One look at the V40 R-Design and you know that this Swedish brand is shaking things up. Gone are right angles, mucky colours and tank-like stance. It’s clear that Volvo has been trying hard to pump up the fun factor in it recent offerings. Volvo cars of yore were famous for its incredibly solid build, but that wasn’t enough to cover up the fact that they were staid, uninspiring and terribly unattractive. If you had ever owned one as a first car, you know it was practically indestructible, though the same can’t be said for whatever you crashed into. What you’ll find in the V40 T4 R-Design is a car that will fit right alongside other compact premium models like the BMW 1-series, Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz’s A-class.
Dynamic lines and strongly-sculptured corners complement the low, wide front end – a strong indication of the car’s sporty intentions. This is further reinforced with the two tailpipes flanked by a rear diffuser, and you know they mean business. The trend of LED running lights along the headlamps is adopted, accompanied with Active Bending Xenon Lights, which follow the curvature of whatever direction you’re turning into. It also comes with a sexy panoramic glass roof, because some sun is great when you’re cruising along in air-conditioned comfort.
The 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is nippy and great for city driving. With 180-hp and 240Nm of torque on tap, it’ll even indulge you with the odd spurt of speed on a straight expressway, with only a barely discernable tiny measure of lag. The ride in the V40 R-Design is firm and comfortable, perfect for those who want a responsive drive without all the complicated technicalities that come with firming up the chassis. Even then, the car comes with a host of safety acronyms, like WHIPS, for Whiplash Protection System; or SIPS, for Side Impact Protection System, casting a protection net in case of any unfortunate incidents.
If you’re not a fan of the wheel-controlled user interface located near the gear shift that some other European marques have adopted, the V40 R-Design has a wide instrument panel that still maintains a number pad, and four other additional knobs. These control various aspects of your driving experience such as cabin temperature, audio volume, and other onboard media sources. It’s difficult to fault the functional and well-finished interior design, which is one Scandinavian-influenced characteristic we were particularly fond of. The ergonomic seats and soft-touch plastics played up the premium quality of the vehicle, with well appointed ambient lighting further adding to the refinement.
The digital instrument cluster on the dash offers three various display themes – Eco, Elegance and Performance, depending on the particular mood of your drive. While they don’t actually alter the state of the drive, they do offer vital information pertaining to that particular mode. For example, if you switch to Eco, a fuel-saving gear-shift indicator and an eco guide will come on. Swap it for Performance, and the dash turns into a vibrant red, displaying a meter that will advise on how much engine power you have at your disposal for overtaking and currently at use.
Our test model came with an additional 20hp from a basic Polestar Performance modification (the official performance tuner for Volvo) and Rebel Blue paintwork, drastically departing from the sensible paint colours usually on offer and making the car an eye-catching vivid streak on the local streets. So if you’re after something fun and safe, perhaps this is it.
