2005 Volvo S40 Review

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Review:

S40/V50

Debuting at mid-year 2004, all-new versions of Volvo's compact S40 sedan and V50 station wagon are now based on the Mazda3 platform. The cars are a bit shorter, wider, and taller than the versions they replace, and come powered by either a 168-horsepower, 2.4-liter five-cylinder powerplant, mated to a five-speed manual transmission, or a 218-horsepower turbocharged version that comes with a six-speed gearbox. A Haldex all-wheel-drive system is available. The vehicles' suspensions deliver sportier handling characteristics than their predecessors, thanks to MacPherson struts up front and a multilink design at the rear. As befits the brand, a slew of safety features are on hand and include a stiffer body with a revised frontal structure and Volvo's Side Impact Protection System. A stylish center stack of controls highlights the vehicles' distinctively styled interiors.

2004.5 Volvo S40 by William L. Sharfman, Ph.D (2/2/2004)
Volvo's latest is a whole lot more than just good value.