Faults:

Nothing too major:

Brakes have sqeaked really loudly since day one. It took a year for Volvo to find a 'solution' and finally it was repaired free of charge. This is typical of all s40 I've been told. (2005's)

Washer fluid hoses constantly come out of place, and spray fluid all over the engine rather than the windsheld. I repaired this with duct tape, better than Volvo did.

Car burns oil from time to time. Sometimes white smoke comes from the motor. All service has been done at a Volvo dealer, and they said everything is fine.

I notice the oil levels are low once in awhile. They need to be topped off; no big deal.

General Comments:

The car is a slow dog in the city, seriously lacking pick-up. I blame this on my wife demanding we get an automatic transmission. I think a 5-speed manual would definitely help the situation. City driving is a pain, as the car has awful visibility out the rear and the sides. I have to look over my shoulder constantly. I have never driven such a small car with so many large blind spots.

This car is however a Volvo, and as small as it is, I feel like I'm driving an Abrams Tank! You do feel very secure in the cabin. Safety first, I guess.

Interior is very cramped; I have a huge problem with the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal. They are too close to each other! Sometimes I accidentally hit the brake and the gas at the same time. I'm only 5'8 and size 10 mens shoe. The accelerator pedal is tiny! How do Swedish people drive this thing? My knee hits the dash also, even with the seat all the way back. Very uncomfortable.

On the highway however, I am rewarded; the car cruises like it is on rails and handles like a dream. Once it picks up speed, this car is smooth sailing, and very responsive. It would be great for the Autobahn. The car glides at high speeds without any doubt -- this is why I chose a European car.

Faults:

The car is a big problem. Not only does every thief want to steal the front grille from the car, which already I had problems replacing, but the car battery just seems to fail, after which the whole computer fails and all systems shut down.

Today it stopped in the middle of a busy street for reasons known to Volvo only. Then after pushing it into a parking lot, which demanded a lot of effort, I called the tow company. They towed me into Volvo, who was unable to say what was wrong, but now it's OK, and all they said is now I should keep an eye on the behaviour of the car. Are you joking? No no joke!

Do not buy VOLVO; they're expensive and crap. It's a myth that it's a reliable car.