PistolPete-RX8

It's a frigen sweedish Meatball... No brainer here!!!! Get the 8 and deal with the gas mileage!!!

shigginsrx8

there is no such thing as an S40R, nobody has test driven one.

As a side note, the technology in the suspension on the S60R is quite impressive, worth a look if you haven't already

Tirminyl

When people mention the S40R they mean as a concept / rumor car. Just like th rumor of the Mazdaspeed 6 or the Mazdaspeed 3.

The T5 S40 is not bad. I love the floating center console. The design is great along with the Chassis IMO.

RXE16T

Geez, the market is so different over in North America, I can't believe that RX8 and Volvo were mentioned in the same sentence.

Here down under, Volvo can't even give away their cars. They're as popular as a 300 pound stipper performing in a prison. :p :p :p

Volvo has a reputation for building solid, but dull cars and it's incredible that a potential buyer is comparing one with an 8.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but

RX8 buyer = extrovert, performance orientated, enjoys spirited driving
Volvo buyer = introvert, staid, conservative, safety-concious, dull?

Besides, isn't the S40 based on a shared platform with the Ford Focus and the Mazda 3?

Good luck with it, but promise me whatever you do, do not buy a beige Volvo! LOL :p :p :p

mysql101

If you want to turn heads, a Volvo really is doing it the hard way.

shigginsrx8

I realize that, but a couple people have said they drove it and didn't like it

Tirminyl

If he wants a car that performs well and that he likes and is comfortable driving day in and day out...then whatever he decides is for him. It's not all about looks. Just because a car can turn heads doesn't mean it's for a good reason.

The new Volvos are turning from "dull" to being "extrovert, performance orientated spirited driving with a conservative and safety-conscious persona."

The S40 can be compared to the 8 because these are his two options. Does he want a Mazda RX8 with "1.3" 2rotor RWD sports coupe or a Volvo S40 T5 AWD 4-door sedan? Which would he enjoy as a daily driver? Which would he enjoy performance wise? Which gives him his money? Blah blah blah.

Tirminyl

Then you go for a S60r or a Evolve :D

I didn't realize that there were reviews on the car. Or was this an insiders test drive...

edit- Are you speaking of S40R or the S40 sports t5 220bhp model?

canaryrx8

iTrader: (3)

I don't really dig the styling on the s40 too much, but at least volvo started putting some minor curves into their cars. I got the 8 because it does everything really well, it's not the single best at anything, but it can hang or surpass other vehicles in its class in every category. At the time I looked at the z,wrx,evo, and also a couple of pickups. (I'm a mini-trucker at heart) The 8 was the only car that I could get that had the headlights I wanted, the suspension, stock 18" wheels, sunroof, nav etc. etc. for about 30 grand. All the other cars/trucks i priced with similar equipment were upwards of 40-45 grand or they were way too expensive for what I was getting. I guess to sum it all up, get the most car you can afford and be happy with it, unless someone else is paying for it don't worry about what they think, if you want a volvo, get a volvo and be happy with it You might want to consider the Scion TC, you can get one pretty loaded for next to nothing.

WHealy

Woops! I'll chalk that up to Dragon Lag!

I meant the S60R. So no help for this thread, but I would disagree completly with this (S60R) being an inpresive vehicle. I thought so too, until I drove it.

WilliamT

I've already driven the 04 S40 at a Volvo S40 drive event held by Volvo Corporate a few months ago. I drove the base/auto and the T5 6-speed on a low speed and high speed course. The seats are typical Volvo; comfortable and very supportive. The T5 was a lot of fun to drive. The shifter is very smooth and I didn't notice it being notchy at all. I didn't notice any turbo lag at all. With both models, the car was very quiet and very tight. Steering response was immediate.

The S40 comes in FWD and AWD. I grabbed a few brochures while I was there.

Its definitely not what I expected in a Volvo. It felt more like an Audi A4 than a Volvo. The car looks great in charcoal grey with the HIDs. I was very impressed with the car and would definitely consider getting one. (I would probably skip the auto though, since acceleration was kind of leisurely).

The intechangable center panel is a nice idea. There is plenty of room behind it to store junk. They compared the S40 to a Acura TSX, Audi A4 1.8T, and BMW 325i.

Red Devil

As a counterpoint to some of the Volvo naysayers. There is no doubt that the RX-8 is flashier, and in my mind better engineered than an S40. But for the general public, in America, Volvo has a much more upscale reputation than Mazda. In fact, Mazda has no upscale reputation. The market that is out there for trying to look upscale at any cost will not purchase a Mazda over a Volvo. Volvo is almost like the entry level to Mercedes.

I'd wager that several times when our RX-8's have turned peoples heads that it was only an initial reaction. And when they got up close and saw it was a Mazda, they scoffed and dismissed it as junk. I've seen it happen once with my own car, so I'm sure it's happened to all of us.

bxb40

When I was in the market for a new car, I tested the 2004.5 S40T5 auto (no MT was available at that time), the Saab 93 Aero, the G35c auto and both RX8s. Got the AT RX-8
But, the T5 was great when driven in semi-manual. It is a FWD but did not steer under heavy acceleration and the turbo lag was not there. It is built on the Ford Focus platform - but that car is no.1 in Europe, so cannot be too bad. However, some styling clues are too much. There was this huge gap between the console and the doors. The worst was the fancy looking center console: try a really fast left turn, it will cut your knee. It is, however, a nice car - just not for me. The Saab does not come close to it (or has any points worth mentioning now). The G35c was great too, but the known issues with ridde quality and interior quality did not go too well. There is a thread on that car. The RX-8 was just right. I did drive the auto in semi-auto for the test - and even now I use it a lot. In full auto, it is a good cruiser though. But where is the fun in that?!?
If it helps, here is a rating: 1. RX8 (either are great in the twisties), 2. '05 S40T5, 3. G35c

PS I skipped the really sporty Sti, Evo and SRT4. Maybe if the roads will be not so busy and poorly maintained here in NJ... but they will not be getting better anytime soon. The RX8 is stiff but good on bumpy roads. The S40 is decent also. The G35c was bad though.

DemonRX-8

A friend of mine was in the market for a new car recently, and I went with her to test drive cars. The cars we looked at and test drove were the Volvo S40 (T5 fwd and 2.4i), Acura TSX, Mazda 6 . . . and that's pretty much it for serious consideration. All were AT. The G35, IS300, and BMW 3 Series were too expensive and the Altima just didn't do it. Of the American cars, Pontiac looks like the only one that seems to offer anything with pizzaz, but she was trading in a Sunfire and didn't want another Pontiac (especially considering how little value the Sunfire retained).

The 6 was the best driver of the group by a good margin. I loved the peppy V6, the crisp handling, and the manual shift mode was the best of the group. The biggest downside was that it does not offer a navigation system and had the worst gas mileage. The Volvo was a fine car and it did offer the best ride of the three contenders - but of the two we drove, I felt a wide difference in handling and driving characteristics, with the 2.4i winning in all categories except for power. The T5 had decent punch, but it wasn't as good as I expected and the steering felt sloppy and sluggish. The difference in quality left a bad taste plus the Volvo was the most expensive of the three. In the end, we went with the TSX. It has an awesome combination of everything - handling, power, style, refinement, gas mileage, etc. The 6 is a fine car, but for just a couple thousand less, it doesn't compare to the TSX with nav, dual zone climate control, voice command, and overall feel of quality. If the 6 offered nav though, it might have been a different story.

We went in very objectively and unbiased. Frankly, I was pushing her towards the 6 at the start, but in the end, the TSX even won my nod. Anyone looking at the S40 should take a good look at the TSX - to us, it was a no-brainer between the two. I mentioned (repeatedly, I might add) that she could get an AT RX-8 for about the same price as any of the cars that we looked at. It wasn't even a consideration for her and she has zero regrets in getting the TSX.