2007 Volvo S40

Small this car may be, but consider the sum of its parts. Standard equipment is highlighted by a long list of top safety features, including a full slate of driver and passenger air bags, Volvo's patented whiplash protection system (WHIPS), Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), and an energy-absorbing interior with a tough passenger safety cage.
The car's roster of lighting contributes to safety with its daytime running lights illuminated side-marker lights/turn signal indicators, and an innovative rear fog light that helps to increase visibility to drivers approaching from behind.
Speaking of innovation, get a load of the Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS), which monitors driver activity (steering wheel angles, turn-signal frequency, rate of acceleration) to determine the driver's stress level. This little magician then reduces the amount of information displayed so as not to compromise the driver's attention.
You'll also get with every trim cruise control, a pollen filter, plush floor mats, and a single CD player with audio controls into the leather steering wheel. Heated side-view mirrors are also standard, and they work with the rear defroster on a timer system: the mirrors turn off after 6 minutes, the rear window after 12.
If all this isn't enough, several options packages let you add such niceties as heated leather seats, a 6-CD in-dash changer, and the Volvo Navigation System.
This stylish little commuter car handles fine, but you'll be disappointed if a sports-car suspension is among your expectations. Notice that we called it a commuter car and not a family car - that backseat doesn't exactly give the kids room to grow. If you like your young'uns, and we know that you do, you might want to look a bit higher up the Volvo ladder.
It's still early for this model year, but reliability ratings from users and professional reviewers are about average. Then again, with so many features, there's more that can potentially go awry.