The 2009 Volvo S40 is a fresh new version of Volvos budget sedan. The S40 is Volvos most affordable car, but that doesnít mean the manufacturer has cut corners during its production. The 2009 S40 offers impressive safety ratings and good mileage, but the default engine is a little underpowered.

The S40 features a 5-speed automatic transmission which runs from a turbo 4-cylinder engine creating 170 hp. Disappointingly, the 2009 S40 drops the manual transmission option in favour of the 5-speed automatic, this clashes a little with the sportier stylingís of the car but if it means a cheaper drive then that has to be Volvoís main objective.

Inside each S40 is some reasonable quality furnishing with good fabrics and well fixed plastics used throughout. The built in entertainment and communication utilities are slim, but decent. Still, donít expect heated seats or Bluetooth under any configuration.

The 2009 Volvo S40ís suspension and handling have been tightened up, resulting in a more sports like ride and putting the S40 into competition with Audi’s A5 and similar sporty hatchbacks, unfortunately this sportiness isnít reflected in the base engine which lets the overall drive down. Previous owners shouldnít be put off though, as the S40 is a more than worthy update to the model line.