Who said the luxury and the Quality costs so much that it is the privilege of the powerful; Η Volvo, making a spectacular restart, has managed to create premium cars which is absolutely oracle and they do not cost necessarily a... fortune. That's exactly what the car in today's test drive does, and it could have cost a lot more.
The Volvo V40 Cross Country D2 Ocean Race 1.6, is a more "off road" version of the V40, which is dedicated to the spirit of the sea (inspired by the strength and soul that characterizes the sailing races Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo tells us). Compared to the "conventional" V40, it's taller, while it has touches that give it a more "wild" and more sports appearance at the same time.
Such (external) are the matt unpainted plastics placed around the perimeter, on the lower parts, to protect against abrasions, but also to protect the marsupial spoiler in the colour of the aluminium above them, for the version I... got hold of, the 19s dark rims, and not only. But these are just the details.
Internal
Okay, the 2,5 volumes Volvo model is stylish exterior and quality. This (quality) is no surprise to Volvo, whose name has become something of a household word. urban legend in petroheads around the world, who liken the Volvo's endurance over time and hardships to that of the... tanks. Where I think we should focus is on the "Swedish innovation" which the company advertises. After all, innovation is what makes a model stand out.
But a meme about the durability of Volvos, I couldn't help but bang it
So that's why I'm starting, not from the luxury -which I took for granted for a Volvo-, from something I first encountered in a car. In the centre of the dashboard, in front of the gear lever, is the management console the (excellent) stereo, air conditioning and other car functions shown in the central colour display. Behind this "table", however, there is a large void with a smart one, illuminated case, where I used to leave my cell phone or my wallet. This is a innovation which makes me wonder how no other car manufacturer has copied it (yet).
In any case, the interior of the V40 is of high quality (the interior is of excellent quality of leather and plastics) and easy to use. The leather seats with the red seams are, apart from being beautiful, very comfortable and offer very good support. And how could they not be comfortable? Did you know that, to start making seats, Volvo in the 1960s consulted the orthopaedic surgeons at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden? Well, whatever, they know how to rest your whore.
The seats of the V40, as we were saying. Note the compartment in the "hollow" dashboard
Cases (with discreet lighting, so that you don't have to light the light bulb while looking for your wallet for the toll) has several, in the centre of the dashboard, between the driver and passenger seats, on the doors, but also at the back, where, apart from the folding armrest, we meet cleverly opening cup holders in the centre of the seats. That's clever too.
The Volvo dashboard is nice and easy to use
Ο instrument panel, behind the well-designed steering wheel (which is adjustable in height and distance from the torso), changes colours and of course it has adjustable tension lighting (adjusts both the lighting of the nipples and the legs). This is where the Drivers (Elegance, Eco, Performance), and the clever thing is that to the left and right of the tachometer and speedometer, the temperature bar is displayed, and to the right, the torque bar, so you know exactly when to change gear, taking advantage of the full range of the car's power. On the road
Η driving position of the V40 is, in any case, excellent and the only "dissonance" is the rear visibility, which is limited (as in... non-existent) due to the small rear windscreen. But, before we look at its behaviour on the road, let's talk about the driving set which is probably the most ideal option for Greece. It is the diesel 1.6 litres with the 115 ps and 270 Nm (27.5 kgm) torque.
The performance are satisfactory (especially after the 3rd) and you can move quickly, due to the high torque available over a wide rev range, but its strength is that it can offer an economical (actually, very economical) ride. Despite the fact that I worked on it during 90% in the program "Performance." and that I have... (very) heavy right leg, the average consumption stayed at 5.4 lt/100 km and even with daily traffic in the bustling centre of Athens. I'm convinced that if I drove... normally I could bring my consumption down to terribly... pleasing numbers.
Satisfactory Volvo spaces
So it's very economical. But, how he steps in the street? The driver (the writer, in this case) has a very good information from the steering wheel and "weapon" in his hands is the Excellent in relation to and scaling six-speed box.
One would expect that increasing the height of the V40 would cause dramatic changes to the conduct. However, the Box and the steering system have both great potentialthat even under pressure, the Cross Country Ocean Race is completely predictable and safe - and to this it is worth adding the brake performance. The inclinations are rather negligible for a vehicle of this class, while the suspension setting offers a very good comfort, but without compromising on road behaviour (e.g. I did not notice slipstream effects at high speeds). Very good (and impressive) wheels, but also the tyres chosen for this version, the Continental Contisportcontact, which fitted it "like a glove".
The electronic aids intervene only where and when necessary, for example when, due to the high torque on slippery road surfaces, you "force" it to spin. Due to its increased height, the Cross Country can move fearlessly on rough roads without "fear" of damage. So the V40 Cross Country Ocean Race is a vehicle that is truly free time, with adequate space, with which you can travel around the country and all countries, without stress. And with price about 25.000 euros, it's a good choice...
