Sleek & Sporty Hatchback | Volvo V40 D3 Vehicle Review

ShowMe Nelspruit recently had the pleasure of a two day test drive in the new Volvo V40 D3 Geartronic Excel from AutoTec Motor Dealer Group in Nelspruit, and what a pleasure it was!

Premium five door hatchbacks are the latest buzz word among motoring fanatics. With the recent launch of the Mercedes A-Class, the new BMW 1-Series and the Audi the A3, the Volvo V40 not only competes with its competitors, but on many levels it is a better car.

Under the bonnet, the Volvo V40 D3 has a 110 kilowatt turbo diesel engine putting out 350 Newton metres (Nm) of torque. This translates into a car with a top speed that is more than fair, but what we really enjoyed is all the torque.  At 350 Nm, this car has more torque than most farm tractors. There is enough power to pull out a stubborn tree stump, but the car is better put to use in the city and for passing cars quickly and safely.

We tested a V40 with an automatic gearbox, when in normal drive mode the vehicle gave us a perfect combination of dignified control without seeming lazy. Flip it over to sports mode and it behaves like a school teacher on holiday, still in complete control but with a naughty and fun streak.  In sport mode this car will make you think you can compete in the Sasol Rally! It holds onto the road around sharp corners and stops on a dime, giving you a feeling of complete control.

There are some things we’d expect from the Volvo brand and the V40 does not disappoint in terms of these. Safety comes standard, with a full range of airbags and other safety features including City Safety fitted on all models. City Safety is a feature on many of the new models that will automatically stop your car if it senses you might drive into something at less than 50km/hr.  This feature is very useful for the road works we are currently experiencing in Nelspruit at the moment. The ideal “got your back” solution for that second you take your eye off the road.

When we looked at the exterior and interior of the V40, it was clear from the solid close of the door to the stitching on the leather seats that the quality feel inherent in most Volvo’s is carried through to this hatchback.  Furthermore, the V40 has a funky feature that I have not seen in many cars -There is an interior mood light that lights up the inside of the vehicle just enough to see where everything is without it bothering you when you drive. There are nine different mood light colours to choose from, our favourite was purple. It felt like we could authenticate our R100 notes under this light!

The vehicles documented fuel consumption is a very economical 5.2 litres per 100km. During our test drive we got close to this and believe this is an achievable target once you settle down a bit and don’t put your foot down flat on the accelerator at every chance you get. The V40 is also fitted with stop start technology, saving you fuel at every robot in town.

On the negative side, the diesel model had a bit of a loud burble when we started it, but this soon turned into more of a powerful purr once it had been running for a little while. Even though we had no problems with speed bumps, it felt like the car’s ground clearance was just a bit low for lowveld roads. There is however a cross country version with much better clearance if this would suit your requirements better.

Priced in the R340 000 range, the Volvo V40 feels slightly expensive, but if you sit down and compare it to its competition, you will see all the additional features that come standard. Some of these include park assist and cruise control which more than make up for the small difference in price.

ShowMe Nelspruit’s general impression – we are truly impressed! The Volvo V40 offers you everything that is great about the Volvo brand. It’s a complete all-rounder whether you’re looking for performance, safety, economical fuel consumption and looks – this car is made for you!

For more information contact Volvo Nelspruit at the AutoTec Motor Dealership – 013 757 7000 or go to Volvo Nelspruit.