2000 Volvo V40 review from North America

Both headlights were burnt out by 10,000 miles.

Needed a front brake job @ 12,000 miles.

Rear seat belt stuck and we had to cut my child out of it.. (dealer replaced gratis).

Then the battery died @ about 20,000 miles... (dealer replaced gratis).

New tires @ 25,000 miles.

Current situation..@ 37,000 miles.. The hood is tied shut with rope until the next service appointment. It is stuck between safety latches...can't open or close..don't fret.. oil is OK - and I'm being stingy with washer fluid until the appointment. I opened the hood to replace yet another headlight bulb.. bad move in hindsight I foolishly thought I could actually close the hood after swapping it out..

The red paint has started to fade.. can see the outline of the shipping plastic they peeled off it 3 years ago. Showing her age (ummm...3) but still a good looking wagon.

Well.. she's not perfect...but neither am I. This wagon is driven in rush hour traffic to and fro the office for most of it's humble existence, 24 miles each way.. ( (so it's a hard life for both of us) )

Everything that went wrong with it was either covered under warranty or excessive wear and tear.. The dealer is responsive and reasonable.

The car is comfortable. The seats are more comfortable than our Benz seats.

The integrated booster seats for kids are a great feature.

I love how quick the wagon is - off the line and around the bend it leaves every mini SUV owner in the dust. And it gets good fuel mileage.

So..I'll gladly turn it in to the dealer when the lease is up in a few months.. I rode her hard and put her in the barn wet.. but I'll swing through the showroom and have a look around.

Volvo wagons are hard habit to break..I've had three in my 16 years of driving and three Volvo sedans as well.