Overview & Reviews

A redesigned S40 was introduced halfway through the 2004 model year as a 2004.5 model. It continues into 2005 unchanged.

• Sharper handling than you would expect from a Volvo, T5 version offers quick acceleration, well-designed interior controls, long list of safety features, available all-wheel drive.

• Firm suspension can be choppy on the highway, average performance from the non-turbo engine.

User Reviews:

Showing 21 through 30 of 152.00

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  Volvo interior is a modern dream!!! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By OverseaVolvoDeliver - October 31 - 2:53 am

  After picking up the Volvo S40 T5 2005 in Sweden and driving it around Sweden all the way to Italy and now all around the State of Texas - the performance of the T5 will knock you back in your seat and the 0-60 and 0- 100 is great (Gotta love the "AUTO BAHNNNNNNNNNN").

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  Love, love love! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Kate - October 20 - 6:13 pm

  Just bought this puppy! Love it. However, I feel the ride is a little bumpy. Maybe after the shocks loosen up a bit... Very nice to drive with user friendly dash

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  Great Alternative Sports Sedan! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Dylan - October 6 - 8:00 pm

  For the past year I have been pulling my hairs out trying to determine what my next car would be. I am a car enthusiast so naturally I have a lot of favorites pulling at my heartstrings which made choosing a vehicle to replace my dependable 2005 Civic would be very difficult! I laid out the criteria I wanted: powerful engine, AWD drivetrain, compact, reliable daily driver. Sure there are some great cars that meet these like the Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi EVO, or entry-level Audis, but the truth is I wanted to own something more unique because I like to stand out. The aforementioned competitors are a lot more common are starting to feel oversaturated in the world of car culture. Not many AWD compact sedans exist, so naturally the Volvo S40 appeared to be my only option. I went for it on a whim and ended up with a beautiful 2010 R-Design with the ever-exciting T5 engine of course! So far, I am not really disappointed. The car does everything I wanted it too and even a bit more. Im not 100% satisfied with the way it looks as it is a dated (2004, 08 refresh) design. I dont understand why Volvo dramatically updated the C30 and C70 styling but left the S40 kind of bland for its last 3 years... However, it is still a nice looking vehicle with cute yet aggressive proportions. Interior looks amazing though! A lot of people harken it to IKEA as a joke, but they arent too far off. The interior is sleek, modern, and beautifully simple. The materials are wonderfully rich and well put together. It feels like youre in a much more expensive car with all the great driver amenities and the excellent climate control and booming stereo system. Trunk space is a little small compared to my last car (especially the opening) but it is sufficient for hauling most things. I will say the rear seats can be kind of cramped with the front seats extended backward. The car is awesome to drive. Not quite as fast as a WRX or EVO, but has potential to run with them with a few easy modifications. The T5 engine is noisy, but in the good sort of way that it gurgles in the low RPMs to remind you how sporty it wants to be. The S40 AWD handles really good and flat and so far has proven to have some great traction on slick surfaces. The brakes feel a little bit grabby and fade under hard braking, but do the job. The seats work well to keep you comfortable, even though the cars great handling comes at a cost of being very stiff and it likes to jar itself over small bumps in the road. Overall a very impressive car so far! I have not had any issues except for the oil cooler which the previous owner damaged on a curb. It was only a $120 fix locally and I am no longer dripping oil from it.

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  Awesome first car!!! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Steven - August 18 - 5:23 pm

  This is my very first car. I got it with all options icluding navigation. It is a very quick car and fun to drive. I got black on black and I think it is the best combination and I get looks from young and older people. The upgraded sound system is better than my moms mercedes upgraded sound system and it makes a lot of bass. Im glad I chose this over the bmw 3- series, the Acura TSX, and lexus is300. I would also reccomend the trip to Sweden to test our your car and see the whole process involved in making a volvo. It was very fun and interesting.

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  Happy - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Samantha Schmoeger - August 17 - 4:50 am

  Im very pleased with the S40. Fun to drive. Comfortable, simple and spacious. Its very sporty and suave.

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  2005 Volvo S40 T5 (6 speed man) - 2005 Volvo S40
  By jake - August 6 - 1:50 am

  This car is a fantastic driver with its perfect amount of power for its 6 speed manual transmission. I drive surface streets and freeway everyday to work and this car hands great through traffic in low speeds and really shines at high speeds. The turbo and 6 speed manual combo makes merging onto high speed freeways not just easy but a delight. I get complimented daily at its appearance. Plenty of room for the entire family of 4. Trunk space is generous. I especially like how well the hood is tucked into the body design. I would suggest for your seating comfort to choose leather over T tech fabric. Just a note the sport suspension may be a little stiff for some peoples comfort but you reap the great benefits of its smooth handling and cornering ability.

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  S40 Rocks! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Robs S40 - July 31 - 10:50 pm

  I have had the car now for only 2 weeks, but so far its wonderful, I had it built and delivered to the dealership (I wanted navigation). The nav system is easy to use, the surround sound system will make some of your old CDs come to life and the car just has an amazing list of standard features and is one hell of a piece of eye candy in black. I had a Jetta before and this is an excellent upgrade from one of those. If you dont like the latest jetta or you want a little luxury w/o the big outlay of money take a look at this one.

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  A Quick & Comfortable Ride! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By MTRETTEL - July 30 - 6:16 am

  It was not that hard to convince my corvette driving husband that may want to drive my new S40 T5 . Although he enjoyed the comfort of our old SAAB 9- 5, the S40 gained his respect after driving it for a week in the Florida Keys. Plenty of room in back for our two black labs too!

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  Unexpected Surprises - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Jesus Levy - May 27 - 8:23 pm

  Great compact sports sedan, totally packed with luxurious features that makes this car a pleasant and unexpected surprise for the new driver. Nimble and precise handling, great maneuverability, awesome power and throttle response and fun to drive. Volvo has got it right this time. Not only the car excells on all safety and security features, but the box design is gone forever!! Now thats what I call thinking out of the box. The new design and platform are superb. Brakes stop on a dime. Cornering is quite sporty and inspires a safe feeling all the time. Traction control is unobtrusive, so you can also have a fun ride whatever the highway demands. Just avoid harsh terrains.

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  Better than my A4 - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Frankie76 - February 26 - 4:03 am

  If you going to buy an S40, go with the turbo. This model has a much better performance than the 2.41 engine. I had an 03 A4 1.8. which I traded for the S40. I have not looked back!! From quality to performance and of course safety, it beats my Audi in all categories. I first drove this car as a company car, leased 2004.5 2.4i. I recently turned it back as I had put 40,000 miles. That car had absolutely no problems. Other than the scheduled maint.