Who'd Win in a Fight, VW Passat or Volvo S40

censuspro

These are two cars I'm very interested in buying. Looking at 2006 Models going for around €13K. Going to be used for general every day going to and from work. Average mileage.

Any thoughts or opinions on which car to go for would be appreciated

.Longshanks.

Put it like this, who'd win in a flight between a passat and a focus

bazz26

Longshanks100 wrote: »

Put it like this, who'd win in a flight between a passat and a focus

This old chestnut.

Why not finish the sentence fully and say Skoda/VW/Seat/Audi v Ford/Volvo/Mazda or is only acceptable for the Germans to share platforms with others?

.Longshanks.

bazz26 wrote: »

This old chestnut.

Why not finish the sentence fully and say Skoda/VW/Seat/Audi v Ford/Volvo/Mazda or is only acceptable for the Germans to share platforms with others?

My point was the that passat is a class above the focus - which the s40 is based on. I'm not knocking platform sharing, but the fact* is that the passat is a bigger car.

* ducts for cover when somebody else counters with measurements proving me wrong!

gazmc

The s40 is finished better, higher spec, better drive and nicer looking (imo) even if it does share the focus chassis
The Passat is bigger but then again that only matters if you want a bigger car.

Toyota_Avensis

S40 Lacks the edge which the Passat would have.
However, every second car on the road is a fuk*n Passat.

S40 may have more appeal and anyway although its intended to rival the Focus. Its a cut above the rest.

hunter164

My car would kill your car.

robtri

rather disapointed, i have to say....
I was hoping for a big crash picture or something along those lines...


anyway voted for Volvo... cause I hate the Passat..... think its a god awful car... would nearly rather a micra cc in pink....NEARLY:o

censuspro

robtri wrote: »

rather disapointed, i have to say....
I was hoping for a big crash picture or something along those lines...


anyway voted for Volvo... cause I hate the Passat..... think its a god awful car... would nearly rather a micra cc in pink....NEARLY:o

go on...

colm_mcm

you should probably consider the Jetta too, Space wise, it'd be more of an S40 rival than the Passat. They've gotten cheap too.

bazzachazza

What engine, what spec ?

Help us here.

1.9tdi v 2.0d-no fight Volvo wins.

1.9 v 1.6 diesel-draw

petrol no experience of.

Volvo much better spec car. But poor rear leg room and boot space.

Volvo built like a tank. Passat as well but it has its electrical issues.

I had an S40 for 4 years and it had no problems. Wife has had three company passats in 2.5 years and all have had issues current is a gearbox problem. Friend in work had a handbrake issue, my dads passat when he filled the tank after 200 or so metres it cut to emergency power and then wouldn't let him in the car some mornings.

I'm sure there is some s40 stories but I don't know many people that have had s40's.

JHMEG

Being based on the Focus chassis is A Good Thing.

The S40 is a classy looking car, and there are an awful awful lot of Passat TDIs on the road. A lot seem to be black.

Biro

Depends on the engine largely. Passat is bigger, a little more comfortable. It's a class up as mentioned. Has it's issues, but is hated by boardies for some reason. (yet they all love Octavias, Superbs and A4's...)

bf

As mentioned a little more detail from the OP on spec, model would help. For €13k you would easily be getting into a 07 model in both cars - €13k is too much for an 06

bladespin

€13k sounds expensive for a Passat, never was a Volvo man so not sure of their pricing.

Voted for the Volvo, has to be better, too many problems associated with the passat, gearbox, electrics etc.

My Alfa'd murder both though (at the same time loikes )

VolvoMan

Longshanks100 wrote: »

Put it like this, who'd win in a flight between a passat and a focus

You do know that the Passat itself is a stretched Golf?

colm_mcm

The point is that the S40 isn't streched, it's the same size as the Focus

VolvoMan

colm_mcm wrote: »

The point is that the S40 isn't streched, it's the same size as the Focus

And so is a BMW 3 Series.

colm_mcm

So is the Chevrolet Lacetti. The problem I've always had with the S40 is it's not different enough to the Focus, it's FWD, it shares engines with the Ford and it's the same size. I had one through work for a while and was impressed with the fit and finish of it, I'd have one before a Focus, but it's not in the same league as the 3 series either dynamically or image-wise.

VolvoMan

colm_mcm wrote: »

So is the Chevrolet Lacetti. The problem I've always had with the S40 is it's not different enough to the Focus, it's FWD, it shares engines with the Ford and it's the same size. I had one through work for a while and was impressed with the fit and finish of it, I'd have one before a Focus, but it's not in the same league as the 3 series either dynamically or image-wise.

Yes, I do agree with that. The S40 is really best seen as a booted rival to the likes Audi A3. The S60 was Volvo's true rival to the 3 Series, being only slightly bigger. Although the last Carisma-based S40 could've been seen as sort of a rival in size to the cars we're talking about.

TomMc

Why not consider the V50. More practical and not ten a penny. Everytime I see an S40 coming towards me, I expect it to be much more substantial in size (looking from the front profile). It passes by and you think where has the back or the rest of it gone. Like the 3-Series saloons, it is somewhat diminutive, a miniature version of big brother. If you do not need the size buy a Focus, if you do maybe consider something slightly bigger like an Accord.

colm_mcm

Therein lies the conundrum.

The C30 is a direct rival to the A3.
The V50 is a direct rival to the A3 Sportback.

I'd see the S40 as a rival to high end Jettas, but because of its proportions couldn't be an A4 rival. it could be compared to Passats, but only because they cost roughly the same.

This opens a whole other can of worms as to how an A4 can be superior to a Passat, or whether a golf or Scirocco are more desirable than an A3.

Maybe the new S60 will solve all this, if pricing is competitive it could make Volvos case a lot stronger.

unkel

VolvoMan wrote: »

And so is a BMW 3 Series.

Size wise the 3 Series is a D-class car (like a Passat, an Avensis, etc.) and a Focus (like a Golf, a Corolla, etc.) a C-class car. The S40 is about the same size as the Focus it is based on but somehow it has always been perceived to be a D-class car. The Carisma the previous S40 was based on was nowhere near big enough to be a D-class car either. That said, there are of course no official definitions of class sizes

bazzachazza

bladespin wrote: »

€13k sounds expensive for a Passat, never was a Volvo man so not sure of their pricing.

Voted for the Volvo, has to be better, too many problems associated with the passat, gearbox, electrics etc.

My Alfa'd murder both though (at the same time loikes )

Only when its on the back of a tow truck though

VolvoMan

colm_mcm wrote: »

Maybe the new S60 will solve all this, if pricing is competitive it could make Volvos case a lot stronger.

Since compact execs have gotten a lot bigger, matching the size of the outgoing generation S60, the new car will remain the same size and the S40 will be discontinued and replaced with most likely a 5 door C30.

cadaliac

unkel wrote: »

Size wise the 3 Series is a D-class car (like a Passat, an Avensis, etc.) and a Focus (like a Golf, a Corolla, etc.) a C-class car. The S40 is about the same size as the Focus it is based on but somehow it has always been perceived to be a D-class car. The Carisma the previous S40 was based on was nowhere near big enough to be a D-class car either. That said, there are of course no official definitions of class sizes

Sorry, but the 3-series is in no way the same size as a passat. As you say though, it is perceived as as a D- class car.
The exterior dimensions might be close, but the interior is a lot smaller, to me anyway.

junkyard

They're both crap, buy a Mondeo.

unkel

cadaliac wrote: »

Sorry, but the 3-series is in no way the same size as a passat.

I didn't say the same size, I said the same size class. Some within the D-class are bigger than others. A passat or a 3-series are neither particularly big within the class - a Mondeo is big within the class. The S40 is a lot smaller than any car in the D-class though.

Carstuck

When I voted the poll was exalty 50/50. i.e. 19 votes each. I picked the passat because I think its a nicer looking car even if its spec. differ to the volvo. The jetta looks nearly the same (except back number plate is higher & front lights look like a golfs). What is it with volswagen cars looking similiar?

bazzachazza

Carstuck wrote: »

When I voted the poll was exalty 50/50. i.e. 19 votes each. I picked the passat because I think its a nicer looking car even if its spec. differ to the volvo. The jetta looks nearly the same (except back number plate is higher & front lights look like a golfs). What is it with volswagen cars looking similiar?

Same can be said for Merc/Audi/BMW/Volvo etc etc.

Carstuck

bazzachazza wrote: »

Same can be said for Merc/Audi/BMW/Volvo etc etc.

Still not as noticeable as volswagen. Hence, Ford Mondeo & Focus look completely different.

TonyM.

Five year old Passat €115000
Five year old S40 €7900
Five year old Mondeo ? who cares

VW and Toyota are the only cars worth buying.

VinnyTGM

TJJP

Honest John suggests that the Volvo S40 would win.... which surprises me. Mind you, there would be a saving on bulbs....

Volvo S40: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=563

Volkswagen Passat: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=759

junkyard

TonyM. wrote: »

Five year old Passat €115000
Five year old S40 €7900
Five year old Mondeo ? who cares

VW and Toyota are the only cars worth buying.

VW and Toyota? Who cares, if that's all you aspire to owning...... all cars in this class are bland and boring.

Liam_Lawlor

Go for the Volvo, less trouble and higher spec for less money, seats much more comfy. They look better (IMO). I'd go for a black leather interior as some of te creams and light gray are a bit scary looking + they look dirty v easily (just like Katie Price).
I had both and much prefer the Volvo.

Matt Simis

bazzachazza wrote: »

Same can be said for Merc/Audi/BMW/Volvo etc etc.

Brand image. Germans (or their researchers) presumably found that an identifiable brand is what their consumers want Which is not a good or bad thing, its simply a marketing direction. Also makes for a more coherent and effective brand identity and increases the usefulness of Halo cars. The Audi R8 is identifiably an Audi as much as the Q7 is. The same could not be same for the IS-F or Focus RS.

The German marques certainly seem to really buy into it though.



OP: Both ho-hum vanilla choices IMO, too plain for me to even formulate an opinion on one vs the other.

teednab-el

JHMEG wrote: »

Being based on the Focus chassis is A Good Thing.

The S40 is a classy looking car, and there are an awful awful lot of Passat TDIs on the road. A lot seem to be black.

Or 1.6 FSI's for that matter.

pburns

TonyM. wrote: »

Five year old Passat €115000
Five year old S40 €7900
Five year old Mondeo ? who cares

VW and Toyota are the only cars worth buying.

Even without the typo that statement is :D:D...

cadaliac

Matt Simis wrote: »

Brand image. Germans (or their researchers) presumably found that an identifiable brand is what their consumers want Which is not a good or bad thing, its simply a marketing direction. Also makes for a more coherent and effective brand identity and increases the usefulness of Halo cars. The Audi R8 is identifiably an Audi as much as the Q7 is. The same could not be same for the IS-F or Focus RS.

The German marques certainly seem to really buy into it though.



OP: Both ho-hum vanilla choices IMO, too plain for me to even formulate an opinion on one vs the other.

Joe Public is going to buy an Audi because it better than everything else . Fact!

Thats good marketing!

censuspro

Liam_Lawlor wrote: »

Go for the Volvo, less trouble and higher spec for less money, seats much more comfy. They look better (IMO). I'd go for a black leather interior as some of te creams and light gray are a bit scary looking + they look dirty v easily (just like Katie Price).
I had both and much prefer the Volvo.

I'd buy an S40 over Katie Price any day.