Volvo S40

The Volvo S40 is pleasant enough saloon, but we’re struggling to see where it fits in.

• Comfort

  Volvo always does brilliant seats and the ride comfort and refinement aren't bad either. But this is a smallish car and it's not very roomy in the back.

  

• Performance

   The engines are shared with the C30. There's a bewildering range of eight, including one that'll take E85 bioethanol mix. The four-cylinder petrols are unexciting, and then there's a gap to the superb T5, which is a fine-sounding engine and kicks you to 60mph in little over 6sec without being mad on the CO2 scale. The diesels are a bit noisy: among them the 1.6 is weedy but the 2.0 is OK and the D5 muscular but too heavy.

  

• Cool

  Small saloons aren't really cool unless they have colossal amounts of power. No dice for the S40 then. The cabin is actually cool, but no-one except the owner sees it.

  

• Quality

  The S40 has another example of Volvo's tasteful, individual, minimalist and modern interiors, so we like it.

  

• Handling

  The S40 isn't a car you have fun in. It feels bigger than it is, with a slightly lazy response to inputs that makes it relaxing rather than exciting.

  

• Practicality

  The saloon S40 naturally loses out to the V50 for versatility, but Volvo is great at practical touches for the driver like excellent ergonomics. It's a very easy car to use, even though the electrical gadgets are quite extensive.

  

• Running costs

  It's pretty much middle of the pack, depending on where you choose between the pedestrian base 1.6 diesel and the tyre-shredding, high-insurance, thirsty T5. The Flexifuel option has advantages if you live near the right pump.