Hello all,
I´m planning to buy a new S40 (the new model I mean). But I want to know if you have some experience with it and if they are bad or good. Because it´s a brand new model I wait a while so the child diseases have dissapeared (I hope) and if there any.
Regards, John
I'm driving the new V50 for 2 months now. (13.500 km uptil now and no problems. Fast car, good stability
I wait S40 20D next week. Than I will share my experience...:)
Andjelko Croatia
Always happy to be the voice of dissent, here's my opinion on the new S40: it blows.
I test drove a new style S40 T5, w/ the big tires (17" P7s I think), and the geartronic transmission.
It's FWD, which I never thought would matter much, but with a full compliment of people I was unable to accelerate briskly from a stop without causing a significant amount of wheelspin and eventually triggering the twitchy traction control BS. I guess the extra weight towards the rear really hurt traction. This rules the car out for any cargo or people carrying IMO.
The geartronic transmission is *complete* garbage. I have yet to find a less responsive transmission (including Ford's garbage AXOD). Downshifts took between 2-5 seconds (either with my right foot or from flicking the shift thingy).
Rear visibility and rear headroom were at best non existent. Even a Civic provides better room.
For the money, my vote would be any of the competition.
When Toyota puts out its supercharger for the latest V6s, I'd grab a new Camry V6 and buy all the TRD bits (SC, suspension, etc) you can get your mitts on. You'll still save a few thousand over a S40 T5 and have a roomier, faster car on your hands. If you went with a 99 Camry, the warranted output from the supercharger results in about 275-300hp. You can go well over that with the appropriate pulley. The 99 Camry was available with a manual transmission (so far the US spec S40 is not, AFAIK).
Or you could go for the Acura TSX (a.k.a. Honda Accord). 200hp, sat nav,
6spd manual, and still a few thousand less than an S40 T5. Honda quality trumps Volvo any day.MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.