2001 Volvo S40 2.0 SE review from Australia and New Zealand

Rattle at tailgate when just got the car, but fixed by dealer after a couple of visits.

Driver window rattle, it is still being looked into by the dealer.

The shape of the car is classy, modern, but not really sporty, even with the rear spoiler. The plastic moldings are not painted on my model, so they look a bit bland. Apart from that, the car looks good.

The interior is comfortable with beige leather seats, arm rest, and door trims. The SE pack I got also added woodgrain trim on the doors and the gearbox surround. The seats are very very comfortable, especially on long trips.However, the cabin is a bit cramped to fit people in. The rear passenger has limited knee room and leg room, while the driver and front passenger gets all the comfy stuff.

Performance-wise, it's no fire breather.It's only adequate to commute around town, with only 100kw (about 140hp) and 190nm, it's hardly powerful. The gearbox is also a bit weird. Sometimes keen on kick-downs, but when you go around the same corner at other times, it gets lazy and sluggish.

The manual is much better with a better shift feel and ease to shift, however I am the only one in the family who can drive a manual... and it's the family car.

When cornering, the turn-in is satisfactory, the response is good. But when you really push on, there is a bit of under-steer, but not bad enough to spoil the drive. The front-end does not grip as well as the '94 accord I used to have, but the rear end it's much more predictable. And with a timed jab on the brakes, u can get over-steer!!

Overall, the car is good for those who are just commuting around town, and sometimes want to go around corner a bit quicker.It's better as the driver's own car, than a family car.