Volvo V40 review - can the alternative premium hatch beat the best? - Engine and Gearbox

At a glance, the V40 engine line-up is easy to understand. There are D2, D3 and D4 diesel engines complemented by T2, T3, T4 and T5 petrol options. In time all V40s will be powered by 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines as Volvo rolls out its Drive-E units, but right now there's a mishmash of capacities. The T2, T3 and T4 are turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder units putting out 118-, 148- and 177bhp respectively. The range-topping 2.0-litre T5 engine puts out 242bhp and 258lb ft of torque. They're all pretty quiet and smooth, if lacking aural interest.

The D2 engine has 113bhp and 199lb ft at its disposal, while the D3 is an anomaly, as it's the last of Volvo's five-cylinder turbodiesel engines. It's the most interesting sounding of the lot too because of it and has plenty of go thanks to maximum outputs of 148bhp and 258lb ft. The four-cylinder D4 is significantly quicker yet also more efficient. Volvo's Geartronic automatic transmission is offered on selected models only.