Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE 5dr Car Review - April 2013

The cabin in the Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE is a well thought out and comfortable environment, but aside from new upholstery differs little from the standard Volvo V40. Where the Cross Country does impress is ride quality, which is excellent. The increased ride height and tweaked suspension gives a smooth ride on less even road surfaces, and is well balanced with much less body roll than you might expect. The 148bhp diesel engine in the D3 Cross produces 258 lb-ft of torque at 1500-2750, and copes admirably in propelling the car from 0-62mph in 9.6 seconds and to a top speed of 127mph, although it can be a little noisy on motorway runs.

The Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE shares the same 5-door hatchback body style of the standard Volvo V40 range, but the most noticeable difference is the increase to the ride height of around 4cm, along with sill guards, rear skid plate, and roof rails, all of which are designed to give an extra air of sturdiness to the car. The Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE 5dr comes with power steering, central locking, dynamic stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric windows, cruise control, alarm & immobiliser, and CD player with Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity as standard.

Volvo and safety go together like bacon and eggs, and the Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE 5dr is no different with a full 5 star overall rating from Euro NCAP, the independent consumer organisation which crash tests most new cars released on the European market. The Cross Country comes with a full package of airbags including driver, passenger, and side. A 3-year, 60,000-mile manufacturers warranty is included on all new Volvo V40 D3 Cross Countrys. The Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country comfortably holds five adults, albeit with the rear seat area feeling a little claustrophobic when fully occupied. Boot capacity is the same as the standard Volvo V40, with 335 litres of luggage space rising to 1032 litres once the seats have been lowered.

The Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE 5dr is priced at £23,845, precisely £1,000 more than the standard Volvo V40 D3 SE. Fuel economy suffers ever so slightly, with the standard model returning a combined 65.7mpg compared to 64.2mpg in the Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE, although both specifications fall into Road Tax Band C. The extra £1,000 required to buy the Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country SE compared to the standard Volvo V40 is a matter of personal preference, and some will feel the price is worth paying for the chunkier trim and higher driving position. However, the wider appeal compared to the standard car remains to be seen, and this may affect residual values compared to the standard car if you are looking at the purchase as an investment. That said, you will get for you money a comfortable, well made, safe car that is nice to drive and can take five people and their luggage.