Volvo V40: Beauty with ‘brains’

FOR 2016, Thor’s Hammer headlights, T-shaped LED DRLs and a bigger Volvo badge up front

Photos by Aida Sevilla-Mendoza

There was a time when Volvo, the Swedish car manufacturer, was known only for building the safest but rather boring, square-looking luxury cars.

After Ford Motor Co. acquired the brand in 1999, Volvo updated its styling to keep up with trends, and used Ford engines and platforms for its own vehicles.

Still, Volvo ranked low in the premium car segment.

In 2007, Volvo engineers who wanted to develop and manufacture their own engines instead of using and adapting Ford engines began planning an all-new engine family based on the new Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA), even though no funds were available for such a capital-intensive project.

In 2010, when the engineers learned that Ford was negotiating to sell Volvo to China’s Geely Automobile, they presented and sold their VEA plan to Geely.

Li Shufu, chair of the Geely Holding Group, invested $11.8 billion in the VEA that would, according to Volvo’s powertrain development chief, “create a family of smaller, more intelligent engines that will turn the V8 engine into a dinosaur.”

With Geely funding, Volvo designed and built its own Drive-E engine range in Skövde, Sweden. The engines, which are all built with a maximum capacity of 2.0 liters and four cylinders, offer lower weight, size and complexity, resulting in lower fuel consumption, greater drivability and less emissions.

Rollout

The first Drive-E engine was launched in 2014, followed by the extension of its rollout to all front-wheel-drive cars, marking the next step in Volvo’s technical independence from former owner Ford.

INSIDE, large, supportive front seats, rich materials, metallic trim and Volvo’s signature “floating” center console

In the 2016 Volvo XC90, the 316-HP, fuel-efficient turbocharged and Eaton-supercharged four-cylinder petrol E-engine mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission played a major role in earning the 2016 North American Truck/Utility of the Year award for Sweden’s seven-seat luxury SUV.

All Volvo Drive E-engines have continuously variable valve timing, “intelligent” heat management with an electric water pump, low-friction camshaft ball bearings, brake regeneration and stop/start with an electric transmission oil pump that maintains pressure when the engine is off.

Now, what does all that have to do with the 2016 Volvo V40 T4?

Everything, because the 2016 V40 is one of the first Volvos to be equipped with an E-engine.

Launched in 2012, the refreshed 2016 model of Volvo’s smallest car is motivated by the 2.0-liter, all-aluminum, four-cylinder direct injection turbo petrol E-engine delivering 190 HP and an impressive 300 Nm of max torque.

INTRODUCED as a premium five-door hatchback in 2012, the stylish Volvo V40 has been refreshed for 2016.

Great torque

Mated to a six-speed Geartronic transmission, the V40 T4’s E-engine accelerates from zero to 100 kph in 6.9 seconds, has a top speed of 210 kph, and per Volvo, achieves 18 km per liter in combined city and highway driving. It benefits from a great torque spread, a full 300 Nm on tap between 1300-4000 rpm.

Even when it is driven at 180 kph, the V40 feels stable and safe with low noise levels inside, giving you a reassuring Volvo big-car sensory perception.

At the same time, its compact body makes for lithe dynamics, agility, and secure, accurate handling through the corners.

Grip is above average due to the firm sports chassis, although the latter together with the V40’s 18-inch alloy wheels contribute to a jarring ride over bumps and uneven road surfaces.

THE 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine packs 190 HP and 300 Nm max torque.

The V40 looks stylish rather than overtly masculine with its Thor’s Hammer xenon headlights, T-shaped LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and larger Volvo badge in front.

At the back, the smoked glass tailgate, roof spoiler, elevated taillight clusters and dual exhausts set the V40 apart from other upscale hatchbacks.

Understated luxury

Inside, exquisite craftsmanship and high-quality materials with aluminum trim here and there meet Volvo’s exacting standards for understated luxury.

Volvo’s signature “floating” center console dominates the cockpit along with the TFT instrument cluster, a high-performance audio system with 5-inch display and eight speakers, and the leather-clad, multifunction steering wheel with gearshift paddles.

Infotainment and connectivity are integrated in a system called Sensus that includes the 5-inch center display, steering-wheel audio controls, Bluetooth streaming, CD player with MP3 decoder and USB connectivity.

Driving the V40 feels like a larger, more expensive Volvo inside, but its cabin and boot are not the roomiest in its class.

The broad, supportive and plush power-adjustable front seats, however, are among the best in any segment and offer excellent driver comfort.

AT THE rear, a smoked glass tailgate, elevated taillight clusters, dual exhausts

In the rear section, legroom and headroom are a bit cramped. If the backseat occupants are taller than average, those in front may have to slide their seats forward to free up knee room in the back.

The boot sill is a bit high, but the rear seats fold completely flat to increase cargo space from 324 liters to 1,021 liters.

Safest

You need not ask about the V40’s safety, for Volvo is universally recognized for its innovative, cutting-edge safety technologies. Building safe cars is Volvo’s primary reason for being and most cherished heritage.

Although the V40 is the smallest car in Volvo’s stable, it is also the safest, what with a long list of preventive and protective safety features as part of its standard IntelliSafe technologies package.

For me, the most useful was the radar-based Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) that alerted me to rapidly approaching vehicles up to 70 meters behind as well as blind spots on both sides.

City Safety, which automatically brakes when the car in front slows down or stops, or if the car is approaching a stationary vehicle too fast, is another fail-safe feature.

THE trunk offers 324 liters of cargo space.

I also liked the active high beam feature, which offers automatic switching between high and low beam at the right moment during night-time driving.

Bottom line

With its E-engine’s ability to combine power and fuel efficiency with a small carbon footprint, world-class performance, driving comfort, excellent safety credentials and refreshed stylish design, the 2016 Volvo V40 T4 is well worth its P2,288,888 price tag.