Test drive Volvo S40 2004 - 2007 sedan

All photos of Volvo S40 2004 - 2007

EQUILIBRIUM

The three is three -rending
Sedan. How much is in this word dear and pleasant to our ear and look! Firstly, the silhouette is more equilibrium, and secondly, there are always four doors and a large trunk.
Thirdly, but just the power of habit always draws an imaginary car three-bob. In this, the Americans and I at the same time. Big country big cars. Even if they are actually a compact class.

Who is what
Volkswagen Jetta
The price of a tested car is $ 30 159
Max. Power 150 liters. With. at 6000 rpm/min.
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b202 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 8.9 s
Honda Civic
The price of a tested car is $ 20 900
Max. Power 140 liters. With. at 6300 vol./min.
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b200 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 10.9 s
Volvo S40
The price of a tested car is $ 49 741
Max. Power 170 liters. With. at 6000 rpm/min.
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b215 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 8.9 s

Sales of the updated Honda Civic began on April 15. This car is clearly not like anyone, shocking and always arouses interest among people who love and can light. We picked up a relatively fresh VW Jetta to it, which is no less than the premium criteria. From our Trinity, only Volvo S40 has not been exchanged for all sorts of hatch bekes for a long time. Economic Swedes are focused on cars, where the entrance/exit of passengers and vehicles/luggage is carried out separately.
Partly, due to dislike of heat in winter through the open fifth door.

Familiar among the people as Jetta (aka Vento, it is also Bora) in essence Golf with the trunk turned out to be extremely proportionate and pretty. Golf is youth, pressure and style in every little thing. Jetta is the same style in a more calm interpretation. Golf and Jetta are almost like yin and yang. In addition, with a cursory look, Jett can easily be mistaken for the flagship of the VW Passat brand. This is especially true for radical black machines.

Honda Civic demonstrates a fundamentally different approach to different types of bodies of the same model. The hatchback and the sedan are absolutely not similar to each other. However, the futuristic design was fully reflected in the forms and solutions of the salon of both machines.

Behind Honda’s open door, the view of the instruments of a compact city car opens, but at least for the post of control of a local message microstvel.
Honda devices are divided into two groups. The tachometer with the outometer scale and the position of the KP selector is visible through the rim of the steering wheel, and the speeds of speed and gas with the temperature are taken into a separate block up. Nearby, on the unit deployed to the driver, strongly released handles and climate buttons were placed. On the one hand, it is convenient (you will not miss), on the other, too deliberately exposed twists, visually crushing the perception of the pilot and navigator halves. This is aggravated by different -sized blowing deflectors. Does the driver of the octressed air be supposed to be twice as much?

The Minivani gear selector is attached to his own cup holder and is very good to the touch. But at the first touch, two disastrous defects were revealed. Firstly, instead of moving forward and forth, they have to draw almost a third of the circle along a small radius. Secondly, the handle is weakly fixed in all positions and constantly strives to slip further. Both of these properties make each time double -check what is included.
But the Z-shaped handbrake is convenient and simple.
The Hondovsky steering wheel combines a convenient grip with a non -standard shape of the spokes. The eyes are tickled, but it’s nice to steer.
The seats in Civic are well -stained and covered with a gray fabric similar to a waffle towel. This material does not slip, but produces constant static electricity, the category of which inevitable injection accompanies each exit from the machine. In the back in Honda, there is enough space for the legs, but the gap is minimal over your head, and the back cuts too much into the lower back.
At first glance, the Volvo salon liked strict thoughtfulness and lack of excesses. The usual shield with four instruments, the usual steering wheel with three knitting needles and a very heavy hub. Block buttons on the console resembling a TV remote control. Eyes are good. Try your fingers ...

The touch organs instantly protested, barely feeling for a small handle of inclusion of light. And between the buttons of the fogs what is it? Unlocking a gas tank hatch? Strange community. The famous thin vertical console was finally upset. The good thing in it is only that you can put your hand and scare the thoughtful passenger with a light touch of the knee (preferably familiar, otherwise you can make money in the ear ...). It is simply impossible to use collected in a cramped pile with different -caliber buttons on the go. Basically because you need to take a hand yet. Well, if an automatic selector lever. And if you have a mechanic, you will touch the buttons with an awkward movement forward.
The selector button also requires a cunning twist of the finger. It is inconvenient to keep from the side. Press on top.

But the main surprise presented the brake pedal. Why did the traps were tapped and pushed it close to the tunnel of the riddle. Even the modest boot of the 39th size squeezes to gas with difficulty. My 42nd was constantly clinging to the brake, and people with the 47th size will have to select a car more spacious. And this despite the fact that to the left of the brake lining of free centimeters twenty. Probably a giant for the leg.

Volvo seats with the least developed support. The rear passengers are not particularly walking around both in length and in height, the reserves are small.
The gut of Jetta may not have been worthwhile to describe everything is familiar with golf. Nevertheless, in comparison with our competitors, many curious details were revealed. Firstly, the doors of the jetts are easy to open and close, because all the door handles are convenient in their places.
Secondly, the clarity of the perception of devices and controls here is brought to the absolute. And the light turns on where necessary and as it should, and the radio with a climate is read at a time. The phrase is the best enemy to the good here for the motto. The designers stopped at the good and got ... the best.

And nothing gets confused with anything. And this is worth a lot! We were looking for what to complain about ... We found only a little inferior to Honda in size of the mirror.
Separate praise by the Volkswagen seats! Profile, adjustments, stiffness, butt of the back of the level. Behind Jetta is practically not inferior in capacity to the Passat of a decade ago. Spacious and comfort.

Sitting behind the wheel of Volvo S40, of course, we tuned ourselves that it was a car for a calm driver. Knowing this, they chose a powerful version of the 2.4-liter engine. This one must go!

We click on the gas. Rides. Confidently and smoothly accelerates. We stomp it sharper. Acceleration only accelerates a little. And now gas to the floor! The feeling of a heavy car does not pass and then. We look into the passport data. The equipment does not exceed opponents. So, the start from the place is not the element of Volvo. But the Swede accelerates well closer to a hundred and eventually overcomes this line a little faster than competitors, consuming, however, at the same time, the largest amount of fuel.

The five -speed Volvo machine operates quite clearly. There are delays when switching down, but they are tolerant. The noise of the motor into the salon penetrates in modest quantities, and the timbre can be compared with the grunt of the displeased cat. Slot notes are not observed and okay. The advantages of the body include a small noise of the oncoming wind. If it were not for the boot that was always stuck between the brake and the tunnel, then the S40 would have looked completely well done.

But, if you have already managed to pull out the leg out of the trap and touch the brake pedal, Volvo slows down perfectly. On a wet coating, it begins to abuse ahead of time, but in any case, passengers experience decent negative accelerations with any careless stamping of this large pedal. The steering wheel of the Volvo S40 was light, but not too overcied, as happened on the S60. The steering maintains information for the driver, but the reactions to quick movements of the steering wheel are slightly slowed. As well as reactions to the return of the steering wheel in the bend. I would describe the behavior of S40 as a neutral obedience that does not provoke sharp maneuvers, although their car allows, if something happens.

Volvo is quite noticeable and unpleasantly loudly overcomes potholes and bumps. Moreover, the faster you move, the more clearly these irregularities are manifested inside. The formula is more than the speed of less than the pits here is completely unsuitable. At the same time, there is more sound than shaking, which is still nice.

Honda dynamics are the opposite of the phlegmatic Swede. This car is ready to shoot at any moment so that just hold on. I can’t even believe that there are only 1800 cubes under the hood. But what! The ability of the Japanese to remove adult power from small engines is simply amazing.

Civic in a split second responds to any touch of the accelerator. Under the pedal there is always a certain margin of move. To match the sports motor and an automatic machine, vividly sorting out the ranges both up and down.

But sharp acceleration is accompanied by a tangible roar of the engine at a narrow peak of a power curve. The steep engine easily climbs in six thousand revolutions and at the same time in the ears of passengers.
Honda’s brake dynamics was not as luxurious as acceleration. No, there are enough brakes, but at some point their information content is greatly reduced. However, you quickly get used to it. Honda Civic, being a frank sports extreme on the field of public cars, broadcasts all the slightest bumps of the roadway into the salon. Probably, this should be the machine that instantly responds to any even slight movement of the steering wheel. Honda is absolutely delivered from the rolls, stands on the road as glued and turns perfectly. You can use the VSA exchange rate stability system only with very gross errors in the turn. The car will not even be rearranged on a serious pit, but it shakes thoroughly do not yawn!

The Volkswagen concern has always been able to build good motors. Frisous and economical. And besides, quiet. Do you know what is the advantage of a good motor? The fact that you get from him exactly as much as you expect. No more and no less.

This is the golf motor. You click on the gas, get a response. I clicked the harder more sharply. You can rush with a slip of the wheels. You want to save fuel again is not a problem. FSI technology, you know. A six -speed box that does its job quickly and clearly matchs.

Nobody is also surprised to the German brakes of the reference car in the class named after themselves. Can cars come from Wolfsburg poorly slow down? That's right, they cannot. Jetta pedal is exactly exactly with pressing is filled with stiffness and allows dose grams of effort and centimeters of the path. Even if wet asphalt is under the wheels, the electronics will very carefully correct the braking. Just as the excess of torque will remove at the start. But only excess.

There are very few noise and vibrations in Jett. The tracted and elastic motor does not require squeezing the last strength at the top, which is why the sound picture in the cabin is calm.

VW Jetta refers to its passengers with trepidation and love. There is no sharpness of Honda in it, and Valvo's impressiveness. But there is a clar clay clarity that allows jewelry to dose the demolition of the front wheels, and a good zero, manifested in the fact that on a straight jet flies, like an abandoned hammer, always with a handle back.

What is especially pleasant, bumps are little reflected in the behavior of the machine. The shaking in Jett is less than that of competitors in the test, and there are no sounds at all, which makes the honor of a compact city car.

In the course of the test, our Trinity was unusually easily determined by her place on the finish line. It should be noted that Volvo and Volkswagen came to us in a configuration close to the maximum, and Honda, on the contrary,. Her sophisticated analogue would be more expensive by three thousand. Everyone unanimously noted the catchy outside and truly cosmic Honda design, gave tribute to the pacified security of passengers Volvo and unanimously hoisted to the top of the pedestal Jetta, as the most balanced and correct car that found the gold point of equilibrium between the extremes of the genre, which can and allows more than it seems to be the first on the first sight. The extraneous Honda, ready to conquer the Russian open spaces, we will put next, leaving the final grades for its future owners, and the dear and not in everything comfortable Volvo will close our list, because the prices for these cars begin where others end.

VW Jetta

Jetta and Golf GTI are indistinguishable from the face. And both are quite good -naturedly smiling with a corporate grate.

Engine:
working volume 1984 cm3,
compression degree 11.5: 1,
max. Power 150 liters. With. at 6000 vol./min,
max. moment 200 nm at 3500 rpm/min
Front drive
Suspension
Front MacPherson
The rear is independent
Gearbox fur. 6th.
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed, km/h 202
Acceleration to 100 km/h, from 8.9
general information
Fuel consumption (EPA): 6.0/11.8
Fuel tank volume: 55 l
The number of places 5
A mass of equipment./Full, kg 1450/1950

Maximum volume: 525 l. The volume of this room is striking, but the feed is not particularly distinguished. The opening is large, and the lid closes easily.

Despite the relationship with the new Octavia, the elongated back of Jetta does not look heavy. Basically due to a different arrangement of the lanterns and the tilt of the rear panel.

Honda Civic

A multi -link rear suspension works excellently in corners. It is not easy to disrupt the car into a skid.

Engine:
working volume 1799 cm3,
compression degree 10.5: 1,
max. Power 140 liters. With. at 6300 about/min,
max. moment 174 Nm at 4300 rpm/min
Front drive
Suspension
Front MacPherson
The back is multi -link
Gearbox aut. 5-Test.
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed, km/h 200
Acceleration to 100 km/h, from 10.9
general information
Fuel consumption (EPA): 5.1/9.5 l per 100 km
Fuel tank volume: 50 l
The number of places 5
Mass equipment., Kg 1291

Maximum volume: 389 l. The smallest trunk in the test. In addition to protruding wheeled arches, very concealing a place, the cover from the inside has no finish, as well as the handles for closing.

The exterior of Honda Civic has acquired the most dynamic features. Lock the reference motor. Stylish and beautiful!

Volvo S40

Among the competitors, Volvo S40 looks the most monumental. In many respects due to the vertical grille of the radiator.

Engine:
working volume 2435 cm3,
compression degree 10.3: 1,
max. Power 170 liters. With. at 6000 vol./min,
max. moment 230 nm at 4400 rpm/min
Front drive
Suspension
Front MacPherson
The rear is independent
Gearbox ed., 5-st.
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed, km/h 215
Acceleration to 100 km/h, from 8.9
general information
Fuel consumption (EPA): 9 l per 100 km
Fuel tank volume: 62 l
The number of places 5
A mass of equipment./Full, kg 1400/1850

Maximum volume: 405 l. The average in size of the cargo compartment seems disproportionately small. But the lid absolutely does not interfere with loading.

The relief of the sidewall, repeated by lanterns, makes the car a super -significant car. It is impossible to make a mistake!

HOW DO THEY LOOK
Nikita Rozanov
Honda Civic
First screening autumn 2006
Honda design.
Volkswagen Jetta
The first show 2005
Design director Murat Gunak.
Volvo S40
The first show 2003
Design director Jose Diaz de la Vega).
OUTSIDE
If it were not for the persistence of stylists who already in the eighth generation of Civic are practicing the originality of the appearance of each of the divisions of the Honda model line, then the test (if you use the terminology of Chris Banlla), would earn the name of the Sosiki Test of different lengths. Indeed, both the German and the Swedish car in their appearance can be reminded of the links of garlands (VW and Volvo, respectively), distinguishable from each other only by length. What is there to cunning, both of them are large -scale copies of their older relatives. For example, Jetta, as I recall, was previously declared as a Golf with a trunk. Now this is a spilled little Passenger. Even the miscalculations in the design are inherited exactly: from one angle he (she) is narrow (narrow), from the other high (high). About the Volvo lineup is a special conversation, and even I am lost in the principles of its visual identification. But, probably, such a semblance is nevertheless acceptable, and Banlal's views did not become a panacea for world design, and this pleases. After all, look at how okay the silhouette of the S40 is cut off or how the proportions and dimensions of Jetta are sophisticated to a person. How? Yes, exactly the same as that of the Big Passat or the flagship Volvo S80. Now briefly: from the face, the identification of five stars for everyone, with the exception of Civic, which the expression of the eye-far suspiciously resembles the same Passat, but this is the fashion and so today they lead the eyes to many new products. The silhouettes are left without comment, the question arises: how did they manage to make them the same? Did anyone draw them alone? In general, the situation is similar in the back, and only mannerly crystals of the rear lights of Volvo, whose shape is surprisingly, does not age and adds the necessary energy to the style of the car, introduce some diversity.
INSIDE
Here the picture is different, and the small Jetta does not look like any Passat inside, and the elegant hi-Tekovsky console Volvo S40, on the contrary, even try to copy the senior members of the eminent Swedish family. The design of Honda is generally an explosion: two floors of instrumentation, the dynamics of the original tracing lines drawing the architecture of the panel (the interior of the hatchback will be even more explosive lovers of the hotter, wait). Compared to these emotions, the minimalism of the Swedish design is able to turn water into a crystal of ice ... But there will also be its connoisseur. General remark: the central consoles no longer propagate the instrument panels as obviously as it was adopted before whether they are either not at all, or they soar, demonstrating their ephemerality. The result is unusual, which is required in this class and its consumer. The steering wheel is light and three -spoke, but without sports excitement. Why is he here? A special thing is the steering wheel Civic, the unusual design of which does not reach the image of the game console very much.

SUMMARY
Small and remote, but for a lot of money. Are you a fan of the brand and are ready to overpay for your favorite brand? Then, using personal preferences, feel free to make a choice! You will be satisfied.

Volkswagen Jetta
Wheel base, mm 2580
Length, mm 4555
Width, mm 1760
Height, mm 1460
Clearance, mm 135

Jetta, crouching on the front axle, is always ready to shoot. Exactly as much as the driver wants.

Jett’s steering wheel leaves the driver the largest space for viewing. In addition, it is more pleasant to hold everyone in his hands.

Jetta seats can be considered a role model. The landing is dense and comfortable

There are enough seats in Volkswagen. Lateral support is recognized by all the best

The golf shield of devices is nothing new. But everything is simple and very intelligible. Brevity is the soul of wit.

Honda Civic
Wheel base, mm 2700
Length, mm 4545
Width, mm 1750
Height, mm 1435
Clearance, mm 145

Additional windows in front of the doors are frankly minivan decision. This is especially noticeable when looking from the inside.

The resemblance to the layout of the minivan is emphasized by the lack of a familiar beard. The selector handle is located quite high because of this.

Antifriction materials of the seats were appreciated by everyone. But the armrest fell on the pillow uncomfortable

At first glance, these profiled seats should hold the rider well. In fact, you can’t sit in them for a long time in the back

In fact, Honda has two shields. The jumper between them accurately falls beyond the rim of the steering wheel. Great find!

Volvo S40
Wheel base, mm 2640
Length, mm 4470
Width, mm 1770
Height, mm 1450
Clearance, mm 135

Thanks to just a few lines, Volvo S40 seems much more angular than it really is.

The severity of the interior sometimes conflicts with ergonomics. A stylish tie of the console buttons similar to a television remote control is inconvenient.

Volvo has the most lit pillow back. At first glance, not bad. Will it be on the long journey?

Volvo soft seats are cozy. And the mother what you need!

Volvo shield is extremely simple. And convenient. So everything else would ...

LIKED
VW Jetta

There were no particular details of the details. Maybe from the fact that everything is done in conscience?
Honda Civic

How can you not like such a miracle? Fascinates with beauty and is easily read Bravo!
Volvo S40

The buttons on the steering wheel, like the shield, are extremely convenient. What is so lacking in the rest of the pens and pimpes.
DID NOT LIKE
VW Jetta