Test drive Volvo S40 2004 - 2007 sedan

The question of life

The most powerful version of the new Swedish sedan can be compared with an ambitious graduate of a prestigious university. It can be seen talented, but how it will live on, not the slightest performance.
 
With honors
All around are disguised. A harmless fly can look a formidable individual. A ruthless predator with an innocent lamb. And how many masks people pull over themselves! Some want to seem smarter, others are stronger, others are more solid. In the final result, everything comes down to one thing wants to live. And live, certainly, as best as possible.
 
I look at the next novelty from Gotheborg a compact sedan of Volvo-S40T5, and for some reason I can’t get rid of the thought that I was in the role of the head of the personnel department, which is facing a young specialist.
  
As expected, the young man first tries to position his appearance. And I must admit, he succeeds perfectly. Staten, broad -shouldered, pleasant facial features. The frame of the glasses is very stylish, and the lenses are a serious look. In addition, it seems, he spied, the cunning, as the leadership dresses, take a look at his suit in the spirit of a solid S60 and even an expensive S80.
 
Not a shadow of doubt: real Volvo. And letters of recommendation are attached to the resume. S40 is the proportions of a large car, excellent design, driving pleasure, comfort, high technologies and, of course, security, confirms the President of Volvo Hans-Olof Olsson.
  
Finally, as the most weighty argument, a red diploma with outstanding estimates: the base, width, height of the newcomer is more than the 1995 S40 sample of 78, 50 and 32 mm, respectively. And black in white: 220 l. p., 7.2 s to hundreds. Not a talent talent!
  
Take care of your head, Senya ...
I throw things into the back seat, I already slammed the door, but my eyes cling to a trifle. Behind the front armchair, there is extremely small space for the feet, and you need to bend as if you are trying to climb onto the gallery of a compartment. Here are those times ... But what about excellent grades? In order to dispel doubts, I move the driver’s chair by car, the giant traveled clearly more than eighty meters.
 
A few seconds of manipulations with buttons of electric drives, and it is convenient for me, as in a suitable suit. Excellent chair trimmed with light skin. In the golf class to this day in a curiosity. Well, let's try to sit back again. Yes, not in vain I have doubts. There is enough space for the legs now, but there is not a centimeter of the reserve above your head.
  
Having thoroughly measured everything, I found out that from the ceiling to the pillow compared to the predecessor, the place was reduced by as much as 6 cm. And all because of excessively, in the style of the S60, the falling roof. So we write the rear sofa is good for adolescents, no more. And now behind the wheel.
 
The first and, perhaps, the most outstanding wonders of the salon soaring the central console in the air. The brainchild of one of the designers of the company, Guy Bergyun, it is as sympathetic as it is unusual.
 
No one else has such. We had to show ingenuity, modestly noticed the Belgian designer about his notion.
 
This wonderful interior detail is not only good, but also convenient in use. In the lower part of the elegant board there is a pair of pleasant to the touch of the handles responsible for the atmosphere in the cabin, at the top of the sound accompaniment. The nuances of setting climate and music on the central remote control, strongly reminiscent of the one that is attached today to modern TVs. Excellent indication and buttons distinguishable to the touch. Despite the abundance of functions, very convenient. So, on the road.
 

 
   
 
Between the scale of the instruments there is a monitor of an on -board computer

Memory in an electric drive of a driver's seat is unjustifiably expensive ($ 1156) option
 
   
In the back seat, passengers will not be too free

The ignition lock on the front panel was previously a prerogative of the representatives of the representative class

The soaring console is the most stylish element of the salon

 
 

Far battle weapons
Imagine how a small car can carry the motor from the S80! Introduced? And here they did not guess. Very quickly unconditionally. But the start of the S40 is not at all like a shot. At least for those in the cabin, everything happens with the inherent in large cars with impressiveness. Moreover, all 320 nm is always under control. True, only with the anti -circulation system turned on.
 
He will perfectly obey the driver’s teams immediately, but at the same time without a hustle and bustle, says Peter Everstrand project manager of the project S40. I was convinced of this personally. One click of the DSTC button next to the automatic transmission lever, the left leg throws the brake pedal, and the right one simultaneously presses on the gas simultaneously. All. Now the black stripes on dry asphalt accompany acceleration to the third gear.
 
Several minutes of driving in this mode is enough to understand the imposing of T5 can be combined with a sports vein. In a single frantic rhythm with a motor and transmission, a dense independent suspension and excellent brakes live. And 68% increased by 68% compared to its predecessor and a well -tuned steering electric power hydraulic power system allow you to take turns very accurately.
 
Yes, indeed, the red diploma of the new S40 did not lie. Seven with a little seconds to a hundred even with an automatic golf-class automaton, the result is worthy of praise. And yet T5 weapons, so to speak, of long -range battle. On a suburban highway with accelerations from hundreds and above, it is still good. The only thing that you need to work a little cut with gas.
 
Do not count on efficiency only, even if you go to the modest 110120 km/h. You will not receive any average 9.4 liters per hundred. On the highway, the computer never showed the consumption below 13.8 liters. In the city, 15 liters are normal. But I am again pressed into the seat with a powerful acceleration and not averse to forgive this to the agent Swedish specialist. And I’m ready to forget about small vibrations that the transversely installed five cylinders are reported to the idle lever of the box and even the seat. The new S40T5 has gone very far in comparison with its predecessor and could easily become the Russian bestseller of the brand.
 
But it will hardly become. Because we have not had such an expensive golf class sedan yet.
 
  
The trunk has a rather narrow opening and not too impressive volume. But under the floor it was possible to place a full -fledged spare

For $ 109, amateurs to eat on the road can get a convenient box in the armrest


I want a lot. And not a cent
Although the Russian sellers do not agree with such a verdict. They argue that the current S40 competitor is not a golf class, but Audi-A4 and BMW of the 3rd series. They recall the indisputable trumps of the S40T5 with a powerful motor, a high level of ergonomics, a wonderful soaring central console and, of course, a traditionally high level of security. There is a system of protection against a woven blow built into the seats, a strong and endowed with crushed security zones of the body, a traumatic steering column, a compact and due to this, a engine far from the cabin. Against this background, even a tight rear row of seats may seem not worth attention to a trifle.
 
This is what they think in Goetric. There were planned to sell about 70 thousand S40 this year. And the main mass of young Swedes with a Belgian passport (all cars are assembled in the city of Gent) the US market will probably accept with outstretched arms. After all, there they ask for a car from $ 24 to $ 30 thousand.
 
But in Russia with their employment is much more complicated. Not because it is not needed or not valued, but because roads. They will not understand with us when a smaller car of one brand is more expensive than more. Ours, terribly, did not meet $ 50 thousand. Nonsense. Judge for yourself: S60-2.5 (210 hp) costs $ 38,000, S60-2.5 AWD $ 40,500. And the most affordable, similarly equipped with S40-2.5 with almost the same, although 10 liters. With. A more powerful engine will cost $ 41,700. And how, do you think he will live on with such requests?
 
Fifty thousand not a limit
So far, only sedans with 2.4 liters (140 and 170 hp) and 2.5 t5 (220 hp) are delivered to Russia. In the database, everything is equipped quite generously: ABS, 4 pillows, a system of protection against a woven blow, electric windows of windows and heated mirrors, heating the front seats, air conditioning, central castle, alarm, headlight washer. But even such roads are roads (depending on the engine power $ 29,400, $ 31,900 and $ 41,700). Similarly, the last generation S40 is equipped with 1.8 liters (122 hp) could be bought for $ 21,500, and 2.0 l (136 hp) for $ 24,000.
 
A newcomer S40T5 visited our test can be considered perhaps the most expensive golf class model. With a hatch ($ 1110), automatic transmission ($ 1550), a couple of children's seats ($ 2 $ 323) and expensive ($ 6840) package comfort (climate control, leather, xenon, anti-tugal system, music and so on) it costs $ 51,836. But this is also Not the limit will soon appear even more expensive all-wheel drive S40T5-AWD and the first station wagons (plus $ 1300). And only in autumn the supply of the most affordable S40 1.8 (120 hp) will begin.
 
Volvo S40T5
common data
 
Length x width x height, mm
4468x1740x1260
 
Base, mm
2640
 
Trunk volume, l
405
 
Radius of turning, m
5.3
 
Speed, km/h
240 (235)
 
Acceleration time 0-100 km/h, with
6.8 (7.2)
 
Average fuel consumption, l/100 km
8.7 (9.4)
 
 
Engine
 
Location
Front transversely
 
Design
5-cylinder, in row
 
Working volume, SMZ
2521
 
Power, L.S. at rpm
220/5000
 
Torque, kgsm at rpm
32.6/1500
 
Basic price
41 700 (43 250)
 
 

In brackets data with automatic transmission
 
 
Alexey Sergeev, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [06/04]