Volvo’s new V40, which was leaked prior to its Geneva premiere, has made its official debut. The five-door, five-seater sibling to the Volvo C30 is the first new model that’s fully developed according to the company’s human-centric ‘Designed Around You’ strategy.
Design cues include a classic V-shaped bonnet further enhanced by bolder expressive lines, a low and wide front grille, a wide shoulder line to echo the rising beltline and a hexagonal tailgate reminiscent of the C30.
Six engine choices have been slated for the car, three petrol and three diesel units. The range-topping petrol mill is the 2.5 litre T5, with 254 hp and 360 Nm (400 Nm in overboost), followed by the 1.6 litre T4 and T3 units, offering 180 hp / 240 Nm and 150 hp / 240 Nm respectively.
The diesels are led by the 2.0 litre D4, with 177 hp and 400 Nm for numbers. Then, there’s the 150 hp and 400 Nm D3, also a 2.0 litre unit, and a 115 hp and 270 Nm 1.6 litre D2 rounding off the list.
The T5 version comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox, while the T4 is available in combination with the automatic six-speed Powershift transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. As for the T3, it comes with a manual gearbox.
Meanwhile, the two 2.0 diesels are available with a six-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.6 litre oil burner comes standard with a six-speed manual box, with the Powershift unit available as an option. All engine versions have start-stop and braking energy regeneration, no matter which choice of gearbox.
Suspension-wise, the front McPherson struts have the same 25 mm piston rods as the S60, with the stiffness enabling the structure to absorb lateral loads better. The rear, meanwhile, features monotube dampers with compression and return damping done via the same valve – with a shorter, faster fluid flow, the damper responds more quickly.
Two different chassis setups are available for the V40, a Dynamic chassis being standard. The second setup is the Sport chassis, which lowers the ride by 10 mm, and here, the springs and shock absorbers have a firmer setting.
LEDs feature strongly, used in the front and rear position lights, daytime running lights, turn indicators in the door mirrors, rear number plate illumination and third brake light.
LED lamps are also used to light up strategic areas of the interior, with a red-to-blue setting that adapts the light to the interior temperature; another seven mood themes are available. The gearshift knob for both auto and manual versions also feature LED illumination from the inside.
Inside, the cabin adopts a driver-centric approach, with Volvo’s iconic ultra-slim centre stack now in a more sculpted version than in previous models. Highlights include a new, fully graphic instrument cluster that allows the driver to personalise instrument layout and information stream.
The cluster, which has an active TFT (Thin Film Transistor) crystal display, offers three graphic themes – Elegance, which has amber illumination that creates a traditional and calm aura; Eco, which features green background illumination designed to create an environmentally inspired look; and Performance, which is red.
For the last, a tachometer scale replaces the speed scale in the centre as displayed in the Elegance and Eco versions. Vehicle speed is shown digitally in the centre of the display. The right display includes a power meter, which is a gauge that informs the driver how much power is available and how much power is being used at any given moment in time.
Material and trim-wise, the interior offers three main colour themes: Charcoal, Charcoal/Blond, or Espresso/Blond. Leather seats are also available in a new Azure Blue accent colour. Also available for the car is a fixed panorama glass roof, that stretches from the front windscreen to the backrest of the rear seats.
As is to be expected, there’s a full deck of safety and support systems to be had, and the list includes a world-first Pedestrian Airbag Technology, Lane Keeping Aid with haptic auto steering, Park Assist Pilot, automatic Road Sign Information, Active High Beam and a Cross Traffic Alert radar system at the rear.
The V40 also features the groundbreaking Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake, as well as the further-developed City Safety low-speed collision avoidance system, which now operates at speeds up to 50 km/h.
To top things off, V40 owners will be able to personalise their ride with an exterior accessory styling kit. The kit includes deflectors, a twin-coloured rear diffuser, a striping kit and enlarged rectangular, chromed twin tail pipes. Diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels with contrasting grey detailing and a roof spoiler can be added separately.
Production of the V40 starts in May, with first customer deliveries set to begin in September.
