The day I was eagerly awaiting had finally arrived and it was time to go pick up the 2013 Volvo V40 for the weekend. As I made my way to the showroom, I kept wondering if I’d get the base version, the slightly adventurous Cross Country or the sporty R Design. My face gleamed once I found out I’d be getting the 2.0 litre turbocharged R Design with a bright red paint job. The car looked new, smelt new and even drove like a new car, possibly because it had only completed 600 kilometers!

Interior

2013 Volvo V40 Interior

As soon as I opened the door, the black bucket seats made from a combination of leather and nubuck with the R Design badge under the headrest caught my eye. The large panoramic roof added a nice touch of black to the exterior, making the interior feel very roomy, especially for rear seat passengers. Though there is an impressive amount of leg and head room for rear passengers, they could feel a little warm once summer sets in since there are no A/C vents in the back to keep them cool.

Though the dashboard is well laid out and pleasant to look at, the material it's made out of could be improved since it currently feels like hard foam. On the other hand, the glove compartment is cooled which means on long trips you don't need to worry about your drinks becoming any less refreshing. In keeping up the sportiness, the R Design gets aluminum pedals and a steering wheel that is flattened on the sides for better grip when your hands are in the 9 and 3 position.

In today's automobiles, an ample amount is automated. However, in the V40, it was the first time that I came across headlights that automatically went on to full beam on unlit roads. It was also the first time a car automatically switched on the hazard lights under hard braking. Though all round visibility is good, I did have an issue with the side mirror on the driver's side since it felt like images were being magnified, which wasn't the case with the other side mirror. This is definitely something you won't find convenient and will require a decent amount of time before getting used to it.

Drive

2013 Volvo V40 Performance

On the performance front, the V40 R Design that I drove was fitted with a 2.0 litre engine that was good for 213 horsepower and was mated to a front-wheel-drive platform. The acceleration with eco mode switched on is good, while with eco switched off, it is simply phenomenal. As with almost all front-wheel-drive vehicles, there is a noticeable amount of torque steer under hard acceleration, but it is forgivable once you hear the turbo, exhaust, and tires making a song of their own. A feature that I really loved on the V40 R Design was that when you shift from drive into the "+, -" mode, it automatically downshifts a few cogs, providing the best acceleration possible from your current speed.

Fuel economy is an important factor to many people when purchasing a car, and the V40 R Design will definitely impress them. Having driven around 300 kilometers and pushing the car to its limits, I was thoroughly impressed when I saw that I still had over half a tank of fuel remaining. The 18 inch rims wrapped in Michelin Sport rubber combined with the wonderful brakes provide immense grip and stopping power time after time, even under heavy braking.

Although the V40 is only available with a 1.6 litre or 2.0 litre engine in the UAE, other markets receive a beefier 2.5 liter that produces 254 horsepower. Even though I have no idea why it isn't available, I can only imagine how much better and more fun it would be to drive!

In terms of features, the Volvo V40 is far superior in comparison with its competitors. It packs in:

Park Assist Pilot: Essentially auto parallel park to ensure you get the perfect angle the first time round.
Lane Departure Warning.
Blind Spot Monitoring.
Pedestrian Detection: Applies an automatic brake if it detects a pedestrian stepping out in front of the vehicle if the driver does not respond in time.
Pedestrian Airbag: The only car in the world to offer a pedestrian airbag whereby if the front sensors detect an impact with a pedestrian, the rear end of the bonnet is released and elevated by the deploying airbag to ensure the pedestrian does not injure their head if they hit the windscreen.

Verdict

Although the Volvo V40 R Design is an extremely practical, sporty, good-looking, and fuel-efficient vehicle, it would be great if the next model came with paddle shifters and a slightly louder exhaust to really differentiate the R Design from the other V40s. The main question that now arises is who is the V40 R Design targeted to? Is it for youths who would rather spend AED 40,000 less and get a Volkswagen Golf GTI? Or is the R Design targeted to an older generation who are looking for a sporty car? The point is, will either generation spend AED 170,000 on a hatchback?

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