VOLVO 240

Comic actor Dudley Moore made a movie about the advertising business in the 1980s and one of the ad slogans his character came up with went like this: "Volvos: they're boxy, but they're good."
There isn't a better way to describe the rear-wheel drive 240, which ceased to be a part of the Volvo lineup after the 1993 model year-a year which marked the arrival of the front-drive 850 as its ultimate replacement. 

But talk about a successful car. Goodness, the basic (boxy) body design of the 240 dated back to the flower-power generation's heyday in the mid-'60s and the basics of the chassis and powertrain arrived in 1975. 

Today, there are still plenty of older 240s on the road and it takes a trained eye to distinguish one model year from the other. Fact is, the 240 proved to be a durable if not exciting sedan and station wagon lineup.

The lack of excitement was a function of not just a design seemingly inspired by an ice cube (Volvo is a Swedish company, after all), but also the fact that in its last few years the only engine choice was a 114 horsepower four-cylinder engine. To keep up with traffic, drivers needed to work the throttle pretty aggressively and that brought out a noticeable level of coarseness in the sound and feel of the powerplant. The latter would remain true today with older 240s, only more so.

As for road manners, the 240 had a nice, flat, stable highway ride, but cornering was not what anyone would call sporty. Braking was strong, although anti-lock didn't arrive until 1991 as an option (a driver's side airbag came in 1990).

That said cabin room was exceptional and the station wagon had an enormous and very usable cargo area. Seats were comfortable and visibility was good for everyone in all directions. For the latter, give some credit to relatively thin roof pillars that nonetheless were very robust, safety-wise. And speaking of safety, strong crash test performance was a given with these cars.

Prices? They've held up quite well, so bargains in the used market are hard to find. Truth is, it's tough to separate the average and very loyal 240 buyer from his or her car. If you do find a used one you like, get a proper mechanical check, but keep in mind that reliability has not generally proven to be a problem with the 240.

CURRENT RED BOOK PRICING (avg. retail):Volvo 240 four-door sedan
1998-NA
1997-NA 
1996-NA
1995-NA
1994-NA
1993-$8,875 ($24,270 original MSRP) 


BUYER'S ALERTS: Look for tiny water droplets spraying into the cabin through the centre vents that might be addressed by an insert installed in the drain hose of the A/C system (TSB SB-87-206; Oct. 1990); difficulty with cold starts might be addressed by a new computer with a revised program (SMB 23-24, Nov. 1990.

Under recalls, note them for the following years:
1986-85: No. 1986101 concerns a throttle cable sleeve that might be affected by a low speed frontal impact. 

THE VERDICT: Hardly a sexy car, but roomy and pretty reliable.

CHECK THE SPECS

1993 Volvo 240 sedan
Engine: (front engine/rear-wheel drive) 2.4-litre I4, SOHC; fuel injection; 114 hp. @ 5,400 rpm; torque rated @ 136 ft-lbs @ 2,750 rpm.
Transmission: five-speed manual.
Steering: power-assisted rack and pinion.
Brakes: power front disc/rear drum.
Tires: 185/70R14 all-season radials.
Fuel economy(litres/100 km): 11.3 city/7.8 hwy.
Wheelbase: 2,650 mm (104.3 in.).
Curb weight: 1,310 kg. (2,888 lbs.).
Pros
* Large and reliable
Cons
* Anemic acceleration and mediocre handling

OVERALL SCORE: 7.0 (out of 10 for pre-'97 models)

ROAD TEST REPORT CARD for 1993 Volvo 240 sedan
Access: B+
Driving position: B
Instruments/Controls: C+ 
Visibility: B+ 
Climate Control: B-
Steering: C+
Brakes: B-
Handling: C 
Acceleration: D
Engine: B
Transmission: C+ 
Interior space: B+ 
Trunk/Cargo: B+
Noise/Vibration/Harshness: B

DURABILITY/RELIABILITY REPORT CARD
Overall: B
Mechanical: B+ 
Hardware/Body/Paint/Trim: B-

SAFETY REPORT CARD 
Anti-lock braking: Yes (newer models) 
Airbags (driver/passenger): yes/no (new models) 
Traction control: no
1999 Driver/Passenger Front Crash Protection (0-5 stars with five stars the best): NA

INSURANCE HISTORY
Collision cost rating: NA
Comprehensive cost rating: NA
Theft claim cost rating: NA