And while it might not set your heart racing, we reckon this is a car which is good for the soul.

Looks Looks Inside Practicality Ride and Handling Performance
Running Costs Reliability Safety Equipment X-Factor

1. Looks

Do they scream: "Look everyone - I bought a Volvo!"? Of course not. The Swedish four-door saloon wouldn't countenance anything as vulgar as that. Volvo do understated and stylish and the S40 is both. It's more or less half a centimetre shorter than its predecessor but taller and wider by a similar degree and according to our brochure its "haunched, athletic stance hints at its dynamic potential". Steady on Volvo!
7/10

2. Looks inside

Volvo claim the free floating ultra thin central console is unique to their vehicles, and very nice it looks too, as well as freeing up a little storage behind. Want to really impress? Order the clear version. The S40's interior resounds with quality, from the understated design of a car which isn't trying to impress on a first date - to the not-nasty-at-all fabric seats which make a viable option should leather not be your thang.
8/10

3. Practicality

The S40 boasts a 404 litre boot and the rear seatbacks fold flat so you can cart a decent amount of stuff about in it. And you don't have to resign yourself to a messy car afterwards thanks to two levels of load-liner, a plastic sheet and then a flexible plastic board, while the fitted mats make the job just as easy for in-car mess. A smart car which performs well when asked to go beyond day to day commuting.
8/10

4. Ride and Handling

Volvo aimed for a sporty feel and say: "this is a car you'll truly look forward to driving whenever you can get the chance". It was certainly pleasant to drive, responsive with minimal body roll around bends, but it didn't exactly bring out the boy racer within. We're not complaining, the S40 did everything we hoped for - but sporty it ain't (at least the 1.6 litre version isn't).
7/10

5. Performance

We drove the entry-level 100 bhp1.6 litre diesel, which was perfectly acceptable. If, however, you want a fighting chance of being first away from the lights you'll probably want to consider a meatier model such as the manual T5 which boosts the top speed from 115mph to 149 mph and almost halves the 0-60mph speed from 11.9 seconds to 6.8. A clutch of models between mean that if you like the car, there should be a performance level for you.
9/10

6. Running Costs

The 1.6 litre diesel version we drove returns an average 57.6mpg. Go for the T5 Automatic and that drops to 30.1mpg. Go for the same model as us and your annual tax bill will be £110. Warranties cover the first 60,000 miles or first three years, whichever comes first, service intervals are annual or after 12,500 miles, whichever is first, plus there's a year's free RAC cover. The new Volvo has only been around for a couple of years but the older version can now be picked up fairly cheaply with four-year-old models going for under £6,000.
8/10

7. Reliability

Even as far as Volvos go, the S40 is a goodie, with an excellent performance on Auto Trader's Reliability Index. Once again Volvo lives up to its reputation.
10/10

8. Safety

You don't have to know much about cars to know Volvo prides itself on its safety record. And it's a well-deserved reputation with this model scoring a maximum five stars in EuroNCAP's tests. Buy one of these babies and you'll benefit from Side Impact Protection System, Whiplash Protection System and airbags galore.
9/10

9. Equipment

Plenty of goodies here too. The entry-level 1.6 S comes complete with Electronic Climate Control, 16" alloy wheels, dynamic stability and traction control as well as power windows, cruise control, leather steering wheel and a 6-speaker radio/CD system. The Sport version bumps this up to 18" alloys; the SE adds the luxury of leather and power driver's seat. And there's the SE Sport for the best of both worlds.
9/10

10. X-Factor

It might not sound sexy but the S40's X-Factor is its calm-inducing qualities. We wouldn't say this is the car to set your heart racing - but it's certainly a car you can live with for a good few years. Design-wise it's understatement that wins the day, the S40 is very easy on the eye, both inside and out - just the wheels to make an urban commute more bearable but more than capable of dealing with the motorway slog too.
9/10

Auto Trader Ten Point Test Rating - 84%