*My (own) little car is a tiny three-door hatch, so I really do feel like I’m piloting a ship through the choppy seas Jo’burg traffic in the five-door V40. Also, it lights up like something from a distant galaxy.

I can tell you that even when stuck in traffic for two hours, you won’t be more comfortable than you would in the Volvo V40. I know that thanks to Eco DRIVe I don’t burn fuel unnecessarily, thus lowering my CO₂ footprint.

My brother joined me for a drive last night, and he commented that the engine’s pretty powerful (the benefit of a blind petrolhead sibling), and from what I can make out from the technical specs below (lifted from the Volvo website), he’s right (but don’t tell him that)!

I’m driving the Elite – the most luxurious version of the Volvo V40. The D3 (110 kW) engine is described as:

• Five-cylinder 2.0 litre high performance turbo diesel engine
• High-precision Piezo injector technology
• 350 Nm torque
• Excellent fuel economy
• Start/Stop technology
• Maintenance-free particle filter
• Brake energy charging
• Six-speed Geartronic gearbox

Other features of this model include power adjustable driver and passenger seats, an active TFT crystal driver’s instrument display, illuminated gearshift knob (very pretty!), LED daytime running lights, active bi-xenon lights with headlight cleaning system, a high performance multimedia audio system with a 7″ colour display screen, bluetooth, a 3-spoke leather steering wheel with chrome décor, and high version interior lights package (see earlier reference to space ship). Image also lifted from the website, since the stuff’s all on the wrong side.

Related articles

• Volvo V40 D4 Review (caradvice.com.au)