The 2007 Volvo S40: a Compact Upscale Sedan

Up against a tough competition with the likes of the Audi A4, the Volvo S40 can stand its ground when it comes to the design for both the interior and the exterior. Though handling is a different story, the car’s lower sticker price makes it a serious competitor in the compact sedan market.

The current Volvo S40 being released by the Sweden-based car manufacturer is already in its second generation and its 2007 model has certainly improved its performance and aesthetic value as well. Another selling point, a very strong one at that, is the reputation of the company producing it for prioritizing the safety of its consumers. The latest version of their compact sedan is a concrete example of that, combining the uniquely Scandinavian styling with comfort and safety of the occupants and a much improved engine performance.

The car is available in two trim packages - one offering a 2.4-liter in-line 5-cylinder naturally aspirated engine which can produce 168 horsepower. This engine comes with either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions. The other one offers a slightly bigger 2.5-liter in-line 5-cylinder turbocharged engine with greater power rated for 218 horsepower. This souped up engine can come with either front wheel or all wheel drive configuration. The front-wheel-drive engine comes with a five-speed automatic transmission while the all-wheel drive variant can either be coupled to a six-speed manual transmission or an automatic one.

All these combinations work efficiently to transfer all the power from the engine to either two or all of the car’s wheels. Added package options for the consumers are the input jack for MP3 players and a ground effects kit which includes a Volvo spoiler and side skirts to increase the aesthetic value of the car.

The interior of the sedan does not disappoint either; it reflects the Scandinavian penchant for simple yet functional designs. The interior is also loaded with features installed to give the occupant comfort and entertainment. Just like the six-speaker Dolby audio system with a CD player for the occupant’s listening pleasure. It has a manual climate control with pollen filter, power accessories and heated mirrors. Those equipped with the turbocharged engine is also bestowed with foglights for the exterior and aluminum trim for the interior. An automatic climate control is also included in the package and an eight-way power driver seat.

Since the car is a Volvo, safety features are abundant. The standard complete line of airbags is included in every package as well as high quality pre-tensioning seat belts. An added safety feature is the Whiplash Protection System which is common to the recently released Volvos. Another safety system included on all packages is its Dynamic Stability and Traction Control technology developed to further increase the safety of the car’s occupants by keeping in check its stability and traction on the wheels driven by the wheels. The car is one of the safest in its class which can be seen on its high ratings in safety tests.