Volvo S40 DRIVe: month 2

Arrived: Aug 2009
List price (including options): £20,245
Average economy: 49.7mpg

The Volvo S40 DRIVe has been -

Deflating its tyres and going to weddings. We'd love to say it's been a trouble-free first month with the S40 DRIVe, because we've already fallen for some of the eco saloon's charms, but there are a couple of distinct blots on the green landscape.

The first is hardly Volvo's fault though. Only two weeks into our time with the S40 we awoke to find that the air had spewed from the offside rear tyre. And because the Volvo packs a tiny 50mph-rated spare under its boot floor, it prompted us to ask the question that most car owners ask themselves after a flat: to buy budget or not to buy budget? We'll come to that later.

We're loving the -

View from inside the S40's cabin, which still looks every bit as fresh as when it was conceived back in 2004. The 'floating' centre console had the hallmarks of something that would age quickly at the time, but like most of Sweden's design output its simple effectiveness means it's ageing gracefully. And that's the last time we'll even hint at an Ikea reference for the next six months - you have our word. So lazy.

And anyway, it's not really that which is pleasing us about the S40's cabin. It's actually the use of space that's doing it, which is as well organised as a pre-assembled birch veneer PAX wardrobe demonstrator... we did it again. That's definitely the last one. Sorry.

Really though, for an ostensibly compact saloon, the amount of rear leg space and range of driving position adjustment the S40 has is laudable; thin front seat backs help a lot - a blindingly obvious solution that we're amazed isn't utilised by more makers. It's just a shame we're not as besotted by the box hanging off the back of our Volvo.

But not so impressed by -

The boot. It's not that the boot is small per se, but rather that its aperture is only just big enough to accommodate a folded buggy, which makes loading it the same as pushing a ream of A4 paper into a village post box. It's a problem inherent with saloons in general, but something that's become really apparent when living with one day-to-day - particularly when the S40 has replaced a hatchback.

We're looking forward to -

Getting the horrible, 50mph-rated spare wheel off and re-acquainting our Volvo with the missing piece of its low rolling resistance rubber jigsaw. We're worried about how much a brand new Michelin Energy Saver might cost, although we're still holding out hope for a quick repair job, having awoke one morning to find the tyre deflated of its own accord with no obvious wound (after an arbitrary scan, it must be said). Initial enquiries suggest we're looking north of £100 for a new Michelin, and to be honest we're loathe to shove a cheapie on there because one of the eco DRIVe's fuel saving measures is, of course, its rubber. It would be like running with a Nike Air Max on one foot and a flip-flop on the other. Kind of.

We'll let you know how it goes.

Mark Nichol