Volvo V40 hatch - Why didn't the US get this?

Post by **BlackBart** » 24 Apr 2023, 14:46

I would post this in the appropriate section (P2, P80), but I don't know what they are!

I have two pics of this car and I wonder if the Euro members will jump in and tell us what they're like. Why didn't we get them here in the US? Too much competition in that segment?

: Volvo V40-R-Design-2013.jpg (261.28 KiB) Viewed 680 times

This one they apparently forgot to fit tires....

: Volvo V40.jpg (410.79 KiB) Viewed 680 times

They appear to be in the Crosstrek / Imprezza / Merc GLA hatch / Mazda3 size category??
Oh, now that I study the blue one, that could be a Euro Ford Focus under there, hmm.

I looked up the Wiki page and it appears they were a Volvo-Ford-Mazda collaboration from 2012 to 2019. "Global C Platform."
Body designed by American Chris Benjamin.

1.6L Ecoboost four with 150 or 180 hp. (That's a Ford, right?)
2.5 Volvo I5 with 254 hp (!)
A 1.6 and a 2.0 diesel.
Various generations of different engines as well. There was a 6-speed manual for a time.

3000-3300 lbs.
There was an XC version, slightly butched up with extra black trim, and HEICO built some modified versions.

2016 facelift looks like a nice car...

: 1920px-2016_Volvo_V40_R-Design_T2_2.0.jpg (561.07 KiB) Viewed 680 times

Post by **BlackBart** » 24 Apr 2023, 17:25

Not to be confused with this lonely loaf of bread. I think they sold 10 or 12 of these in the US.....

: VolvoV40.2.jpg (52.67 KiB) Viewed 664 times

Post by **BlackBart** » 24 Apr 2023, 17:34

Post by **BlackBart** » 24 Apr 2023, 17:40

4 wheel drive, 350 hp??

https://www.heicosportiv.com.au/facsina ... co_v40_hpc

Post by **matthew1** » 24 Apr 2023, 23:24

BlackBart wrote: ↑24 Apr 2023, 17:25 Not to be confused with this lonely loaf of bread. I think they sold 10 or 12 of these in the US.....

VolvoV40.2.jpg

My mom had one of these, same color too. Decent car.

Post by **matthew1** » 25 Apr 2023, 14:34

Getting back to the V40 -- it's a great-looking car. About as close to a Mazda 3 without having an actual Mazda 3.

At the end of the day, I think I'd chalk its non-appearance in the North American market to any other example of a car that wasn't offered here. They're all mysteries to me. Some have more obvious reasons behind them, while some have few reasons behind them, like the lack of manual transmissions in T-5 Volvo lineup in the 1990s and 2000s.

Were we Americans marching with torches against manual transmissions back then? I don't remember it.