Overall, I have been very satisfied with my Volvo s40. It is an extremely reliable car. I have put very little money into it other than regular maintenance. I bought the car used and put 20,000 miles on it in the first year with absolutely no problems other than normal wear and tear. I feel very safe and comfortable driving it. I think the outside build is timeless. It still looks great, newer than it actually is. As far as fuel economy goes, it definitely is not the best out there. It is fine for me, as that is not my top concern, but it could be better. The fuel economy also did deteriorate as the car aged a bit, but not too drastically.

This Volvo's primary feature is safety and reliability. It's quite heavy and roomy, but it drives like a tank. It's hard to see out of the side windows and the blind spots are larger than in other cars. In fact, the low visibility of this car is one of the reasons I really dislike it. The rearview mirror is very small and I've almost run over pedestrians because the frame between the windshield and the driver side window is so fat and obtrusive. The carriage is low and is also much heavier than the subcompact cars that I used to drive and, as such, the handling is terrible. It's difficult making turns, seeing people, and other cars. The seats are comfortable, but not heated. The front seats are much roomier than the backseats. Even for children, it's cramped in the back. I've had steering column problems and transmission problems and it's barely three years old yet. Brake pads wear thin easily and because the vehicle is so heavy, it really does make a huge difference when driving up and down hills when the pads are worn down. It's much more noticeable than with other cars. It's not fun to drive, but you'll feel safe sitting in it only because it'll protect you while wrecking everything else around you.