Good car when running
Almost everything.
Very good car when (and I mean when) it is running. Bought it 2 years ago and ever since have been spending out to fix things.
Parts are very expensive.
Is a nice comfortable car inside, and at times can be a smooth drive. The car is also very fast; can get a nice speed out of it, and will beat most cars.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 9th August, 2008
Fast, safe, handsome saloon that is affordable to run and fun to drive
Nothing.
Quick front wheel drive Swedish/Dutch saloon with 200 BHP and 221 Ib/ft torque plus combined fuel economy of around 31 mpg and acceptable main dealer service costs.
Handsome and modern looking, especially being the phase 2 model.
Very good front seat ergonomics.
Overly firm ride. Other rival vehicles give same level of front drive handling, but with more comfortable ride.
Very safe vehicle with multiple airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners, rigid safety cell.
Ample boot space plus split folding rear seats.
0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Top speed 148 mph.
Very refined motorway cruiser.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 20th April, 2007
A good car which should be by your side and give you some pleasure!
First Major fault was the drive shaft and C. V joint failed at 50,000miles.
Several trims, mainly exterior, fell off. The main one being the Engine bay under tray which launched off at 80mph on the M25.
Several instances of poor running and randomly cutting out on motorways.
Problems with power steering at 75,000.
Problems with ABS all the way through.
Problems with suspension rapidly failing and constant knocks.
Problems with Central Locking. The car seemed to lock however when attempting to open the drivers door, It just opens and the alarm sounds. This is still a constant problem. However only occurs when using the key instead of key-less entry remote.
This 2000 Model has the re-vamped Volvo engine instead of the Renault lump. The previous Renault engine was poor on acceleration, died on hills and had poor performance at lower speeds. The new Volvo engine however is very good with power near enough when you want it, constant response on hills and a general good performer all round for such a small engine size, 1.6, on a full size car.
The interior is very well made, lade out and really comfortable especially with the winter pack option of heated seats. The lumber support does improve the ride and is a joy on long journeys.
The ride quality seems to be quiet harsh as the suspension struggles on bumps and corners however compensates by giving a nice ride the rest of the time.
The safety features are very good and you do seem to be welded to the road when launching the car round corners at speed.
The styling is clean and respectable, its shaken of the box look from its predecessor the 440 and has entered into the young drivers market.
The sound system is second to none for a standard entry level of equipment.
The general reliability of the car is actually very good, as I run it non stop and clock up about 35,000 miles a year. The car is always by my side and despite the annoying faults I personally believe it is a very good car and a good work horse at that.
I would recommend going for the 1.8 engine as you get better performance, better fuel consumption, a nicer ride and the car does not have to work so hard, which will more than likely lead to better reliability. The insurance difference should be a maximum of £50.
At the end of the day it's a Volvo! And a winner at that.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 5th January, 2005
Excellent, well-equipped car for the money
No faults with the car so far.
Having said that, the car has covered 32,000 miles so it's probably a little early for the most major problems to crop up.
Only the standard consumables and service items have been replaced.
Relatively high depreciation made this car very good value to purchase at 3 years old. However, this makes it less attractive as a new buy.
Insurance and fuel costs are average for a car of this size. I've found 35-37 mpg is fairly typical for motorway cruising.
Some parts from Volvo dealers are expensive, but not expensive as those for the larger Volvos.
The 2.0 litre 16-valve delivers plenty of power for my needs (and those of most people) and avoids the extra running costs of the turbo engined cars.
The engine accelerates smoothly, but is a little on the noisy speed at motorway speeds. It's also a little louder than expected when idling from cold, but is extremely quiet at warm idle.
Very good manual transmission on my car: accurate, smooth and slick when changing quickly. My car has reverse located below 5th on the selector pattern; I've also driven a S40 with a different layout (reverse to the left of 1st) and the gearchange wasn't nearly so good - it was vague and notchy.
Plenty of extras with the SE trim level: cruise control, climate control, CD player, trip computer, leather trim and electric windows all round as all standard.
Electronic climate control is excellent: cools and heats the car effectively and responds quickly to temperature adjustments.
The seats are very comfortable, but the driver's seat height adjustment does not allow the seat to be lowered as far as in some other cars. Passenger seat is not height adjustable at all, which is disappointing.
Ride is excellent on good surfaces, but only average for a car of this size on poorer roads.
Boot is only average sized and has a large lip, but has plenty of fixing points for securing loads.
As you would expect from a Volvo, lots of airbags: driver, passenger, side and head curtain airbags are all fitted.
Build quality is good, but perhaps not quite up to the standards of the larger Volvos.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th February, 2004