Well this is my first car, I bought it used about 3 years ago. It reeked of cigarette smoke, but it worked well at first. It started acting up after a "check up" at a local car place, the car alarm went off all the time and sometimes the car itself wouldn't start at all. The air conditioning worked at least which is good for a hot place like Texas. The breaks work well, but the tires have poor traction in wet conditions. The neutral safety switch was broken and the cause of the car not starting and the alarm going off constantly, oddly no professional could figure it out or replicate my issues, but I ordered a replacement and since then my car has worked relatively normal. The only issue now is it stutters when started but other wise it works reliably and has decent enough gas mileage. I don't listen to music when I drive so I have no idea how the stereo functions, I'm sure it works though.

I purchased this vehicle from a used lot and was aware of the issues that already existed on it. A cracked side mirror and a seat adjustment that didn't work seemed like small issues compared to the good deal that I got for it. However, these small issues have rapidly been overtaken by large issues specifically related to the interior of the car. The CD player stopped working within two months and cannot be replaced with an aftermarket player due to the nature of the audio system. The material covering the roof has also begun to come undone from the roof of the car. Further, the interior decor has a cheap feel to it, with the wood trim looking more like plastic and the buttons and steering wheel covered by paint that easily flakes off. The mechanics of the car are solid, having hit the 200,000 mile mark with few major mechanical issues other than the normal maintenance required. However, any issues that do come up are costly and take quite a lot of time to repair since the car is foreign made. The air-conditioning has also developed a leak that the mechanics are unable to fix as the engine is so compact and is laid out in a unique manner. If you're looking for a car that will run well, this car might be a good fit for you. However, all the issues given but the shoddily done interior and the cost of repairs and maintenance would deter the faint of heart.

The Volvo S40 is a solid car - safe, very reliable, solid. My Volvo drives like a sports car - tight cornering - good power - fantastic in snow or rain. I live in the northeast and we get a pretty good amount of snow each winter. My Volvo performs every bit as good as my 4wd SUV and uses less gas doing it. If it weren't for the deterioration of some of the smaller functions it would be my all time favorite car.