight for leg room for tall people and you can only carry 2 adult passengers in the back comfortably.
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