Volvo V40 Cross Country

2013 Volvo V40 Cross Country

Okay, this isn't what it exactly meant to be but why would Volvo brought back the "Cross Country" name for this sport utility wagon version of the V40 instead of another XC like the XC70, XC60, and the XC90? Don't blame me, blame Volvo why did they resurrect the Cross Country moniker. Some say that the terms XC and Cross Country are synonyms but Volvo said they're not. What's the difference? Volvo says that XC models have a distinct crossover character with unique body-styles including an elevated seating position, while the Cross Country models are expressive all-road versions of our dynamic wagons and hatchbacks. Huh? Wait a minute...Never mind about that whole conundrum set up by Volvo because you know why? I just don't get it.

Anyway, this new version is 40mm higher than the standard V40 and with such height increase comes with some added looks such as retaining the same rim sizes from the original, contrasting bumper, honeycomb mesh grille, upright DRL-lights, sculpted sills, and the contrasting rear bumper with integrated skid plate. It maybe just the same V40 look with some cosmetically enhanced toughness but overall, the XC err... Cross Country version tries to be a tough one even though in this such size as a hatchback.

For a car like this, the V40 Cross Country is kinda targeted for the outdoorsy type of person, someone who loves to go out for the great outdoors such as the mountains, the forest, the falls, or whatever nature made for us. Thinking about it, if you were going out BMX-ing, fishing, hunting deers, fortune hunting, or something what an adventure lover really want to, seems that this is the kind of Volvo for them if they can't afford on the XC models.

I was just wondering, in such cars like this, I am becoming more of a half-businessman, half-adventurer, meaning that there's all work, all play for me, meaning that I can use it to go to the office for work, or use it while going out for my leisure trip such as going for a game of basketball, or billiards, or boxing, or a dance-off by night, or anything that kills my boredom amidst the stringent schedule done by the times. Here in the V40 Cross Country, this is possible for me. I think it's better to drive and better to have one than the Subaru XV but don't think of ever getting one of these because in terms of pricing, it's much more expensive than the Subaru XV. Despite pricing, the V40 Cross Country has more features than the Subaru XV and also, they both have the same safety features especially the one that automatically brakes in the near-collision scenario.

Unlike the XV, which only comes with a 2.0L petrol engine, the V40 Cross Country do come with a host of petrol and diesel engines such as the 115PS D2, 150PS D3, 177PS D4, 180PS T4, and the 254PS T5 (the most powerful in the lineup). The T5 model of the V40 Cross Country comes with all wheel drive with class leading driving dynamics so you can go anywhere no matter what, even in the rain. Sounds reasonable and the Powershift transmission, available on the T4 model, is just another double-clutch goodness for this car. This is much better than the "Taters Donna Tate" CVT stuff in the XV.

It maybe cost more than the Subaru XV but the V40 Cross Country is just one of the examples that a Swedish-based carmaker can think of, despite the fact that it was made by Belgians in Ghent. It maybe more expensive than the XV but with all of the features loaded, this is much more of a premium blend. It's like Nescafe premium blend best served hot in a nice coffee table made out of wood.

Volvo V40

With the entry-level Volvo S40 sedan and its wagon counterpart, the V50, officially officially DEAD, as in no more, discontinued, axed, bye-bye, disappeared on the Volvo lineup, the V40 name, as you are utterly familiar with this as the wagon counterpart of the first generation S40, has been revived from the start as Volvo's new 5-door hatchback that you can think of it as a C30 taking a Cialis. Oh wait, the Volvo C30 is DEAD too, I forgot to tell you...

2013 Volvo V40

With the S40 sedan, C30 3-door hatch, and the V50 wagon gone for good and off to the junkyard in the sky, this Nya Volvo V40 cannot act the same thing as those three does. It does not have the handling credentials of the C30, the riding comfort of the S40, and the versatility of the V50. I mean seriously, this new V40 was made to compete the likes of the Citroen DS4, Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Renault Megane, and the Volkswagen Golf.

A Brit designer, Peter Horbury, said that the new Volvo V40 is the last Volvo to be designed by him before he transfer himself to the company that recently owned Volvo, which is Geely from China. That sounds weird but the Volvo design DNA first applied on the XC60 and the second-generation S60 is a reach for the V40 but sad to say, this design feels like a V60 with its shortened length. It's like doing something with a ball pen back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. You see?

2013 Volvo V40 interior

Inside the V40, what you expect is somewhat a mash-up between the familiar buttons you can find on the now defunct S40, in-dash monitor with sat-nav straight from the S60 and the instrumental panel, well, this is a bit too futuristic, to be fair. This instrumental panel maybe new to us but it changes if you select three driving modes; if someone is focused on performance, the V40's instrumental panel goes all red hot, if you're driving in normal mode, the instrumental panel's all a bit simple but if you're focused on Eco Driving, the instrumental panel's all green and an Eco Guide is seen at the left side. If that wasn't put you, how about looking at the roof of the V40? What you see here is a huge panoramic glass roof which can be a bit too problematic if bright sunlight comes directly at you. Talk about a design flaw but still, the V40 accommodates up to five people, 335L of load capacity, 1073mm of front leg room, 847mm of rear leg room, 953mm of front head room, and that's it.

2013 Volvo V40

There are various variants of the V40 available such as the 115HP D2, 150HP D3, 177HP D4, 150HP T3, and 180HP T4. Those choices may come with either a 6-speed manual and for some, a 6-speed automatic transmission for those who are not hairy chested. A V40 D2 variant will have a combined fuel consumption of 3.6L/100km while the turbocharged V40 T3 will have 5.4L/100km of combined fuel consumption. Most variants do come with an idling stop system that shuts off when stopped and then start again when your foot is on the pedal, to save fuel. Overall, most of these are certified EURO 5 COMPLIANT. Stefan Jacoby said that the V40 wraps you in a much comfortable interior with such ergonomics and technology that will make you feel informed, focused, and relaxed. I kinda agree to that but no. That's not far enough.

There are tons of safety features offered on the Volvo V40 such as Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Information System, Park Assist Pilot, Lane Keeping Aid, City Safety with automatic braking and then there was the world's first PEDESTRIAN AIRBAG. What is it? How does the V40's pedestrian airbag work?





So, convinced how the pedestrian airbag works? It's somewhat an airbag bolted to the V40 bonnet and it inflates when this car hit the pedestrian, saving a life in an event of an unfortunate accident. We know this is a world's first feature but take extreme precautions about this pedestrian airbag because not most of the time this new feature works in an event of a collision between you and the pedestrian.

The Volvo V40's colors include; Svart, Passion rod, Ice vit, Silver, Svart Metallic, Titanium gra, Caspian bla, Flaminco rod, Biarritz bla, Vibrant koppar, Raw Copper, Misty Blue, and Electric silver.

My Comment:

So, a very complicating new feature, a panoramic glass roof that can be somewhat a design flow, class leading driving dynamics, and a proof that the V40 is not a replacement to the S40, C30, and the V50. You might think that this nya V40 has the handling of the C30, the riding comfort of the S40, and the versatility of the V50, fused into one Scandinavian packaging but this new Volvo has a long way to go. If I were driving this car, I am not somewhat likely to be succumbed by the V40's elegance, sportiness, and the versatility. You have to think better than that, Volvo. It takes Juan to know Juan but in here, it doesn't.

Photo: Volvo Cars