Volvo V40 price confirmed

A little later than planned, Volvo has confirmed the pricing for the new V40, the car described by company head Stefan Jacoby on its debut at last month's Geneva Show as "a five-door, five-seat sibling to the C30". Only one version costs less than £20,000, and that's the one with the 115bhp D2 turbo diesel engine and the most basic ES trim. Although it's the least of the new V40s, it shares four things in common with all the others: Bluetooth connectivity, start/stop to shut off the engine when the car is at rest and thereby save fuel, the City Safety system, which applies the brakes at speeds of up to 31mph when it senses that the car might be about to hit something, and - a world first, this - a pedestrian airbag. The airbag covers part of the bonnet (which rises on impact to cushion the blow to the poor soul who landed on it) as well as the lower part of the windscreen and A pillars. Euro NCAP is going to love this. The D2 engine is one of three diesels in the range, the others being the 150bhp D3 and the 177bhp D4. There are also two petrols, namely the 150bhp T3 and the 180bhp T4. If you want low running costs, the D2 is the one for you. With 205-section tyres it officially has combined fuel economy of 78.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 94g/km, and while the first figure is heavily dependent on your driving style, the second isn't. This means that D2 models are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty and the London congestion charge, while Benefit In Kind taxation (where it applies) is £43 if you pay 20% tax and £85 if you're in the 40% bracket. As well as the start/stop and safety features mentioned above, the ES specification includes 16" alloy wheels, climate control air-conditioning, traction control, textile floor mats and leather-covered steering wheel and gearknob, but they're not available with the D4 and T4 engines. SE models get the full engine range, and also have a slightly upgraded interior, some chrome exterior trim, keyless start, cruise control and folding door mirrors with ground lighting. They generally cost a little under £2000 more than SEs, though the exact figure depends on which engine the car has. The range-topping SE Lux trim level adds a further £2000 to the price (not dependent on anything this time), and for that you get 17" wheels, leather upholstery, LED daytime running lights and active bending xenon lights. All versions also have their own Nav equivalent. These are £1200 more expensive and are fitted with satellite navigation (including two complimentary annual map updates), a 7" touchscreen and a DVD player. Production of the new V40 starts in May, but you can order one from a UK dealer now. First customer deliveries are expected to happen in September.