Our Cars: Volvo V40 - January

Volvo V40 1.6D D2 SE Nav

Week ending January 25
Mileage 13,300
Miles this week 400

Volvo V40 review

What with all the hard frosts and snow we’ve had recently, the V40’s heated windscreen has come in very handy.

Rather than having to spend the first few minutes of my mornings chipping ice off the windscreen and freezing my fingertips off, I simply had to press a button.

By the time I’d given the side windows a cursory rub-down, the windscreen was as clean as a whistle.

By Ivan Aistrop

Week ending January 11
Mileage 12,900
Miles this week 300

I have to say I’m a fan of my V40’s styling. It looks pretty stylish and sleek, at least by comparison with its small family car rivals.

However, this low-slung appearance means that the glass area, especially to the sides and rear, is a bit small. In V40s with dark-coloured interiors, this can lead to the inside feeling a touch claustrophobic, but not so in my V40, which is decked out in a trim colour called ‘blond’. It certainly is bright, and gives the car a much more open and airy feel.

There is a slight downside to this brightness though – the inside is showing a few marks here and there (blame the fact I often carry muddy post-mountain bike ride gear around), and will need a good clean in the near future. Still, I’m happy to take a bit of extra care of an interior that brightens the start to every journey.

Euan.Doig@whatcar.com

Week ending January 4
Mileage 12,600
Driven this week: 651 miles

The Volvo has been telling me that a service is due for the past couple of weeks, because the 12,500-mile mark has been fast approaching. So I booked it in to Motorlux Volvo in Wantage (01235 239931), who were able to take it in at only a few days’ notice, provided I didn’t require a courtesy car. I didn’t, so the date was set.

I turned up at the appointed hour and handed over the car, letting them know about a few issues I wanted looked at – namely an odd-feeling clutch pedal, sluggish performance and the ever-present rattle. Four hours later came the call – everything was done, and the car was being cleaned so I could pick it up.

The difference in the V40 is remarkable; it’s quieter, punchier and (hallelujah) rattle-free! The bill came to £234, which didn’t seem too unreasonable, although it’ll still sting a bit if I have to shell out that sort of cash every 12,500 miles.

Euan.Doig@whatcar.com

See our V40 on video