New grill, new engines and Thor's Hammer. That's what was new when the Volvo V40 got a facelift last year.
Thor's Hammer is Volvo's new, unique trademark. The hammer-shaped running lights not only do a good job as running lights, they create a recognition effect. You realize right away that they belong to a Volvo.
It is not easy to spot the V40's facelift at first glance. The biggest change is under the bonnet. "My" V40 this Sunday had the new D2 engine with 120 HP and 280 Nm of torque between 1500 and 2250 rpm. It is a detuned version of the same 2-litre that is in the D3. The "old" D2 engine from Peugeot was not very responsive until the turbo kicked in. The new D2, on the other hand, responds to the gas already from idle. Not only is it more fun to drive, - it also has lower consumption. Stated EU consumption is only 0,36 liters per mile. Joke or fact?
Stated EU consumption is factual
The destination for the Sunday trip was Gardermoen, then to the used fair in Letohallen in Dal. The way home from Dal went south via the old E6 through Mogreina, county road 454 between Jessheim and Kløfta, and then the motorway to Oslo. Mixed driving and partial weekend traffic. Not so far from the driving program that forms the basis for measuring "EU consumption". Door to door, the average consumption was 0,36 liters per mile with an average speed of 69 km/h. Just before I turned off the main road the numbers were even better, namely 0,35 liters per mile and 72 km/h. Volvo's own consumption figures are respectively 0,36 and 0,39 – country road and mixed driving. The manual 6-speed gearbox is well adapted to Norwegian speeds. In 6th gear you can cruise at 80 km/h at 1200 revs. If you drive a lot, you will appreciate very low consumption.
Extra ground clearance
It is possible to drive long distances in a V40. Completely effortless. I really like the seats. They are better than the chairs you find in many furniture stores. I have borrowed a V40 Cross Country. It has off-road effects in plastic and is raised by 40 millimeters compared to the regular V40. It's not so easy to see from the outside, but behind the wheel I noticed the difference. Not on the driving characteristics, but eye level compared to other cars. I think the V40 Cross Country looks like a scaled down version of the previous XC60. You can ask yourself if you need a car that just looks as if it has four-wheel drive when almost all models come with front-wheel drive. You must upgrade to engine size T4 (190 HP turbo petrol) to choose four-wheel drive.
The SAS museum
On the west side of Oslo Airport Gardermoen is the SAS Museum. It is only open on Tuesdays and Sundays. It has free entry and contains a fine collection of objects – so-called memorabilia – associated with early flight. The museum has access to a small lookout tower where it is possible to study and photograph the air traffic on the western runway, but it was unfortunately closed due to ice and snow. Damn winter!
From the SAS assembly I went on to the Leto hall. There was a large second-hand fair with lots of snuffers. Wedding dresses, tumblers and old Dinky Toys toy cars in original boxes from the 60s and 70s. The customers at the toy cars were men - at least as gray-haired as me. It was fun to have a look, but I didn't buy anything. Not this time.
The V40 belongs to the premium Golf class
In terms of price, the V40 Cross Country competes with cars such as the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. I imagine the latter is more widespread than the V40. At least this applies to the models that offer hybrid solutions, which the V40 does not. The V40 is not the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions the premium Golf class. But it is a real alternative. Right now I think Volvo has the best diesel option in the class.
If you are interested in the V40 Cross Country, I would take a look at the T3. With a 6-speed manual gearbox, you get a 2 liter turbo petrol engine that produces a whopping 150 HP and a torque of 250 Nm between 1300 and 4000 (!) revolutions. On paper, this is an excellent powerhouse. EU consumption for the V40 Cross Country T3 is stated at 0,55 liters per mile. Given that this consumption is also achievable in everyday driving, with today's fuel prices and an annual mileage of 30 km, you can save NOK 000 per month by choosing diesel over petrol - purely theoretically, that is. This is worth taking into account if you are considering leasing.
A V40 Cross Country Basis with D2 and manual gearbox costs NOK 330. Fully equipped with winter tires, the invoice price can probably end up around 900. Of equipment you mustn't ha, is Thor's Hammer (the driving lights). I also recommend Volvo's leather seats. I would also consider speed-sensitive steering. The steering is, in typical Volvo fashion, quite heavy. It feels suitably stable and heavy on the motorway, but perhaps not optimal at lower speeds. I think the infotainment system on the V40 is getting old compared to the best. I also don't like the award-winning button cluster on the center console, although it looks stylish.
So how much Volvo is the V40 Cross Country?
Let's start with the engines. They are shared between several Volvos, - including the D2 and T3 drive units discussed here. The seats are genuine Volvo seats. There are 4 good seats. Fifth man will have to waddle on the center console. The interior is otherwise solid and will hold up well for several decades. The luggage space is slightly smaller than in the ordinary Audi A4 and VW Golf, but significantly larger than in the hybrid models. The V40 is not a distinctly family car, - more a car for families with children out of the "nest", younger people or small families. Security is top notch. The V40 was tested in 2012 and received almost the top score. Only the regular V40 has been tested. Not the V40 Cross Country. It may just be imagination, but I feel that a slightly higher car gives even more safety.
- At least it gives an extra Volvo feeling.
Facts
D2 2-litre turbodiesel with manual 6-speed gearbox:
Performance: 120 HP
Torque: 280 Nm between 1500-2250 revolutions
T3 2-litre turbo petrol with manual 6-speed gearbox:
Performance: 150 HP
Torque: 250 Nm between 1300-4000 revolutions
Please note that if you order the T3 with Geartronic, you will instead get a 1,5 liter engine with the same performance, but the torque is delivered at a different rev range.
Dimensions and capacities:
Length: 4370 mm
Width: 1857 mm
Height: 1458 mm
Wheelbase: 2646 mm
Net weight: 1575 kg (D2 manual) / 1569 kg (T3 manual)
Petrol tank: 62 litres
Luggage compartment: 324 litres
Trailer weight w/brakes: 1500 kg
Prices:
D2 with 6-speed manual gearbox: NOK 330
T3 with 6-speed manual gearbox: NOK 333
Metallic varnish: NOK 7
Leather interior: NOK 11 (recommended)
Digital instruments: NOK 3 (recommended)
Front armrests: NOK 500
Reversing camera: NOK 7
Rear reversing sensor: NOK 5
Leather-covered handbrake: NOK 500
Speed-sensitive steering: NOK 2 (recommended – not present on test car)
LED light with Thor's Hammer: NOK 6 (a "must")
Source: www.volvo-cars.com
NCAP test results:
euroncap.com
The SAS museum
Opening hours
Tuesdays 10.00 – 15.00
Sundays 12.00 – 16.00
The SAS Museum on Google Maps' Street View
