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2006 Volvo S40 2.4i Road Test

An Ideal Road Trip Companion

Finally, a mini vacation! I wouldnt count my trip to Maui, Hawaii for four days in May because it was due to my best friends sisters wedding and it was more stressful than relaxing. A vacation planned around a wedding somehow seems like an oxymoron. Nevertheless, a girlfriend of mine from New York was in town so I went up to visit her at her cabin on the lake. Im glad I had Volvos 2006 (a carryover from the restyled 2005 model year) S40 to escort me on the four hour drive there and then back, because not only does it look superb, its extremely stable at highway speeds, has adequate power and a fabulous interior - winning combination all around.

What strikes me most about the new S40 is its very attractive exterior. I would almost call it beautiful because its so classy, sporty and well proportioned, but Ill have to reserve the b word for some other subject

What strikes me most about the new S40 is its very attractive exterior. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

matter. Nevertheless, its lines and curves fuse together to create an eye-catching body shell that beckons to be stared at. I, for one, loved the Passion Red paint scheme, not only because red is my favourite colour but also because it just matches the cars peppy personality.

Powering my spicy S40 tester is an all-aluminum, 2.4-litre, 20-valve, DOHC, normally aspirated, 5-cylinder engine with CVVT (continuous variable valve timing), which produces 168-horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 170 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. In all honesty, the engine wasnt the main source of pep because I thought the S40 was a little underpowered.

While 168-horsepower seems like a sizeable herd of horses, it really wasnt as snappy in real life. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

While 168-horsepower seems like a sizeable herd of horses, it really wasnt as snappy in real life, especially while I was driving up the highway to the lake. Passing power was minimal and I found that when I dropped from 5th to 4th gear, I still didnt get that much response from the engine. I really needed to drop it down into 3rd gear to pick up the pace, although this caused more commotion than I would have liked. There is, however, a turbocharged version available dubbed the T5, which generates 218-horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. I think this would be more suited to my driving style (wink, wink)! Not to mention the tuner-prepared Volvo S40 Evolve with a screaming 425-horsepower. You cant see this, but I am salivating! Countering

The rubber from the P205/55R16 tires gripped the dry pavement impressively, further enhancing the S40s stability. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

the fact that the base S40 isnt endowed with abundant power, it handles exceptionally well. As mentioned, it is very stable at highway speeds and takes to corners like ducks do to water due to its front MacPherson spring-strut suspension, with lower-links and an anti-roll bar, plus its rear multi-link setup with coil springs and another anti-roll bar. The suspension, combined with a rigid body shell and linked to a traditional hydraulic, speed-sensitive, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system, is yet again a winning combination. The cars comfortable chassis made the drive up to the lake very smooth, even on the bumpy parts of the highway and through construction areas. Also, the rubber from the P205/55R16 tires gripped the dry pavement impressively, further enhancing the S40s stability.

Of course, much of that feeling of comfort has

The Dynamic T-Tec upholstery that garnished the interior not only looks classy, but is quite comfortable. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

to do with the cars unique interior. As far as first impressions go, it was a "Wow, this is so cool!" experience. I had to use the word "cool" because "space-age" just sounds so out of this world, not to mention out of date. The new floating centre stack does seem out of this world, mind you, because its something the passengers in my car could not stop looking at, let alone fathom how it came to be, kin of like pictures of aliens or crop circles. Maybe Ive taken this alien analogy too far, but bottom line, the floating centre stack is totally different than anything Ive previously seen. It houses all the necessary devices, such as climate control, CD player and AM/FM presets. Everything is clearly labeled and very user-friendly. The single, in-dash CD player was linked to a performance sound system with 6 speakers and four 25-watt amplifiers. Unlike the floating centre stack that housed it, the audio system is decent but nothing to fawn over.

The Dynamic T-Tec upholstery that garnished the interior

As I was taking pictures of the trunk, my pal Kristina decided that she would jump in to see if she could fit inside. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

not only looks classy, but is quite comfortable. I found that the front bucket seats are a bit on the stiff side, but still comfortable at the same time. Due to a previous back injury, the sturdy seats were just what the doctor ordered while on my four-hour trek to the cabin. Often times, when I am traveling in a vehicle for a long distance, whether as the passenger or the driver, my back becomes stiff and sore. The S40s seats kept my back supported and relaxed, minimizing my discomfort and enabling me to drive the distance with little to no back ache. And Im normally a sucker for leather-trimmed seats. I think what Volvo has done with the T-Tec material has won me over, mind you, and Id take these over leather hands down.

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