Considering V40 as next car

[andyc1988]

Hello,

I've been looking at the V40 for a few months, seeing a few on the road they have real presence in rebel blue and I think the R Design trim looks good. I'm also very keen on the safety aspect. Given the limited 20 minute test drives on offer I'm wondering if I could get some feedback from current owners on certain aspects of the car please?

1 - Handling - I currently run a 130i M Sport which is clearly designed for sporty handling and performance. I've somewhat matured beyond this and given the poor state of the roads and the ever reducing speed limits running a quick car is just not cost effective. Having said that, I do enjoy country lanes - and there are plenty where I live - with the standard suspension how well does the V40 handle? Any size engine can reach 60mph but does the V40 deliver remotely sporty handling?

2 - Petrol - The majority of V40's seem to be diesel, but my annual mileage will be 6,000-10,000 miles so a diesel is just not appropriate. I'm considering the T3 as it shows 40-50mpg and acceleration in the 8.x seconds. Does anyone have the T3 or T4 engine and can they comment on in-gear acceleration, fuel economy, refinement, etc...?

3 - Automatic - I've been tempted to move onto an auto gearbox, the 8 speed ZF box used by BMW is impressive but many reviews have stated the Geartronic box is slow to react and can get confused. Can anyone verify this? I do have a progressive/roadcraft driving style so am not sure if Geartronic suits my driving.

4 - Cost of ownership - I like to keep my cars under warranty, especially where repairs may be expensive. Has anyone extended their Volvo's warranty after the initial period expires, and has the price/service from the extended warranty been acceptable? I also notice the service pricing on Volvo's website - a credit to their transparency - has anyone managed to beat these prices? Presuming I buy 2nd hand and the car doesn't have a plan they seem quite expensive, Mercedes and BMW both offer much cheaper prices/packages.

5 - Extended drives - Does anyone know where I might get a 24/48hr test drive of a V40?

I ask a lot of questions and I'm new to the forum but I thank anyone who has the time to reply, it will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Andy

Edit: 6 - Premium sound - Is this worth the upgrade? I like music of varying types and the 4x130W speakers with 8 in total seems like a very significant upgrade, but the specs of the standard sound system don't look too shoddy.