2006 Volvo S40 2.4i Road Test
Five-cylinder engines are still fairly uncommon in the automotive marketplace, the norm being 4, 6 and 8-cylinder variants with 10 and 12-cylinder behemoths reserved for the performance segment. All the "even" numbering would suggest that anything "odd" numbered would run about as smoothly as one-legged dog, yet the 5-banger powering Volvo's compact S40 sedan proves otherwise. As if defying the laws of nature, this 2.4 litre mill smoothly churns-out a respectable 168 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 170 foot-pounds of torque @ 4,400 rpm. That's enough to keep the S40 moving briskly from sunup to sunset but it's by no means sufficient to launch the S40 into "sports sedan" territory unless the slightly larger, 218 horsepower turbocharged I-5 powering the S40 T5 is opted for. Ah, but for the purposes of this week's road test, we shall focus on the more docile sibling.