Cheaper choice for Volvo saloon

Cheaper new versions of the Volvo S40 saloon are now available with a choice of two 1.6-litre engines.

Latest News

• Renault Fluence ZE review
• Alpina D5 Bi-Turbo review
• Geneva 2012: Audi TT RS plus
• Fiat Punto Twinair review

Related stories

• Brown to abolish diesel discounts

Cheaper new versions of the Volvo S40 saloon are now available with a choice of two 1.6-litre engines.

The 100bhp 1.6-litre petrol is priced from £15,298 in S trim, while the 110bhp diesel version costs from £16,568 in the same specification. SE trim is available for both at the usual £2250 premium.

The new petrol version is £800 cheaper than the 125bhp 1.8-litre S40. It sprints to 60mph in 11.9sec and has a top speed of 115mph.

Combined fuel consumption is 39.2mpg, while carbon dioxide emissions put the car in the 20% company car tax band. A lower-rate company car taxpayer’s monthly bill will be from £55.

The 1.6-litre diesel costs £1100 less than the 136bhp 2.0-litre diesel. It reaches 60mph in 11.3sec and goes on to a top speed of 130mph. Its fuel economy is 49.6mpg on the combined cycle.

It will not comply with Euro IV emissions standards and so will attract an extra 3% tax penalty. This means a monthly bill of £54 for a lower-rate company car taxpayer.

A revised 1.6-litre-diesel engine, which will be Euro IV compliant, will replace it in mid-2005. This will cost a lower-rate company car taxpayer from £51 a month.

Volvo says it has no plans to offer the new engines in the V50 estate.