Volvo V40 sweeping the last test EuroNCAP safety

With this trajectory, Volvo comes the launch of its latest model, the Volvo V40, replacement of existing S40 and V50, besides making design and architectural concept in the security paradigm, with the addition of a whole series of catalog electronic driving aids and a world first, the premiere of the first airbag to pedestrians.

In any version of this system is present in the case of a violation desirable never fired a pyrotechnic air bag deployment emerging from the top of the hood to cover the hardest parts around the windshield.

The air bag is inflated almost simultaneously acting device which lifts the engine hood to prevent the pedestrian receives the impact of the upper motor.

This system is to subtract severity of injury in an accident, but it may not be necessary, because the Volvo V40 also incorporates a new pedestrian detection with full auto brake.

The pedestrian detection with automatic braking, not available anywhere else V40 car segment, is based on a radar integrated into the grill of the vehicle, shared by other vehicle safety systems, and a camera in front of the inside rearview mirror and a central control unit.

The radar's task is to detect any pedestrians or vehicles in front of the car while it calculates the distance between them, and the camera determines what type of object it is. Detects pedestrians than 80 inches high, minimum.

The system, in an emergency, sends the driver an audible warning together with a flashing light that appears on the windshield, and if the driver does not react to the warning and impact is imminent the device directs all braking power up to the car, where the situation is less than 35 km / h. If the speed is higher, the system will break the car every effort to mitigate the impact.

The criterion is the same for the anti collision system City Safety urban, and premiered at the XC60, but in this case to avoid scope improved faster, up to 50 km / h (prior to 30 km / h).

The Volvo equipped with City Safety are involved in approximately 20% fewer accidents than cars with rear automatic braking.

And this system, like the rest of the board, makes a generation Volvo such as the V40, reduces up to 50% the chance of getting hurt in an incident.

This conclusion is proven by the extensive database of traffic accidents handled by the technical department of the company that inspects every crash that involving a Volvo. This result was reached after analysis of data collected since 2000.

Volvo says the V40 is the most intelligent and secure vehicle in its history, complete with a long list of driving aids, such as adaptive cruise control and distance control, the warning system touch lane change, assist device for parking, traffic sign recognition, active high beams and a radar system in the cross traffic alert rear cars approaching from either side of the car in gear maneuvers back.

Besides security paradigm, the Volvo V40 is a weapon full of arguments to meet the high-end models in the compact segment.

A powerful argument is the design, with which the mark is capable of hybridizing a traditional concept like sedans three bodies and four doors, the familiar format "station wagon" and the five-door compact car.

The design is an extension of characterizing the XC60 and V60, but with some of its features even more pronounced, especially those that define the shape front and shoulders and the backplane.

The lines on the hood, the shape of the headlamps and its location at the ends, enhances the car's width and mark the beginning of the character line that draws a silhouette that goes low to high, giving a cut to coupe Fig.

In the rear property line is the highest plane crash, to the waist line, to fall from there vertically. In that line of intersection of the two backplanes is very pronounced curvature of the shoulders, accentuated by the stroke of the rear lights, more pronounced than the range of 60.

The interior bears the unmistakable signature of Volvo. The seats, for one, can be classified as the best in the segment. Ergonomics is very similar to all models of the brand. They are an unmistakable signature in Volvo and its great virtue is to treat the position like no other, especially the back.

Inside The big news is the new instrument panel, which is the hallmark of being virtual. The instrument panel is based on a glass screen which is a TFT active repackaging of information that is customizable in content and presentation, with three different lighting modes.

Elegance mode shows an amber light, the Eco-Meter displays an echo in the left side of the box and consumer information and the light turns to green when driving is efficient, and how performance is shown in red tone with a tachometer in the center that replaces the speedometer of the other modes and an indicator informs the driver how much power is available and how much is being used.

And on top of the center stack screen 5 to 7 inches, depending on the options chosen, provides multimedia information systems and configuration of some devices, such as City Safety and Pedestrian Detection.

On the drive, the version tested corresponds to the basic and most reasonable range, given the performance during a long trial of over 2,000 kilometers.

It is equipped with the 1.6 diesel engine 115 horsepower, one of the engines developed jointly by Ford and PSA when Volvo belonged to the first (now the Swedish brand is owned by Chinese automaker Geely).

With this engine, achieves a performance Volvo official fuel consumption figure of 3.6 liters and 94 grams of CO2 per kilometer, an excellent brand in the real world, with a varied driving, city and highway, rises to just over 5 liters. Contributes to low consumption, no doubt, the start-stop system Start and Stop.

With fuel prices like this, this is the smartest option, enriched by very agile dynamic performance, the engine and the whole set.

This engine, characterized by metallic sounds very quiet on display here. It is very well insulated interior, perhaps better than road noise invades the living environment of the V40. The engine sound may disappear in cruise regimes.

The 1.6-liter engine provides adequate performance for everyday driving, without sacrificing the agility to roll at high rates. Not a prodigy accelerations but stopwatch times are more than enough to move without complexes between cars much more powerful.

The version tested is equipped with six-speed manual gearbox rather staggered that does not need constant use to retrieve performance because almost 300 Nm of torque delivery and engine starting at 1,750 rpm save many Forex trading.

The manufacturer offers the Power shift dual-clutch box, a possibility still unproven but already used in some Ford models shown as the most interesting dynamic performance and fuel consumption.

Everything is packaged on a proven chassis dynamic efficiency, because it is a derivative used for the Ford Focus, Volvo evolved.

The frame belongs to that class of select designs that create the sensation of rolling on rails when it comes to them in curved paths.

The steering, electric assist, exhibits a good fit and is responsible for giving direct orders are fulfilled very faithfully for the front, which makes quickly place the rear creating that unique feeling of grip to the line of the curve.

Volvo V40 can go very fast in steps per curve is very consistent and straight, with a very balanced suspensions adjustment and firm, the reason perhaps generates more road noise in the front.

Overall, the Volvo V40 is comfortable driving a car from the ergonomic point of view and very safe from the dynamic driving sensations equivalent to the finest of its competitors, regardless of electronic driving aids and extent of their security systems.

With an emphasis on design and, above all, security, V40 is set to head the segment of high-end compact, unless note the value of the brand, because at this point of Volvo far, although increasingly, Audi, BMW or Mercedes Benz.