Volvo V40: a piece of perfection on 4 wheels

A V40 is a recipient of the top rating of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test.

MANILA, Philippines–If there’s a lot of room to gallop, then it pays to drive a precision vehicle with the horsepower necessary to do the wide, open road some measure of justice.

Such a precision vehicle is the low-slung, all-new Volvo V40 that can provide motorists who want to push the pedal to the metal a rush when taking those road trips outside Metro Manila with its choked city streets.

The sleek Volvo V40 with its four-cylinder, direct injection turbo engine with 180 horsepower will certainly not disappoint speed demons.

Even at the frowned-upon speed of 160 kilometers per hour on the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway and Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway, the steering wheel remains rock steady, making one yearn to push the engine closer to the vehicle’s top speed of 225 kph as there is no fear that the multimillion-peso engineering marvel will waver from the straight path.

And because it is a Volvo, the motorist can rest easy knowing that it has the requisite safety features that have made Volvo a valuable global brand in the ultra-competitive automotive world.

Aside from the standard safety belts and driver-side airbags, there are extra features such as airbags for the sides, knee airbags, a collapsible steering column and energy-absorbing interior to minimize injuries in case of head-on collision.

The Volvo V40 likewise comes with an energy-absorbing frontal structure and a reinforced passenger compartment, again carefully designed to minimize injuries to the drivers and the passengers.

As if those were not enough, the list of protective safety features includes head restraints, side impact protection system, whiplash protection system and even a first-aid kit.

The Volvo V40 is a recipient of the top rating of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test, the best ever result recorded by the institute.

Indeed, Volvo does not scrimp on safety even as it pumps up the performance features.

Even comfort was not compromised; from the ergonomically designed seats for the passengers to the adjustable driver seat to make that trip to Baguio, for example, more comfortable, such that the four-hour trip can pass by quickly with the driver still refreshed enough to put in a full day’s work at the end of the ride.

And what’s a road trip without music?

Fortunately, the Volvo V40 comes with a high-performance audio system that allows the driver and the passengers to stream their music via Bluetooth and out through the six speakers, for that sophisticated surround sound that allows the motorists to clearly hear the notes of their favorite music from the lowest to the highest register.

If there is one thing going against the sleek Volvo, it is its low profile, making it a challenge to navigate the vehicle through potholes and inclines.

While it is a painless experience to drive the Volvo through straight, paved superhighways, even up Kennon road to Baguio City, more care is needed to drive it through damaged city streets, and ill-designed humps and inclines.

Best to avoid these obstacles to make the most of the velocity of the Volvo V40, a piece of perfection on four wheels.