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VolvoV40 (2012-2019)

Used only
Medium
Petrol/Diesel/Mild hybrid

£6,788Typical price

Test score

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The Volvo V40 (2012-) veers away from the company's traditional models - it's a five-door hatchback rather than an estate. It's aimed squarely at mainstream family drivers who want something a bit different. The V40 majors on safety, being the world's first car with a pop-out pedestrian airbag system. But is it a decent car? Read our full review to find out.

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cons

What's included?

What is it?
What's it great at?
What's it like to drive?
How reliable is the Volvo V40 (2012-2019)?
How comfortable and spacious is it?
How economical is it to run?
How safe is it?
Is there anything I should look out for?
Should I buy it?

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KEY TEST RESULTS
Comfort and practicality
Brand reliability 0-4 years

Jan 2023Last checked by Which?
Jul 2012First reviewed by Which?
Jul 2012Released

The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.

How we test cars

19 Oct 2023

Ease of driving

Overall
Visibility
Smoothness of power delivery
Driving stability
Cabin layout

How we test ease of driving

To find out how easy a car is to drive, we assess cars across a number of areas from visibility and handling to the layout of the cabin and how smoothly the engine delivers its power.

Performance

Overall
In-gear acceleration
Brakes

How we test performance

We test braking distances and whether the effectivess of the brakes fade with repeat use. Performanc is based on in-gear acceleration.

Comfort and practicality

Overall
Entry and exit
Seat comfort
Ride quality
Quietness
Seat space
Boot space (small SUVs and medium cars)

How we test comfort and practicality

Comfort and practicality includes how easy it is, or not, to get in and out of the car and the maximum height of occupants. We also measure road, wind and engine noise and assess how well the car deals with bumps from large potholes to jittery surfaces like cobble stones.

Euro NCAP

How we test euro ncap

Any car that receives a rating of three stars or less from Euro NCAP is made a Don't Buy. If a car has been available for more than four years and has not been tested by Euro NCAP, it cannot be a Best Buy.

Which? safety

Model reliability 5-9 years

Overall
Petrol reliability
Diesel reliability

How we test model reliability 5-9 years

How reliable this car is, based on the real life feedback of current owners as collected in our annual Which? car survey. We divide all reliability feedback into three age groups: cars aged up to four years, five to nine years, and 10 to 15 years.

Brand reliability 0-4 years

Overall
Electric car reliability
Plug-in hybrid reliability
Petrol reliability
Diesel reliability

How we test brand reliability 0-4 years

Our reliability ratings are based on the feedback from tens of thousands of UK motorists, as collected in our annual Which? car survey. We divide all reliability feedback into three age groups: cars aged up to four years, five to nine years, and 10 to 15 years.

Brand reliability 5-9 years

Overall
Diesel reliability

Brand reliability 10-15 years

Overall
Diesel reliability

General
Class	Medium
Luxury	No
Convertible	No
Availability	Used only
Used price	£6,788 - £14,360
Fuel type	Petrol/Diesel/Mild hybrid
Tested fuel efficiency	45.6 to 58.9mpg
Length	4,369 to 4,370mm
Width (excluding wing mirrors)	1,783mm
Width (including wing mirrors)	2,045mm
Height	1,420 to 1,458mm
Driver max height
Second row passenger max height
Boot space with seats up
Boot space with seats down
Number of seats	5
Folding rear seats	Yes
Isofix attachments	Yes
Turning circle	12.5 m
On sale date	01 July 2012
Lowest pence per mile cost	£11.77

Latest tested engine
Engine name	T2 Kinetic
Fuel type	Petrol
Capacity and power	1.6-litre (120hp)
Transmission	6-speed manual
Driven wheels	Front-wheel-drive (FWD)
Fuel tank capacity	62 litres
Tested fuel economy: City / Out of town / Motorway (mpg)
Tested fuel economy: Combined (mpg)
Cost per mile	13.67p per mile
Cost of filling tank	£89
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
NOx level	Extremely Low (trace)
CO level	High
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	137
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	164
Official Euro emission level	Euro 5
Braked tow load (KG)	1300kg
Unbraked tow load (KG)	650kg
Engine test date	24 March 2014
Test programme	2012-2016

Engine two
Engine name	T3 Kinetic
Fuel	Petrol
Capacity and power	1.6-litre (150hp)
Transmission	6-speed manual
Driven wheels	Front-wheel-drive (FWD)
Fuel tank capacity	62 litres
Tested fuel economy: City / Out of town / Motorway
Tested fuel economy: combined mpg
Cost per mile	14.35p per mile
Cost of filling tank	£89
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
NOx level	Very low
CO level	Low
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	145
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	173
Official Euro emission level	Euro 5
Braked tow load (KG)	1300kg
Unbraked tow load (KG)	650kg
Engine test date	30 April 2013
Car test programme	2012-2016

Engine three
Engine name	D4 Cross Country Summum Geartronic
Fuel type	Diesel
Capacity and power	2-litre (177hp)
Transmission	6-speed automatic
Driven wheels	Front-wheel-drive (FWD)
Fuel tank capacity	60 litres
Tested fuel economy: City / Out of town / Motorway
Tested fuel economy: combined mpg
Cost per mile	14.24p per mile
Cost of filling tank	£92
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
NOx level	Medium
CO level	Low
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	154
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	187
Official Euro emission level	Euro 5
Braked tow load (KG)	1500kg
Unbraked tow load (KG)	750kg
Engine test date	18 April 2013
Car test programme	2012-2016

Engine four
Engine name	D2 5 door
Fuel type	Diesel
Capacity and power	1.6-litre (115hp)
Transmission	6-speed manual
Driven wheels	Front-wheel-drive (FWD)
Fuel tank capacity	52 litres
Tested fuel economy: City / Out of town / Motorway
Tested fuel economy: combined mpg
Cost per mile	11.77p per mile
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
NOx level	Medium
CO level	Low
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	127
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	154
Official Euro emission level	Euro 5
Braked tow load (KG)	1300kg
Unbraked tow load (KG)	650kg
Engine test date	18 September 2012
Car test programme	2012-2016

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VolvoV40 (2012-2019)

where to buy or sell