2002 Volvo V40 Review
Price Estimate: $938 - $1,466





+4
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Strong complement of safety features, affordable base price, upscale interior.
Cons
- No manual transmission offered, lacks sporting intentions, pricing can quickly escalate with optional equipment installed.
What’s new
Minor equipment changes are in store for Volvo's V40 in 2002. A Premium package now makes it easier for base wagon buyers to purchase desirable options like a sunroof, CD player, power driver seat and faux wood trim. And a Premium Plus package adds leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel to the mix. The Sport package now includes aluminum interior accents, sport seats and an exclusive instrument cluster -- you can also get these items a la carte. A new center console design incorporates two integrated cupholders. Rear passengers will also have two cupholders at their disposal when they fold down the center armrest. New exterior colors include Bamboo Green and Dark Blue.
Edmunds says
Small but loaded with safety equipment, the V40 is, unfortunately, too expensive to compete with the VW Jetta Wagon and too small to take on the VW Passat Wagon.
For sale near , tn
1 listings
- $4,990
- 93,692 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
- 5 Seats, 19 City / 27 Hwy MPG
- Greenway Auto (528 mi away)
- Auto Climate Control
- Alarm
- Rear Bench Seats
- Fold Flat Rear Seats
Close
Located in Berryville, VA
The timing belt and water pump have been replaced at 72,000 miles. This Volvo is very rare to find with low mileage and in such good condition. Don't ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
22 Combined MPG (19 City/27 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: YV1VW29552F864941
Stock: 864941
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-03-2025
Vehicle overview
The V40 Wagon (and its platform mate, the S40 Sedan) is Volvo's smallest and most affordable vehicle. Designed to appeal to younger buyers, the V40 offers impressive levels of safety equipment and an upscale image.
All V40s are equipped with a turbocharged 160-horsepower 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine. The only transmission choice (in the U.S., at least) is a five-speed automatic. On the road, Volvo has tuned the V40 for a fairly taut ride, though comfort ultimately takes precedence over performance. If you are looking for performance, Audi's A4 Avant or BMW's 325i Sport Wagon are better choices. Still, finely tuned MacPherson struts up front and a multilink rear suspension -- along with a rack-and-pinion steering system -- bring a distinctly Teutonic flavor to this Swedish wagon. Four-wheel antilock disc brakes are standard throughout the line.
As with other Volvos, safety is one of the V40's greatest assets. Every vehicle comes with an extensive menu of airbags, including Inflatable Curtain (IC) head-protection airbags for front and rear passengers, side airbags for front passengers and the usual dual-stage front airbags. Additional crash protection comes from whiplash-reducing front seats and seatbelt pre-tensioners. Further, the standard ISO-FIX child safety seat system simplifies the process of correctly installing and removing child seats.
Inside, the V40 offers a remarkable combination of luxury and value. Comfortable, supportive front seats have that Swedish feel we've come to expect from Volvo's high-end cars, and the interior materials are of high quality for a sub-$40,000 vehicle. With the rear seats up, the V40 provides 33.5 cubic feet of luggage space -- about the same as Volkswagen's Jetta Wagon. Folding down the Volvo's 70/30-split rear bench yields 68.1 cubic feet of total cargo space.
Our main concern about the V40 is that the cost of adding options quickly eliminates the advantage of its low base price. For 2002, Volvo has tried to improve upon the car's value equation by making it easier for base wagon buyers to purchase some of the features that come standard in the more upscale SE wagon. Opting for the Premium package adds a sunroof, CD player with Premium speakers, power driver seat and simulated wood accents. If that's not enough, you can purchase the Premium Plus group, which includes leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. In addition, Volvo has revised the content in the Sport package, so that you now get a spoiler, leather-wrapped wheel, aluminum interior accents, leather/cloth-upholstered sport seats and a unique instrument cluster -- still no manual transmission or tire upgrade, though.
If you are in the market for an upscale compact wagon, Volvo's V40 is worthy of consideration, especially if safety is one of your high priorities. But there are several choices in this price range, so make that sure that you try out competing models like the Jetta Wagon, VW Passat Wagon or even the Audi A4 Avant, before buying the Volvo.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Tennessee
$200/mo for V40 Base
V40 Base
vs
$149/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Volvo V40 Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Very Good Car
3.88 out of 5 starsJay Bee, 11/07/2010
2002 Volvo V40 4dr Wagon (1.9L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
Had my V40 for 8 years, 120K miles. It is a great sport wagon. Excellent cargo room, comfortable for my family of 4. Handles well and was my 50 miles a day commuter averaging 26 mpg mixed driving. Expensive to service but there were no major problems in 8 years. Burns through headlights and bulbs. Don't know why. All over the internet but dealers claim ignorance. My 16 year old just … inherited it. Safe, runs great, expect another few good years from it. Over all a good purchase new, and if taken care of, worth the blue book value used. Maybe even undervalued in blue book if clean and taken care of. Just keep after those damn bulb changes.
Oil City
2 out of 5 starsTooth E. Grin, 12/28/2015
2001 Volvo V40 4dr Wagon (1.9L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
After only four months of ownership my V40 started leaking oil. I got estimates ranging from $950 to $1,700 basically, to replace all seals because nobody was really certain as to where the oil was coming from. It was not a good situation because the oil was dangerously close to the timing belt. It wasn't a bad leak: probably a quart every 7,500 miles. I checked the belt … periodically (it was changed around 90,000) and it always looked dry. After three years, the belt slipped. Luckily, it didn't damage the cylinders (it ran for only about three seconds while in my garage-----luckily, I wasn't doing 70 mph out on the highway!). Since then I've encountered a myriad of problems. Most recently, the #1 cylinder started missing and need a new ignition coil. Then, it would just refuse to start (had to be put into neutral----------'never did this before!!). I drive a lot. And I work sometimes over 100 miles from home. This was a great car, but I've lost my confidence in it.
Very happy Volvo owner
5 out of 5 starsjk, 11/22/2008
2002 Volvo V40 4dr Wagon (1.9L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
This is my first Volvo, and I bought it used two years ago. It replaced a Honda Civic. So that's the car to which I compare my V40. As noted, I bought the car two years ago. I haven't replaced a headlight yet. The windshield does need to be replaced, but living in Wyoming means high winds and sanded roads will affect a windshield negatively. I wish the fuel economy were better, but who … doesn't? The cargo room is just about perfect. The seats are comfortable, and the ride is very quiet. (Perhaps it's my tires.) In fact, given the choice between taking our newer Subaru or the Volvo on a 2,000 mile round trip road trip, we decided on the Volvo. This won't be my last Volvo!
great!
4 out of 5 starsmel_e, 02/02/2011
2002 Volvo V40 4dr Wagon (1.9L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
My car has 114K miles and still runs great. It definately burns through headlights as other reviewers have noted. I had some electrical? issues a short time ago, my mechanic thought there may have been a recall but the volvo mechanics said not. The dealership mechanics are the problem. apparently I needed new sparkplugs and the head gaskets cleaned. I think they just didn't want to … reimburse me for the THREE sensors that needed to be replaced within one month of each other, if its an electrical issue they're supposed to refund your money. Regardless, I love my V40.
Also, when i got it i got 32 mpg. after disconnecting the computer, it now gets 26+ but i drive more in town now so...
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2002 Volvo V40, so we've included reviews for other years of the V40 since its last redesign.
2002 V40 Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $24,900 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 22 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $200/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 33.5 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the V40 include:
- Alarm
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