Little Volvos were weird right from the start. They appeared in the model range of the Swedish company mainly due to the purchase of the DAF passenger department in 1972. There, at that time, they made small DAF 66 cars, which, accordingly, became Volvo 66. But the Swedes did not want to do badge engineering and tried to do something of their own. And now the rear-wheel drive Volvo 340 family appears with its extremely capricious and fragile CVT. The experience was considered unsuccessful.

Models 440/460/480 appear next, but… something doesn't work either. It seems that the NedCar plant, which the company inherited from DAF, is somehow unhappy ... They want to close it, but the government comes to the rescue, and now a joint venture with Mitsubishi is being created and a new pair of soplatform cars, Mitsubishi Carisma and Volvo S40, appears. the plant revives again.

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Volvo 440, 460, 480

But for the Swedes, the experience again turned out to be not very successful from a financial point of view, and by 2001 they sold their share in the enterprise and stopped producing the first generation "fortieth" by 2004. And in 2003 the second version of the Volvo S40 was released, which will be my story today. She had nothing to do with the Netherlands and the DAF legacy from the very beginning - it seems to be good for her!

Not Focus at all

Volvo S40 II

Many car enthusiasts undeservedly consider the second generation S40 to be just a copy of the mega-popular Ford Focus II. They are not entirely correct. Indeed, Swedish engineers took an active part in the development of the C1 platform, on which the Focus, Mazda 3 and several other models are built. That is why the "second" Focus is so big and surprisingly comfortable for its class - there is a bit of premium Scandinavian blood in its genes. Take a look, because in design it is much closer to the S40 than to its relatives in the concern, and he got the Volvo engines - for the RS and ST versions, they have a Swedish turbocharged "five" in store. But back to the S40, which shares about 60% of the parts with Ford, for which brand fans consider it a "fake Volvo."

Ford Focus II

Moving production to Belgium, to a factory in Ghent, had a positive impact on quality. And the car itself was a success; unlike its ancestors, it really was a "little Volvo", not a foundling. Comfort, style, all corporate conventions and "tricks" in terms of safety and controllability were observed. This is not to say that the car has become megapopular, but sales have gone uphill. The second generation S40 was produced from 2003 to 2012, the total production volume was about three hundred thousand cars. The C1 platform, which is the basis of these machines, found its continuation in the EUCD platform, on which all modern cars of this brand are created, so that disputes about "authenticity" can definitely be stopped there and finally admit an obvious fact. The partnership with Ford has had a profound impact on the company and has resulted in some of the most successful and scalable platforms in the global marketplace. And the little Volvo did not lose at all from this - the relationship with some of the most popular cars in the world made it inexpensive to operate, but still of high quality in Swedish.

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Design features

The design of the S40 is quite traditional. Carrying body, with front and rear subframes. Suspensions are independent, front - MacPherson, rear - multi-link. The range of motors is recruited from Ford units, but the most powerful engines are from the Volvo series of in-line "fives". Gearboxes here are also either Ford or Japanese Aisin, for which the Swedes were one of the main customers of automatic transmissions. Unlike the simpler Ford and Mazda, Volvo has an all-wheel drive option. The main difference from the mass platform relatives is the build quality, colors, the number of options and, of course, the abundance of powerful options.

Most cars have a 2- or 2.4-liter engine and an automatic transmission under the hood. Well, the quality of the paintwork allows you not to think about how to sell an already rusty five-year-old car with maximum profit. The Swedes still make sturdy and long-lasting cars. However, there are enough difficulties.

Breakdowns and problems in operation

Body and interior

The body is very well painted and also made of galvanized metal. The bottom is protected by a thick layer of mastic and many plastic elements, from lockers to sills with aerodynamic panels. The body is noticeably heavier than that of the soplatforms - the Volvo has thicker body panels, much more noise-insulating materials and a higher quality of performance of almost all interior elements. The junior series does not reach the monumentality of at least the "average" S60, but the comparison with classmates will easily win. The main body problems are associated with the difficulties of recovery from accidents, the price of new parts, and the absence of non-original elements, and a lot of seemingly secondary parts that are not especially needed, affect here. But after a cheap repair, the car stops being quiet and comfortable.

The interior is strong and only on very old cars it starts to get crickets, but the materials of the seats, door cards and a little - the electrician fail. Unfortunately, most of the seats are made of artificial leather, and after three to five years of use they already look shabby. The steering wheel, door cards of the front doors and controls, buttons and handles, are badly rubbed. But that's half the problem.

After five to seven years, the interior equipment begins to fail more often and more strongly. For example, the power window unit may fail, it is located in the door, and its tightness is insufficient, or the guides of the power windows themselves may break. Immobilizer and electric seat drives will malfunction. Even on older cars, problems with the drives of the climate system appear, but they are very rare. In general, do not expect absolute reliability, but in comparison with almost any modern car, the S40 is a role model.

Electrician

This is not to say that there are no problems at all. Rather, there are no major problems. Salon "little things" have already been mentioned above. To them should be added the problems with the trunk lid harness, which are almost universally found at the age of three years. Also at risk are engine cooling fans, adaptive optics, xenon ignition units, a gas pump and a weak generator on cars with a 1.6-liter engine.

But here the car again is almost a role model, even very old people should not annoy with failures and at the cost of their solution. If something breaks, it is usually either not too expensive or it can be repaired successfully. Unless it's difficult to change the fuel pump - there is no hatch in the cabin, you need to remove the gas tank to replace it, and the pump itself fails too often, and the fuel level sensor in the tank also breaks down more often than we would like. By the way, many owners cut out the replacement hatch on their own - do not be alarmed, this greatly facilitates maintenance in the future.

Chassis

Common suspension components in one of the most common machines in Europe are not only low maintenance costs and a large number of "non-original" excellent quality in stock, but also good reliability. And if there are no items in the Ford catalog - it doesn't matter, look at Mazda catalogs. Most of the suspension components have a resource of at least 100 thousand kilometers, and often more. As usual, most often require replacement of the struts and bushings of anti-roll bars, and the rear silent blocks of the front arm. On machines that are often operated at full load, the resource of the rear suspension is greatly reduced, but it is unlikely that it will go less than 50-60 thousand kilometers even on bad roads and with two riders in the back.

Here wheel bearings are short-lived. The running capacity of the original ones fluctuates in the range of 50-100 thousand kilometers, but drops greatly after forcing deep puddles - the bearings have poor tightness. Non-original ones often go even less. Moreover, the "native" Volvo hub also has studs 5 mm longer, and an additional oil seal on the reverse side, in contrast to the Ford and most of the non-original. Those whose hubs come out too often try to modify the design by stuffing grease under the dust cover or installing other protection. Traditionally for Volvo, the Nivomat body leveling system is among the options. With it, the cost of shock absorbers is overestimated several times, but the problem is solved in the usual way - by installing standard suspension elements. The cost of "regular" shock absorbers - no surprises. The difficulty lies elsewhere, there are more than a dozen versions of the suspension in terms of height and rigidity, and during repairs you need to be careful so as not to spoil the car's handling. The brake system on cars also does not present any special surprises. The relatively low price of brakes on cars with engines up to two liters is further reduced if you look at the parts from Fords. On more powerful machines, the components are slightly more expensive. The rest - reliable ABS, well-located brake lines and reliable hoses.

The steering on cars with a 1.6 engine is generally without surprises, a conventional power steering pump and a rack. Tapping on it with runs over 150 is a common thing, but with proper operation, it will not flow. But with engines from 1.8 liters there are difficulties - here EGUR. The pump drive here is not from the engine, but from a separate electric motor. In theory, the system is more convenient and economical. In fact, with minimal fluid leaks from the system, it is airborne, the pump starts to "whine" and breaks down very easily. Unlike a similar Ford system, you can add fluid here - there is a filler neck. However, the pump still remains extremely vulnerable and in the fifth or sixth year of life it can fail even if everything is in order with the fluids, simply having exhausted the resource of the electric motor. The replacement cost is about 40 thousand rubles, but over the past few years there have been proposals for refurbished parts or work to restore this element. For 2.4 engines, there are good kits for installing a standard power steering pump - the pump itself and the connection lines. This option is for those who want to get rid of the problem of the "progressive" amplifier forever.

Transmission

Manual transmissions are traditionally reliable. And the Swedes avoided the problem that the Ford Focus 2 has - a reinforced box is installed on the 1.8 engine. On rare all-wheel drive cars with a 2.5 engine and a Haldex clutch, do not forget about changing the oil in the clutch and take care of the gearbox, especially if the engine is boosted to 300 hp. from. and more. Sometimes, with rough shifts, it cuts off the upper gears with a stock engine, to say nothing of tuning. There are no special problems with automatic transmission. The Aisin AW55-50 / 55-51 series boxes already familiar from other Volvo were installed on the car. The problems of this box have long been known, and the resource is quite predictable. With quiet driving and regular oil changes every 60 thousand kilometers, you can count on 200 thousand resources before the first serious breakdowns. With more frequent oil changes, the resource may be even longer. But most often these boxes still overheat, they clog the valve body, which successfully disables the mechanical part of the unit. One has only to put on an unsuccessful crankcase protection, overheat the engine or automatic transmission, or simply not change the oil until the "first call" ...

The good news: repairs are not so expensive, spare parts are widely available, the box is well known in services, and for a long time there are means to extend its life. To do this, put a non-standard automatic transmission radiator and change the oil often, every 30-40 thousand kilometers, depending on from the style of movement. Since 2010, a more "fresh" Aisin TF80SC box has appeared on diesel engines, but since there are almost no cars with diesel engines, the chance of encountering such a configuration is also minimal.

The engines are of two series. Volvo turbo engines 2.4 and 2.5 were repeatedly covered in reviews, and. They are good, reliable engines with some quirks and long-standing weaknesses. It is worth watching the crankcase ventilation system and ignition modules. And also remember that the timing belt needs to be changed, as well as monitor the valve clearances, and the adjustment process is quite complicated here.

The engines from Ford 1.6 and 2.0 are also very good. The 1.6 engine family is quite old-fashioned in design, and the main drawback is one - low power for a rather heavy machine. It does not have the most reliable control system, but the safety margin of the "hardware" allows it to overcome most of the troubles. Failures of ignition modules, phase shifter valves, sensors and other trifles are usually not fatal and are easily diagnosed. And the elements themselves are not very expensive.

The motor was developed a long time ago, back in 1998 with the help of Yamaha for the first generation Focus, and since then it has not become much worse. The S40 uses the simplest and most reliable version, without phase shifters, which significantly increase the cost of maintenance. In addition, Volvo recommends for it not low-viscosity SAE20-SAE30 oils, as Ford does, but the quite familiar SAE40 oil, which greatly increases the engine resource - even on a heavy Volvo, it can go all 250-350 thousand kilometers before piston wear in a typical urban cycle, and when driving on highways and all half a million kilometers. Just do not forget, again, to adjust the valves and change the timing belt. Engines 1.8 and 2.0 are from a different family. They are designed by Mazda and belong to the MZR. They are no more capricious than 1.6 engines, and many are impressed by the fact that they have a chain timing belt, with a chain resource of 150-200 thousand kilometers, which slightly simplifies maintenance in the first five to seven years of the machine's life. In addition, the power of a car with such an engine is almost like that of a Rolls-Royce, that is, “sufficient”. With these motors, it is already possible to order an automatic transmission, which was done by most of the car buyers.

In comparison with the weakest version of the Volvo "five", the MZR is a little cheaper to maintain, but in practice, the 140-horsepower 2.4 engine is still faster than the 145-horsepower Ford one. Of course, the engine has its disadvantages, for example, a very poor thermostat design, a tendency to leakage due to a poor crankcase ventilation system and weak engine gaskets. However, all the shortcomings are covered by the simplicity, cheapness and good resource of the engine. A feature of the design is the keyless landing of the timing stars on the shafts, which, with hard operation, improper maintenance and unqualified repairs, can lead to fatal phase displacement and the meeting of pistons with valves.

What should you choose?

The small sedan from the Swedish company turns out to be a very good car - one of the cheapest to operate in the class in general, and certainly the most inexpensive of the premium cars. Of course, it is not the most advanced, and automatic transmission cannot be ordered with small motors, but if the quality of the design and economy in operation are important to you, you can put up with this. True, the configurations for cars with Ford engines will not be the most luxurious.

So, if the operating price is very important to you, then the 1.6 engine with manual transmission is your choice. But you have to look for a good package, most of these cars will be "empty", and besides, they were often taken by "traveling" companies. Machines with 1.8-2.0 engines with manual gearbox are a little more expensive, but have a longer engine life, and they are also a reasonable choice. If you need comfort, then in-line "five" 2.4 and automatic transmission are best suited: traction, sound, a sense of communion with the "classics" of the company, and the configuration is usually maximum. Motors 2.0 are a little more practical when it comes to cars up to five to seven years old, but they also have less "Scandinavian fairy tales". We must try to take cars with a known mileage - this will make it possible to predict the remaining resource of the automatic transmission and the cost of restoration. With a successful combination of circumstances, you can slightly modify the machine and extend the resource of the "weak link" by another hundred or two thousand at low cost. Finally, I will say that these same motors with manual transmission are most likely either the cars of the "racers", or they came already used from Europe. This means that the runs will be serious, and the operation will be tough. In general - to refuse.

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09.09.2016

Cars for intelligent, calm and wealthy people, this is the image of the Volvo company. However, the second generation Volvo S40 model is most often interested in young motorists, so it is important to understand how reliable this car is and how much it will cost to maintain a car over the age of 5 years in the future. This is what we will try to figure out now.

A bit of history:

Volvo S40 has a rich history and was produced under different names "VOLVO 340" and "VOLVO 430", but both models were not very popular among buyers. The first car with the S40 index was built on the same platform as Mitsubishi Carisma, but even in this case the expected results were not achieved. In 2003, the second generation of the model was released, which was built on the C-1 platform (the Mazda 3 was built on the same platform). The S40 shares about 60% of the parts with Ford, which is why it is called the more expensive version of the Focus 2.

In 2007, an updated version of the model was presented. The main task of the facelift was to bring the looks of the entire line in accordance with the new corporate style set by the VOLVO S80 . The updated cars are easily recognizable by the updated bumpers, grille with a large logo, exhaust pipe and head optics. The rear of the car received a modified apron, and LED optics were installed in the headlights. In addition to the refreshed design, the car received an original interior trim and added power, the avant-garde interior is made in high-tech style. The production of the model was completed in 2012, and it was replaced by the VOLVO V40.

Advantages and disadvantages of used Volvo S40.

The base 1.6 (100 hp) engine is a fairly old engine and is well known from Ford cars. The resource of this power unit, with proper maintenance, is more than 300,000 kilometers, but the attachments after 100,000 km will slowly start to fail. The main problem of these motors lies not in the motor itself, but rather in the owners of the cars, the fact is that the car is quite heavy and an engine of 100 horses is not quite enough for most drivers, and they start to spin the motor more, as a result, its resource is developed much faster ... The gas distribution mechanism is belt-driven and must be changed every 80,000 km.

Next in order of seniority are engines 1.8 (125 hp) and 2.0 (140 hp), these motors have proven themselves quite well not only on the Volvo S40, but on cars manufactured by Ford and Mazda brands. The two-liter engine has a timing chain drive, and is less whimsical to maintain, but unfortunately a car with such a power unit is quite rare. The 2.4 engine (170 hp) is quite expensive and difficult to maintain, its sore spots are the crankcase ventilation system and the ignition system.

There is also a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, but they were also afraid of it, because the maintenance of such a unit is not cheap. There are several diesel engines in the line of power units, although cars with such engines are very rare in the CIS, but if you come across such a copy, it is better to pass by, since they very quickly kill the fuel system from the quality of diesel fuel sold at our gas stations. The weak point of all engines is the thermostat, which often fails.

Transmission

The engines were combined with manual transmissions and classic automatic machines, the younger engines 1.6 and 1.8 were only paired with mechanics, and they were different in design. For a more powerful 1.8 engine, the transmission has been strengthened, as for reliability, the owners have no complaints about them. As for automatic transmissions, they are not a problematic place in the car, the installed gearboxes have proven themselves well not only on this model, but also on other versions of the concern "", in numbers this means that up to 200,000 km the box does not cause any trouble if change the oil in it every 60,000 km. If the oil is not changed, the transmission may overheat, as a result the valve body fails, the repair of which will not be cheap.

Running Volvo S40

In terms of suspension, the Volvo S40 is similar to the Focus 2, and such a relationship was only beneficial, since many parts are interchangeable, and this in turn significantly reduces the cost of repairs, some parts are also suitable from Mazda, in addition to this, a large number of non-original ones are presented on the market spare parts. If the car is operated accurately, then there are not so many problems, and serious investments will be required once every 100,000 km. After 100 thousand mileage, it will be necessary to replace the struts and stabilizer bushings, silent blocks of the front levers and wheel bearings. This model is equipped with a hydraulic and electric power steering, this unit can disturb after 100,000 km.

Body

There are no problems with the quality of the metal of the body, and the paintwork is not here, even in places where paint is chipped, corrosion does not appear for a very long time. And if you see rust on the body of a Volvo S40, it means that the car was involved in an accident, and its owner saved a lot on repairs.

Advantages:

• High level of safety and comfort.
• Build quality and materials.
• Reliable components and assemblies.
• Large selection of non-original spare parts.

Disadvantages:

• High maintenance cost.
• Smallish (clearance 13.5 cm).
• Harsh suspension.

If you are or were the owner of this car brand, please share your experience, indicating the strengths and weaknesses of the car. Perhaps your feedback will help others to choose the right used car.

The Volvo S40 / V40 tempts not only with its attractive figure and Scandinavian style, but above all with its price. The cheapest copies on the go cost about 100-120 thousand rubles, and the most expensive 250-300 thousand rubles. However, do not think that this is a true Swedish car. Only the logo is unique here. As for the rest, it is a "team hodgepodge".

Teamwork

The platform and suspension are the result of an effective partnership with Mitsubishi. The Japanese also shared one gasoline engine - 1.8 GDI with direct injection. Diesel engines came from Renault.

To optimize production costs, the assembly was organized in line with Mitsubishi Carisma at the Dutch NedCar plant. It was built from scratch with a Japanese partner specifically for this purpose. In accordance with the concept, the cars were not competitors. The S40 aimed at the premium segment, while Karisma aimed at the more popular segment.

Body and interior

The silhouette of the 40th Volvo is hard to deny the elegance and personality of style. The interior also evokes positive feelings. Good ergonomics, pleasant materials. The only pity is that the build quality left much to be desired.

In the oldest examples, paint is erased from the front panel. Of course, you can find the S40 of the first years of production with the interior in good condition. But this is not the merit of Volvo, but the special attention of the former owner.

Fortunately, quality has improved over the years. The body was updated, the interior was refined and the suspension modified. As a result, a fairly large number of various improvements turned out. Since April 1997, noise insulation has improved, and in 1998, side airbags appeared.

Anyone interested in buying should remember that the first facelift was carried out in 1999 (the headlights and the center console were changed), and the second in 2002. It was then that the car received characteristic headlights with dark inserts, and the location of the indicators on the instrument panel changed. In addition, the bumpers and radiator grill have been updated.

In the first models, door hinges often suffered.

Chassis

The Volvo S40 cannot boast of good handling. Until 1999, the suspension was stiff, noisy, and short-lived. The shape, design and attachment points of suspension elements have changed over the years. Therefore, be careful when ordering parts online. So, in 2000, the wheel track increased by 16 mm, and the wheelbase - by 12 mm.

Surprisingly, the durability of stabilizer struts outperforms many competitors.

The front axle is equipped with McPherson struts, lower wishbones and anti-roll bars. Unfortunately, the ball joints are firmly fixed, therefore, in case of wear, the lever assembly will have to be replaced (from 2,000 rubles). However, the design of some analogs allows you to change the ball separately (from 400 rubles per support).

At the rear, a multi-link circuit is used, which Volvo calls Multi-Link. Average service life is more than 100,000 km. But when something wears out, you have to spend a lot.

Front wheel hub bearings also do not differ in durability - from 2,000 rubles.

Restoring leverage is inconsistent with the plant's recommendations, and few people know how to do it correctly. Although the spare parts kit is closely intertwined with the Mitsubishi Carisma range, few chassis elements are interchangeable. Only someone who has dealt with both cars and knows what fits what will be able to pick up analogues.

The rear levers create the most problems (from 1200 rubles per lever).

Engines

The range of Volvo C 40 engines is very wide. All of them are equipped with a belt-type timing drive with a replacement interval of 60,000 km.

The most durable are aspirated gasoline. They are able to cover more than 400,000 km without interruption. With proper care, turbo engines will last as much. Only the coils, air flow meter, starter and generator have to be changed. Gasoline units have a specific design, and therefore it is better to service them in specialized services.

But be careful. The "black sheep" is the 1.8i (125 and 121 hp) with direct injection, which is borrowed from Karisma. It is this unit that creates problems during operation and does not allow the installation of HBO, which for many potential buyers is a serious drawback. It's all about the capricious fuel system.

It should be borne in mind that hydraulic valve clearance compensators were used only in old gasoline units. In the samples of the last years of production, pushers of a fixed size were installed, so possible changes in the gap will not be automatically compensated. Adjustment required. When using HBO, the procedure will be needed every 20-30 thousand km, which will cost 2000-3000 rubles.

With diesel engines, the situation is not so rosy. They all hail from Renault and are operated according to French standards. A typical ailment is numerous oil leaks for the first 100,000 km.

Diesel engines suffer from oil leaks that are expensive to fix.

There were three versions of the 1.9-liter turbodiesel to choose from. The 90-horsepower has a conventional multipoint injection. It is not very fast, shows average efficiency and is sensitive to loads at high speeds. Quite often punches the head gasket. The head itself can burst.

The 95-horsepower has received direct injection and represents a reasonable compromise between price, performance and economy. The weak point is the high pressure fuel pump.

Versions with a recoil of 102-115 hp. differ in the Common Rail injection system. They are the most modern and quietest in the diesel range, have higher potential, but are quite expensive to repair. Vulnerable elements: turbocharger and fuel injectors.

Typical problems and malfunctions

Given the age of the model, you will inevitably have to deal with numerous minor malfunctions. Owners complain about unreliable turn signal and light switches, instrument panel illumination faults, and problems with the bonnet opening mechanism. Over time, the immobilizer and central locking refuse to obey, the lamps of the rear lights burn out regularly.

Transmissions also cause certain troubles: there are problems with shifting.

The body is very well protected against corrosion. However, in the earliest examples, traces of corrosion are observed on the trunk lid and hood. Outside door handles sometimes burst from severe frost.

Over time, the parking brake mechanism jams.

Conclusion

The Volvo S40 / V40 is one of those cars bought with heart, not common sense. Yes, it is thoroughly protected against corrosion, practical, functional and well equipped. But in terms of quality and spare parts supply, it does not compare with more popular competitors. Volvo can only be recommended to those who are looking for an original car at an affordable price. It is better to pay attention to the youngest specimens collected after restyling in 2002.

Specifications Volvo S40 / V40 (1995-2004)

Petrol versions

Version
Engine				direct injection
Working volume
Location cylinders / valves
Power
Maximum torque
Performance
Maximum speed
Acceleration 0-100 km / h
Average consumption, l / 100 km

Diesel versions

In 1995 Volvo introduced the new S4 sedan. However, due to the fact that the Audi brand already had it, the Swedes had to change the name of the car to S40 (the station wagon began to be called). This car was produced at the NedCar joint venture with Mitsubishi in the Netherlands and was designed on a common platform with the model.

The Volvo S40 was equipped with petrol engines 1.6 (105-109 HP), 1.8 (115-125 HP) and 2.0 (136-140 HP), and the most powerful were versions with 1.9-liter turbocharged engines, which developed from 160 to 200 forces. Also, the sedan was offered with a Renault 1.9 diesel engine (90-115 hp). In 2001, the model was modernized, but the appearance of the car remained practically unchanged.

2nd generation, 2004–2013

The second-generation Volvo S40 sedan entered the assembly line of the Ghent plant in Belgium in 2004. The station wagon version received an index. The car was created on a common platform with the second generation and first generation models.

Initially, the car was offered only with in-line five-cylinder engines: 2.4-liter (140 or 170 hp) and 2.5-liter turbocharged with 220 hp. from. The version with a 220-horsepower engine was called the Volvo S40 T5, it could be not only front-wheel drive, but also all-wheel drive. Later, sedans with four-cylinder power units 1.6 (100 HP), 1.8 (125 HP) and 2.0 (145 HP) went on sale. Diesel engines 1.6, 2.0 and 2.4 were also installed on the ES-fortieth. from 115 to 177 liters. from.

In 2007, the Volvo S40 was modernized: the design was slightly updated, new options appeared in the list of equipment (for example, adaptive headlights, blind spot monitoring system during lane changes), and the T5 modification became even more powerful - 230 hp. from. At the same time, the Flexifuel version debuted with a 1.8-liter engine capable of running on a mixture of gasoline and bioethanol E85. This engine was later replaced by a two-liter one.

The production of the model ended in 2012 and was replaced by a hatchback.

The new Volvo S40 sedan was first introduced by Volvo in 1995. The car was produced at the NedCar joint venture with Mitsubishi, located in the Netherlands.

In 2001, the Swedish sedan underwent an update, as a result of which it received changes in the interior and exterior, as well as a number of technical improvements.

The first generation model was produced until 2004, and its total circulation was 352,910 copies. Interestingly, the Volvo S40 is the first car to receive 4 stars in the EuroNCAP crash tests.

The "first" Volvo S40 is a compact premium sedan based on the Mitsubishi Carisma platform. With her, the Swedish model was similar in terms of appearance.

S40 length - 4483 mm, height - 1411 mm, width - 1717 mm. The wheelbase of the car is not a record for the class - 2550 mm, and the ground clearance (clearance) is very modest - 150 mm.

The curb weight of the "es-forty" varies from 1225 to 1255 kg, depending on the modification.

Under the hood of the first generation Volvo S40, one of nine four-cylinder petrol or diesel units can be located:

• The gasoline part includes a 1.6-liter engine producing from 105 to 109 "horses", a 1.8-liter with a capacity of 115 to 125 horsepower, as well as a 2.0-liter, the output of which ranges from 136 to 140 horsepower. Well, the top-end is considered a 1.9-liter turbo engine, developing from 160 to 200 forces.
• Also for the sedan, a 1.9-liter Renault diesel engine was offered, the power of which varies from 90 to 115 horsepower.

The motors were combined with either a 5-speed "mechanics" or with a 4-speed "automatic", the transmission in all cases is front-wheel drive.

The car is endowed with good directional stability - it holds the road perfectly. The steering is supplemented with a hydraulic booster, but many owners note its low information content.

The first generation Volvo S40 has disc brakes in a circle, ABS is standard for all modifications. In addition, a dynamic stability system was offered for the sedan.

Two types of independent suspensions were installed on the "first" Volvo S40 - sporty and comfortable. Their differences lie in the different stiffness of the shock absorbers and the anti-roll bar. Each of the suspensions has its pluses and minuses: the first is stiffer, but more collected in turns, the second is softer, but in turns it gives itself out with increased rolls.

This Swedish sedan has gained a reputation as a reliable car, for which Russian motorists fell in love.

The main advantages of the model are excellent noise insulation, comfortable suspension, a spacious and well-thought-out interior, decent equipment, a high level of safety, good ergonomics, and stable behavior on the road.
Well, many owners of the "first" Volvo S40 complain about the modest ground clearance, not too quick automatic transmission and the high price tag for original spare parts.

In 2017, in the secondary market of the Russian Federation, you can purchase a first-generation Volvo S40 at a price of 200 ~ 300 thousand rubles (depending on the equipment and condition of a particular instance).