Rear park assist necessary?

[lancslad1985]

Hi Everyone.

I'm looking at getting a lovely new R design V40 in the next few months. I have test driven the model and noticed rear visibility is only average, but they were reticent to let me reverse park the car as it wasn't mine. For all the current V40 owners, is the rear park assist a necessity or is the car actually quite easy to park?

Thanks.

[anton differing]

As (I am ashamed to say) quite possibly the worst parker in the history of humankind, I need all the help I can get - park assist, rear camera, dipping door mirrors, the works! Even then, I have the garage wall padded with foam! Perhaps someone less useless than I would be OK...

[conedia]

Absolutely essential. I am actually quite good at parking, but in confined spaces I felt I would hit something sooner or later without the assist. While you're at it, get the auto tilting external mirrors as well - my V40 (bought as a few months old used model) doesn't have it. The Citroen C5 I traded in did, and I miss that tilting feature tremendously.

[volvorocks]

The V40 is tricky to park. Not only does poor rear visibilty worsen the problem, but the car is difficult to place. Sensors well worth it.

Regards

[RoyMacDonald]

My wife's been driving it a year without sensors but she always gets out of the car and checks behind her first. You won't see stuff immediately behind you and below the level of the rear window which is quite high. I think I'm going to get some sensors fitted just for peace of mind and as my other two Volvo's have reversing sensors it avoids any issue with forgetting I'm in the one without any.

[lancslad1985]

Thanks everyone. I get the feeling that even if it isn't necessary, it's advisable due to the very small rear window. Now I just need to decide between the XC SE, R design or standard SE. Just wish the R design came with the cruise control, lumbar support and all the other gubbins the other two come with as standard!

[conedia]

Get the cruise control, and particularly the Adaptive CC. I thought it was a gimmick on my V40, but after driving it for a week now, I think it is a great feature.

[bradams]

Interested in the various comments about visibility in the V40. I now think it is one of the worst-shaped cars out! (There again its just following the fashion - which is a shame for Volvo). With its sloping shoulder line, I find it very difficult to park straight, forwards or backwards (and I am no novice). I also think parking sensors are essential with this car, what with the small window and obscuring headrests, not to mention bollards and shrinking parking bays. Beyond the sensors, I just use my wing mirrors.

Like with most V40 gimmicks, I gave up on trying to activate the tilting mirrors, but I compensated by gluing a small extra mirror onto the nearside wing mirror, aimed to pick out the rear wheel - perfect for locating kerbs and the like.

[Jonny5isalive]

Originally Posted by bradams

Interested in the various comments about visibility in the V40. I now think it is one of the worst-shaped cars out! (There again its just following the fashion - which is a shame for Volvo). With its sloping shoulder line, I find it very difficult to park straight, forwards or backwards (and I am no novice). I also think parking sensors are essential with this car, what with the small window and obscuring headrests, not to mention bollards and shrinking parking bays. Beyond the sensors, I just use my wing mirrors.

Like with most V40 gimmicks, I gave up on trying to activate the tilting mirrors, but I compensated by gluing a small extra mirror onto the nearside wing mirror, aimed to pick out the rear wheel - perfect for locating kerbs and the like.

The V40 is probably not far off the length of the S60. This is the first car I've had parking sensors on and find them very helpful as you can't see the corners of the boot from the drivers seat. If you've got a bit more dosh to spend on options, I would seriously consider the reversing sensors. Hope this helps.

[conedia]

Originally Posted by bradams

Interested in the various comments about visibility in the V40. I now think it is one of the worst-shaped cars out! (There again its just following the fashion - which is a shame for Volvo). With its sloping shoulder line, I find it very difficult to park straight, forwards or backwards (and I am no novice). I also think parking sensors are essential with this car, what with the small window and obscuring headrests, not to mention bollards and shrinking parking bays. Beyond the sensors, I just use my wing mirrors.

Like with most V40 gimmicks, I gave up on trying to activate the tilting mirrors, but I compensated by gluing a small extra mirror onto the nearside wing mirror, aimed to pick out the rear wheel - perfect for locating kerbs and the like.

Thanks bradams for the tip about gluing a small mirror to the outside mirrors. I too couldn't activate the tilting feature supposedly fitted to my V40. I had that feature on my increasingly lamented Citroen C5, and I really miss it! Perhaps your solution will go somewhat to addressing the issue.