2008 Woodie Awards
The 2005 Volvo S40: Fabulously Functional, With Plenty of Style
Rachel Meyer
Issue date: 1/28/05 Section: Arts & Features
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As Good Charlotte aptly tells us, "Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money." While cars have traditionally been considered "a guy thing," I have always contended that girls care about them too. While many of us females primarily notice a car's cosmetic appearance, we do pay attention to performance. Boys and girls alike care a lot about how fast a car is, how fierce the pick-up is, how the car holds the road, and what special features the interior has to offer.
Gender divisions aside, many Colgate students love to drive, and from the looks of the lots on campus and the vehicles cruising the streets of Hamilton, students care deeply about what they drive.
My roommate recently became the proud driver of a brand new 2005 Volvo S40. Her new car piqued my interest in part because I just love a new car - the smell, the immaculateness, the new technology - but also because I am always eager to discover non-SUVs that are good in the snow. The S40's stylish detailing and all-wheel-drive (AWD) capability make the car a cool fusion of form and function. Not to mention that the S40's seductiveness and athleticism are made apparent by her car's "passion red" paintjob, which screams "racy": the car is hot and the red paint accentuates this fact.
And so I was provoked to do a bit of research.
The new S40, a follow-up to its less sleek, less aggressive, less attractive predecessor, has a lot to offer. Volvo's concern for safety remains paramount, and is manifest in the car's daytime running lights, airbags from practically every angle, and whiplash-reducing front seats. But the days of Volvo as "a mom car" are coming to an end. The T5 (turbo 5-cylinder) model affords quick acceleration and the 5-speed "Geartronic," available with T5 automatic transmission models, lends itself to a more agile ride. The new S40 has been pronounced more of a "driver's car" than its ancestor.
The automobile-minded know that sporty and snowy cannot typically jibe; however, the S40 T5 with AWD may be an exception. It's a welcome addition to the AWD sedan movement, which has become a growing trend in the last six years. Audi's A4, BMW's 3-series sedan and sports-wagon, and Volkswagen's 4-Motion Pasaat are all representatives of the erosion of the association between snow and SUVs. The S40 T5 AWD is also available with a winter mode, which serves to improve the car's handling in snowy conditions.
Gender divisions aside, many Colgate students love to drive, and from the looks of the lots on campus and the vehicles cruising the streets of Hamilton, students care deeply about what they drive.
My roommate recently became the proud driver of a brand new 2005 Volvo S40. Her new car piqued my interest in part because I just love a new car - the smell, the immaculateness, the new technology - but also because I am always eager to discover non-SUVs that are good in the snow. The S40's stylish detailing and all-wheel-drive (AWD) capability make the car a cool fusion of form and function. Not to mention that the S40's seductiveness and athleticism are made apparent by her car's "passion red" paintjob, which screams "racy": the car is hot and the red paint accentuates this fact.
And so I was provoked to do a bit of research.
The new S40, a follow-up to its less sleek, less aggressive, less attractive predecessor, has a lot to offer. Volvo's concern for safety remains paramount, and is manifest in the car's daytime running lights, airbags from practically every angle, and whiplash-reducing front seats. But the days of Volvo as "a mom car" are coming to an end. The T5 (turbo 5-cylinder) model affords quick acceleration and the 5-speed "Geartronic," available with T5 automatic transmission models, lends itself to a more agile ride. The new S40 has been pronounced more of a "driver's car" than its ancestor.
The automobile-minded know that sporty and snowy cannot typically jibe; however, the S40 T5 with AWD may be an exception. It's a welcome addition to the AWD sedan movement, which has become a growing trend in the last six years. Audi's A4, BMW's 3-series sedan and sports-wagon, and Volkswagen's 4-Motion Pasaat are all representatives of the erosion of the association between snow and SUVs. The S40 T5 AWD is also available with a winter mode, which serves to improve the car's handling in snowy conditions.