Recall Alert: 2008-09 Volvo C30, C70, S40

Volvo is recalling 1,020 of its small cars, including the C30 hatchback, C70 convertible and S40 sedan, for a defect in their power steering system. A faulty hose could rupture, leading to a loss in power-steering fluid and an eventual failure and complete loss of power assist. 

Volvo says it’s contacting owners, and that dealers will inspect and replace the defective part free of charge. Concerned owners can contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. 

Volvo Recall - 2008 and 2009 C30, C70, S40 Models (U.S. Recall News)

Ch-Ch-Changes: 2009 Volvo S40, V50

Volvo is having some challenges these days unloading its entry-level sedan and wagon. Heck, its entire lineup — even the well-reviewed and recently redesigned S80, V70 and C30 — is selling slowly.

What’s a safety-minded Swedish company to do? It seems it’s raising prices, consolidating options and introducing an entirely new trim naming convention for its cars, including the S40 and V50. No significant mechanical changes have been made from 2008. 

The 2009 S40 will come in three trim levels: 2.4i, T5 R-Design and T5 AWD R-Design.

The 2009 V50 will come in just two trim levels, deleting the front-wheel-drive T5 option and going with a 2.4i and T5 AWD R-Design only. The new Volvos will go on sale later this summer with the S40 and V50 on sale in early September.

Pricing, photos and content breakdown can be found below, along with an image gallery.

Recall Alert: Volvo S40 and V50

Volvo issued a recall for S40 and V50 models (23,000 in the U.S.; more overseas) because of a problem with a fuel pump. The pump sits exposed, which can lead to rust and corrosion, which in turn can cause the engine to stall unexpectedly. Who wants that?

The recall is for model years 2004 through 2006 and is concentrated in what Volvo calls “corrosion markets.” Hint: If your city uses salt to clear snow from your streets, or if you live in a rainy locale, you’re likely affected. In drier climates, Volvo has simply extended the car’s warranty.

Volvo Recalls 23,000 Vehicles (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Volvo Is Upscale Enough

Sometimes we sit around the Cars.com office and just scratch our heads when we hear what car companies are doing. In yesterday’s Detroit News came word that Ford is looking to make Volvo — Ford owns the Swedish automaker — more of an upscale luxury brand to better compete with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. If you thought Volvo was already a luxury car company, it’s technically considered a near-premium brand. The differences are hard to explain, but recent Volvos I’ve reviewed were roughly $10,000 less than their BMW and Audi counterparts despite having similar features and engines. Other near-premium brands are Saab, Cadillac, Lexus and Infiniti.

Now, Ford has the best of intentions … for it. The company needs to make more money off Volvo, which continues to be unprofitable despite an improved lineup. However, with Audi already making inroads into BMW and Mercedes-Benz territory, is there room for another company to do the same?

Volvo to Make HD Radio Standard for 2009 Models

In manufacturers’ constant arms race to include better perks for drivers, Volvo will make HD radio receivers standard in almost all of its models beginning in the second half of 2008.

Still in relative infancy, HD radio promises better sound quality than standard radio and offers vastly expanded programming. This includes access to news, weather, school closings and other emergency information right on the display screen.

Far from a monolithic set of stations with the same programming whether you’re driving in Seattle, Kansas City or New York, HD radio varies geographically, offering different stations in different locations that will remind listeners of the quaint ways of old-fashioned AM/FM radio. Across the country, radio stations are making the switch to HD broadcasting. Nearly 2,000 stations either broadcast in HD or offer HD2 multicasts on the FM dial with no subscription fee.

While reception may be spotty in certain areas, that won’t be so different from driving through west Texas trying to find a decent classic rock station.

Interestingly, there are a few exclusions in Volvo’s list of models that will have HD radio. Not listed are the base S40 or V50, nor is the S60. That makes us wonder whether the S60 will be around in 2009.

Volvo May Drop S40 Sedan

The automotive market is a tricky one. Trends are constantly changing and models are dropped for various reasons, like slow sales or even a new CEO’s whim. One recent rumor we heard was that Volvo’s introductory sedan, the S40, was heading to the chopping block. That bit of news deserved some investigation.

The S40 sedan will indeed remain in the Volvo lineup for at least three years, but may be dropped from the lineup after that time period. Current plans call for the V50 to remain in the lineup longer than the S40, should the S40 be dropped. Volvo isn't sure it needs a three-sedan lineup — small S40, midsize S60, large S80 — especially because the S60 and S80 are similar in size. One of the scenarios under consideration is to drop the S40 and have a scaled-down version of the current S60 to cover the market where the S40 and S60 now compete, leaving the upper end to the S80. "This is one of many scenarios," a source said. "Don't take it to the bank yet."

"It makes sense to consolidate because everyone else in the auto industry is consolidating," said Joe Phillippi of AutoTrends, an automotive consulting firm.

"Volvo doesn't need three sedans,” Phillippi said. “The new C30 can serve the purpose of attracting younger, less-affluent buyers than the S40 now does. It costs a lot of money to refresh a car like the S40 every five years, though at Volvo it's more like six years, and money is very important to Volvo and any eventual partner." The Swedish automaker is owned by Ford but may be sold to help fund the company’s North American turnaround.

"Any new partner may not want to invest the money it would take to support three sedans, which is a very expensive proposition," Phillippi said.

Related
2008 Volvo S40 Unveiled (KickingTires)
More Volvo News (KickingTires)

Women Like Suzukis, Volvos

According to J.D. Power’s most recent study, it seems women prefer Volvos to any other luxury brand, while men still go for sports cars. The highest female ownership of any luxury model for 2007 through the month of August was the Volvo S40 sedan. For men? The uber-fast Audi RS4. On the non-luxury side, the most popular model for women was the Volkswagen New Beetle, with 58.3% of its buyers being women. The top non-luxury brand for women buyers was Suzuki.

BusinessWeek tries to explore the “whys” of the numbers, but anytime you do that you’re looking for trouble. Meaning: We’re not going there. Keep reading for the top 10 luxury cars bought by women.

The Luxury Cars Women Want (BusinessWeek)

2008 Volvo S40 Unveiled

It's really hard to tell the difference between the just-introduced 2008 Volvo S40 and the current model. There are very slight changes to the front and rear ends, headlights and taillights, plus a lower stance; all are supposed to make the vehicle look like the new S80. OK, if you say so, Volvo. It looks the same to us.

There is supposedly more interior storage space in the doors and center stack. The redesigned doors even add space for additional speakers for the optional high-end audio system. There are also new optional interior touchups, like light oak panel covering and new upholstery colors. An auxiliary audio input is now standard, and USB and iPod connectors can be added as accessories.

Engine choices remain a 170-hp inline-five-cylinder for the base model and a turbocharged version in the T5 that makes 230 hp, which is 10 more hp than the engine in the previous T5 generated.

Volvo's new blind spot information system will also be available as an option.

Prices and a U.S. on-sale date have not been announced. More photos, including a comparison between the 2007 and 2008 models, are below.