2004.5 Volvo S40 (2004.5) New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2004.5 Volvo S40?
Volvo fields a solid entry-luxury entry for the first time with the redesigned 2004.5 Volvo S40 sedan. Riding on an all-new platform shared with the Mazda 3, the new Volvo S40 is designed to meet the Swedish automaker’s rigorous safety standards while increasing driver enjoyment. Two models are available: the standard S40 2.4i and the sporty S40 T5 variant. A 2.4-liter inline five-cylinder engine is standard, making 168 horsepower and driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The 2004 S40 2.4i will accelerate to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, according to Volvo. The 2004 S40 T5 receives a 2.4-liter inline five equipped with a light-pressure turbocharger to develop 218 horsepower and acceleration to 60 mph in a claimed 6.3 seconds. The S40 T5 gets a six-speed manual transmission from the Volvo S60 R sport sedan, and all-wheel-drive is optional on this model. Both S40s can be equipped with an adaptive five-speed automatic from the S60 sedan. Volvo achieves high levels of safety with the S40’s Volvo Intelligent Vehicle Architecture (VIVA – which includes multiple crush zones, class-leading side-impact protection, rear-impact protection that exceeds future government standards, whiplash protection, and a full complement of airbags). Standard equipment includes four-wheel-disc ABS, while stability control and bi-Xenon headlights are useful options. The 2004 Volvo S40 rides on a fully independent suspension and is guided by electro-hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering. The rear seat is a split folding design, and the front passenger seat also folds in half to accommodate long items. Options are bundled into packages labeled Premium, Convenience, Sport, Climate and Audio.

Advantages of the 2004.5 Volvo S40:

• Exemplary safety engineering
• Impressive performance with T5
• Available all-wheel-drive

Objections to the 2004.5 Volvo S40:

• Tight rear seat space
• Options bundled into packages

Editor's Advice:
Finally, Volvo fields a compelling entrant in the burgeoning entry-luxury sedan marketplace. The 2004 Volvo S40 is, as any Volvo must be, a safe car designed to provide occupants with the most comprehensive protection package in the segment. But unlike many Volvos of the past, this new S40 is sleek and, in sporty T5 trim, speedy. Though Volvo may have trouble grabbing attention with so many competent models flooding the segment in which it competes, the redesigned 2004 S40 deserves a test drive.