Overview & Reviews

Output from the 1.9-liter turbocharged mill is bumped up by 10 to 170 horsepower. A CD player makes its way onto the standard features list, and the front fascia gets a slight freshening thanks to a black egg-crate grille and body-colored side molding and bumpers. Inside you'll find a new three-spoke steering wheel and a four-dial instrument cluster. The sport package adds front and rear spoilers, blackout headlamp surrounds and 16-inch wheels, and the premium package now includes a leather-wrapped hand brake handle and gearshift lever.

• Strong complement of safety features, affordable base price, upscale interior.

• No manual transmission offered, lacks sporting intentions, pricing can quickly escalate with optional equipment installed.

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 58.00

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  S40 - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Dshark - July 10 - 10:00 am

  never owned a near-luxury vehicle but the S40 is fantastic so far. The gas mileage takes some getting used to as I previously owned a Mazda Protege LX. Also, it had a manual trany. Great.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Dustin07456 - June 27 - 2:00 am

  This is the second S40 that i have owned. It is an exceptionally reliable car with good pick up and very good handling. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  worst car ive ever owned - 2003 Volvo S40
  By dunx - January 31 - 2:00 am

  i purchased this car in january, 2000, because my wife "had to have it". back brakes went out after 15k mi and ruined rotor. a/c stops working w/continuous use (2 hours driving). headlight go out every 10k mi. sunvisors are stuck in down position. check engine light is on contiously-no one knows why. maintenance is expensive even for european car. the suspension rattles until the car has warmed-up (?!?). headlight socket broke when light replaced (3rd time)-dealer says its my problem since the warranty is out.

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  Volvo S40 - 2003 model - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Cindy - October 6 - 12:03 am

  Have owned this car for 2 years. Excellent road car, great around town. A/C is exceptional, esp. for Texas heat. Turning radius is typical Volvo - turns on a dime. Love the car!

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  Our 2002 S40 - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Davit - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Noticed wind noise from sunroof, brought it in. Dealer of course said theres nothing wrong with it. A few months later the headliner had a water stain on it from a water leak. The dealer fixed the roof properly, but got greasy fingerprints all over the new headliner. Also the new headliner was installed improperly, now have at least 3 rattles we didnt have before. Had problem with the intermittent wipers not working and cruise control. All total weve had 6 dealer visits in the first 9 months of ownership, not what we expected in terms of Volvo reliability. Other than these problems the car has been very good.

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  Just a great car!! - 2003 Volvo S40
  By cyclegirl - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I love my car. I might mention that I do have all the options on my car. I have had very little problem with the car. The headlights have gone out, and I had the rear brakes replaced. The ride is very smooth and there is more than enough power when passing or entering a freeway. I have had my car 3 years, and after 34,000 miles, its just been very reliable. Oh, mileage on the highway seems to be very good.

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  VOVLO S40tay - 2003 Volvo S40
  By L Petri Design - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Great car, great price!!!!

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  :thumbs up: - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Student Lee - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I was trying to decide on whether I should buy a new S40, new A4, or new 325i. Just by looking at hp/curb weight or tq/curb weight, the S40 is way ahead of the two. It beats both the A4 and 325i in torque (a fat torque band) while weighing in at under 2800lbs, while the other two are above 3200lbs. This makes a HUGE difference. Although this car is obviously not aimed at being a performance vehicle, it still handles well. The 325i or A4 may beat the S40 in an AutoX course (325 being FR and A4 being awd), but it really doesnt matter since this car will not be raced. I just wanted a sensible car that drives and looks nice.

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  Still satisfied after 4 years - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Seattle driver - November 10 - 11:03 am

  Having owned this car for over 4 yrs, I remain quite satisfied. Changed brake pads and headlights at 36k miles. Still on original Michelin tires after 43k miles. Drives as well as it did in Nov 2002, smoothly yet with pep if needed. Recommended maintenance done by non-dealer Volvo-only shop for reasonable price. Even my BMW-3-series-owning friends enjoy riding in it with me.

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  Worst Car I Ever Owned - 2003 Volvo S40
  By strack - October 19 - 7:20 pm

  This care has had problem ever since day one. The braking system was replaced, the a/c system replaced (and starting to act up again), splash guard fell down and there was no damage (screws just fell out). Fuel economy gets worse and worse. When the car was new, got 29 MPG on highway, now 25 MPG on highway. Maintenance costs are very high from Volvo for routine maint.