The United Arab Emirates is one of the best markets for compact luxury cars, and it’s no wonder that we see so many of them running around in the cities and on the highways. However, if there’s one carmaker that hasn’t been doing so well on this front, it’s none other than Volvo. In a market that’s a flurry of activity in the segment, the only weapon at the now Chinese-owned Swedish automaker’s disposal is the V40 hatchback. The Volvo V40 hatchback made its world debut in 2012, using the Ford-Volvo co-developed Global C platform.
Volvo gave the international version of the V40 a facelift in 2016, which gave it a fresh lease of life. However, this one isn’t available in our market. And even if it did exist, I don’t think it would have been enough as it would still trail leagues behind most of its rivals – both in terms of technology and design. The 2019 Volvo V40’s main rivals in the region include the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, BMW 1-Series, Infiniti Q30, and Volkswagen Golf.
Exterior
While most modern-day Volvo cars look edgy, modern, and even sport, the V40? Not really as much. This is because Volvo hasn’t really applied their latest design language to the aging V40; consequentially, it looks quite dated in its overall appeal. Thankfully, the UAE-spec Volvo V40 is only available in the sporty R-Design trim. This means it gets a sharper-looking exterior with aggressively molded front and rear bumpers, along with ‘smoked’ treatment for the HID headlights, enlarged wheel arches with flared fenders, and some snazzy 17-inch alloy wheels.
The drooping roofline combined with the rising shoulder and window line makes the V40 looking ‘pinched’ towards the back. The R-Design’s rear end puts forth its seriousness by incorporating a comprehensive air diffuser into the bumper as well as the large dual-exhaust pipes. Dimensions-wise, the 2019 Volvo V40 stands 4.369 meters in length, 2.041 meters in width, 1.420 meters in height, and has a wheelbase that measures 2.647 meters. Also, despite the obtusely-sporty rear styling, the V40 still boasts of a respectable 324-liter boot capacity.
Interior
Unlike the newer cars in their range, the interior design and styling of the Volvo V40 is rather mundane. It definitely looks and feels its age, plus rear cabin room suffers because of the sloping roof. The small rear windows and dark cabin trim don’t help matters, either. The build quality is relatively better and ergonomics aren’t preposterously-bad, albeit, not as good as in Volvo’s newer models.
Being an older generation model, the Volvo V40 R-Design doesn’t get a ton of cool and exciting hardware. With that being said, it still offers automatic & adaptive bi-xenon headlights, adaptive cruise control, automatic climate control, R-Design leather-suede seats, ambient lighting, a panoramic glass roof, all-around parking sensors with reversing camera, a touch-infotainment display with navigation, a digital instrument display, aluminum sport pedals, and a premium audio system with Bluetooth connectivity. Its safety tech encompasses up to 8 airbags, active head restraints, ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability and traction assist, blind-spot and lane-departure warning, and attention assist.
Engine and performance
The Volvo V40 T5 R-Design comes fitted with a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine that generates 245 hp and 350 Nm of torque. All of this oomph is directed to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. This is primarily why this hatch takes upwards of 7 seconds to hit 100 km/h, though a top speed of 240 km/h isn’t half as bad.
Verdict
As mentioned earlier, the only available trim choice for the 2019 Volvo V40 is the T5 R-Design. Being an older product explains its low asking price of AED 104,895, while its cost of insurance begins at AED 1,635.
