Why was the Volvo V40 discontinued?

[LuciaDella]

Here are the specific reasons for the discontinuation of the Volvo V40: 1. The Volvo V40 is a compact hatchback. Although hatchbacks have advantages such as being lightweight, convenient, flexible to use, easy to park, and economical, Chinese consumers generally perceive hatchbacks as not being grand enough, with short and disproportionate body proportions that do not align with mainstream Chinese aesthetics. The passenger space and trunk are integrated in hatchbacks, and the trunk space is usually relatively small. 2. The discontinuation of the Volvo V40 is also related to its own product competitiveness. The Volvo V40 released updated models every year, but the updates showed almost no changes in appearance.

[Prim]

To be honest, I've also wondered why this car suddenly became unavailable. Volvo was dead set on going all-electric at that time, with the entire brand upgrading platforms and developing new architectures. After all, the V40 was a product of an old platform—just like flip phones in the smartphone era—no matter how much you optimize it, it can't keep up. Look at how they're pushing SUVs like the XC40, which offer more space and come with electric options, appealing more to younger buyers. Although the V40 handles well, the entire luxury compact car market is shrinking, and even competitors are under immense pressure. When crunching the numbers, manufacturers surely thought it made more sense to focus firepower on new energy vehicles rather than spending big to keep an old model alive—it's simply better business. You can still find well-maintained V40s in the used car market, but new ones are truly discontinued.

[DeBradley]

I remember discussing this with some car enthusiasts before. The V40's chassis and platform are indeed a bit outdated, especially after Volvo introduced the new CMA architecture, which adheres to new standards from R&D to production lines. It simply wasn't cost-effective to give the V40 a standalone update. At that time, the luxury compact car market was fiercely competitive, with the A3 and 1 Series offering heavy discounts, and domestic brands taking away a significant share of customers. After the dieselgate scandal in Europe, Volvo was in a hurry to phase out older powertrains like the T3 and T4. Most importantly, today's car buyers prefer higher-riding vehicles. The XC40, with its ability to fit a stroller in the back and hybrid options, naturally got more resources from the manufacturer. Once the last batch of inventory was cleared, the production line was directly converted for electric models.

[SanDelaney]

I own a 2016 V40 and asked the technicians during maintenance. They said the car's biggest awkwardness is using an old platform, and the cost of fitting a new engine is too high. When it was time for a model change, Volvo hesitated, but since compact cars have thin profit margins and developing a new chassis can easily cost billions, they decided to focus on the more profitable 60 and 90 series. Moreover, amid the global SUV boom, the XC40's sales in six months surpassed the V40's annual sales. Another hidden issue is that the V40 and V60 both belong to the wagon series but have blurred positioning—when the price gap isn't significant, buyers tend to opt for the larger one. With limited capacity at European factories, manufacturers naturally prioritize best-selling models.