VOLVO PROMISES that, by 2020, no one will be killed in or by a Volvo. It's a mind-boggling commitment and one that raised eyebrows to the roof when it was initially announced. The first questions that arose were whether the management board were planning on retiring en massein 2019 and passing on this primed PR grenade to a new board before the deadline.
Yet Volvo executives remain earnest in their efforts to achieve this seemingly outlandish goal – and with every new model, a new advance in safety comes on stream. Hence the introduction of an acclaimed new world first, a pedestrian airbag. It sounds as outlandish as the 2020 commitment, but on the new V40, which heralds a return by the brand to the mid-sized hatchback market, there’s a new airbag fitted to the top of the bonnet specifically to save pedestrian lives.
Volvo already offers a city braking system using radars and a camera to scan the road ahead and apply the brakes when it detects a collision is imminent. Fitted as standard in the V40, it will bring the car to a stop before impact up to speeds of 50km/h – even without the driver’s intervention. Above that speed it intervenes to reduce the damage.
If, despite these precautions, you still collide with a pedestrian, then the difference between life and death, it seems, is often down to preventing head wounds. When the new airbag deploys it also pushes the bonnet up to partially cushion the fall of the pedestrian. Seven sensors on the front identify that it is indeed a pedestrian and not a regular rear-end shunt.
As to the car itself, the V40 aims to rival the likes of Audi’s A3 and BMW’s 1-Series, the latest in a long line of premium mid-sized hatches. This latest Volvo to the range will be officially unveiled to the public at next week’s Geneva motor show.
It’s a good looking car and its profile reflects a mix of hatchback practicality, but with a nod to Volvo’s SUV success with its XC models. There’s the distinctive big grille up front, while inside the look resembles the current S40, although they have attempted to “bling up” the cabin with an underlit gear knob and frameless rearview mirror. Neither feature looks premium and, in many ways, they detract from the traditional Volvo DNA.
A new digital dashboard – offered as an option – is yet another electronic trinket that serves little purpose. You can choose “performance mode” which turns the background red, or “eco mode”, which turns it green. But, apart from the colour changes, nothing else is adjusted – so it’s little more than a gimmick.
Far more impressive are the new seats, improved once more to retain Volvo’s reputation as one of the most comfortable cars on the road. Rear seat legroom seems better than rivals, on a par with the likes of the mainstream Ford Focus or VW Golf, although with two sculpted rear seats and a booster, rather than a bench, it’s more of a 4+1 format than an outright five-seater.
At the back, the boot offers 335 litres (615 litres with the rear seats dropped), which is slightly less than the mainstream offerings. However it does have an optional folding floor that offers a selection of hooks for shopping bags that’s quite smart.
Under the bonnet, three engines will be offered initially in Ireland: a 115bhp four-cylinder 1.6-litre and a 177bhp five-cylinder 2-litre diesel, and a 150bhp four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol. The big news for Irish buyers is that the entry-level diesel boasts emissions of just 94g/km and official fuel consumption of 3.6L/100km (78.4mpg). For that it has a credible 0-100km/h time of 12.3 seconds.
So what’s it like on the road? We got the chance to drive the car at Volvo’s test track in Sweden, an undulating, twisting route that replicates a typical Swedish country road. We tested all three engines bound for Ireland and, perhaps it was the twisting track layout, but aside from straight line power, the best performer by far was the diminutive 115bhp diesel. With it the car feels nimble, energetic even.
The more powerful engines make the car feel lumpy and leaden by comparison, particularly when paired with automatic transmissions. The new hatchback is built on a derivative of Volvo’s small car platform, and the handling is similar to the S40, for good and ill.
The downside of its arrival in May will be the ending of the current V50 model. Volvo suggests that current owners will either downsize to the V40 or upscale to the V60, but it’s a shame to lose such a fine estate.
Despite our disappointment at the V50’s demise, there’s no doubting Volvo is on a roll at present under its Chinese owners. The opening of a new production plant and an engine plant in China in 2013 will herald a significant move into Asia for the Swedes, pushing annual volumes towards 600,000.
The Germans have never really regarded Volvo as a serious rival, but the V40 goes some way to make them sit up and take notice. It’s more accommodating to small families than the BMW 1-Series, but the big test will come when Audi launches its new A3 later this year.
The frequent mention of the four-ringed brand by Volvo executives suggests that it’s the real target for this new V40. And the V40 is good enough for Audi to take notice of the Swedes as well.