Verified Performance Tests i Results are sourced from independently published instrumented tests. Manufacturer estimates are excluded. Read our methodology. Updated Jul 2026 · 3 recorded runs

Volvo 940 0–60 Times

The Volvo 940 0–60 times and quarter-mile times below are from 3 recorded performance tests sourced from reputable automotive resources such as Car and Driver, Motor Week and Road & Track and more.

The fastest tested Volvo 940 is the 1991 Volvo 940 SE Sedan, which went from 0 to 60 mph in 7.80 seconds, reaching the ¼ mile in 16.20 seconds at 87.0 mph, according to Motor Week.

The slowest tested Volvo 940 is the 1991 Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan, which took 8.90 seconds to reach 60 mph, running the ¼ mile in 16.80 seconds at 81.8 mph, according to Road & Track.

Out of all the Volvo 940 tests in our database, the average 0–60 mph time is 8.37 seconds. The average quarter-mile time is 16.53 seconds at 83.60 mph.

Fastest 0–60 7.80sec 1991 SE Sedan · stock
Average 0–60 8.37sec Across 3 runs
Avg ¼ Mile 16.53sec @ 83.6 mph trap
Slowest 0–60 8.90sec 1991 Turbo Sedan
1991 Volvo 940

Across 3 verified runs, the Volvo 940 ranges from 7.80 to 8.90 seconds 0–60, with a 8.37-second average.

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Volvo 940 Performance Overview

Volvo’s 940 performance record is concentrated into a single launch year, with 3 verified tests spanning 1991 to 1991. In these early U.S. results, the 940 Series established a narrow but clear range for the model’s straight-line pace, all within the 1991 940 generation. Tested examples were all gasoline, turbocharged cars built around the 162-hp B230FT four-cylinder, giving the model a consistent mechanical baseline across the available data.

Within that one-year snapshot, the quickest result came from the 1991 SE Sedan at 7.8 seconds to 60 mph, while also posting the model’s best quarter-mile of 16.2 seconds at 87 mph. The 1991 Turbo Sedan followed at 8.4 seconds in one test and 8.9 seconds in another, showing that trim, setup, and test conditions could shift the 940’s measured output even with the same basic engine family. Across all three independently verified production tests, average performance settled at 8.37 seconds to 60 mph and 16.53 seconds at 83.6 mph in the quarter-mile. As the current and only generation represented here, the 940 stands today as a turbocharged gasoline sedan with a documented 0-60 window capped by the 7.8-second SE Sedan benchmark.

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Volvo 940 0–60 Times by Generation

1 generation
Generation Years Avg 0–60 Fastest 0–60 Tests Notes
940 1991–1998 8.37s 7.80s — 1991 SE Sedan 3 The 940 generation (1991–1998) averaged 8.37 seconds to 60 mph across 3 tests, led by the 1991 SE Sedan at 7.80 seconds. Output was 162 hp across 2.3L Turbo I-4 configurations.
940 1991–1998
Avg 0–60 8.37s
Fastest 7.80s
Tests 3
1991 SE Sedan
The 940 generation (1991–1998) averaged 8.37 seconds to 60 mph across 3 tests, led by the 1991 SE Sedan at 7.80 seconds. Output was 162 hp across 2.3L Turbo I-4 configurations.
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Volvo 940 0–60 Times by Year and Trim

3 tests · 1 year

1991 Volvo 940

3 verified runs
Avg 0–60 8.37 sec
Avg ¼ Mile 16.53 sec
Recorded Tests 3
#01
1991 Volvo 940 SE Sedan
7.80sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
16.20s ¼ mi @ 87.0 mph
0–60 mph
7.80 sec
¼ Mile ET
16.20 sec
Trap Speed
87.0 mph
Engine
2.3L Turbo I-4
Drivetrain
RWD
Transmission
4A
Horsepower
162 hp
Torque
195 lb-ft
Curb Weight
3,300 lbs
Power-to-Weight
20.4 lbs/hp
MPG EPA
17 C / 20 H / 20 Obs
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Sedan
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Motor Week
Overall Rank
#1 of 3
1991 Volvo 940 SE Sedan
#02
1991 Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan
8.40sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
16.60s ¼ mi @ 82.0 mph
0–60 mph
8.40 sec
¼ Mile ET
16.60 sec
Trap Speed
82.0 mph
Engine
2.3L Turbo I-4
Drivetrain
RWD
Transmission
4A
Horsepower
162 hp
Torque
195 lb-ft
Curb Weight
3,300 lbs
Power-to-Weight
20.4 lbs/hp
MPG EPA
17 C / 20 H / 18 Obs
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Sedan
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Car and Driver
Overall Rank
#2 of 3
1991 Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan
#03
1991 Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan
8.90sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
16.80s ¼ mi @ 81.8 mph
0–60 mph
8.90 sec
¼ Mile ET
16.80 sec
Trap Speed
81.8 mph
Engine
2.3L Turbo I-4
Drivetrain
RWD
Transmission
4A
Horsepower
162 hp
Torque
195 lb-ft
Curb Weight
3,300 lbs
Power-to-Weight
20.4 lbs/hp
MPG EPA
17 C / 20 H / 21.5 Obs
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Sedan
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Road & Track
Overall Rank
#3 of 3
1991 Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan

How we verify Volvo 940 performance data

We include only independently published road-test results from automotive publications. Manufacturer-claimed 0–60 times are excluded unless clearly labeled. When multiple publications test the same Volvo 940 trim, each run is listed separately — weather, tires, surface, rollout, and instrumentation all affect results.

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Volvo 940 0–60 and quarter-mile distribution

0–60 vs ¼ mile · lower-left is faster
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Volvo 940 performance FAQs

10 questions
The 1991 Volvo 940 runs 0-60 in 7.8 to 8.9 seconds across three recorded tests. The quickest run is the 1991 940 SE Sedan at 7.8 seconds, while the two 940 Turbo Sedan tests came in at 8.4 and 8.9 seconds. The overall average is 8.37 seconds.
The fastest Volvo 940 on record is the 1991 940 SE Sedan, which reached 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. It also posted the quickest quarter-mile for the model at 16.2 seconds at 87 mph. Across all verified 940 tests, no other version has gone quicker to 60 mph.
The fastest stock Volvo 940 is also the overall fastest one on record: the 1991 SE Sedan. It reaches 60 mph in 7.8 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds at 87 mph. All three recorded Volvo 940 tests are stock vehicles, so there is no modified result that outruns it.
The Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan has recorded 0-60 times of 8.4 and 8.9 seconds. Across its two tests, the average comes out to 8.65 seconds, with 8.4 seconds standing as the best recorded run. Both tested Turbo Sedans used the 162-hp, 195-lb-ft B230FT turbocharged engine and rear-wheel drive.
The 1991 Volvo 940 SE Sedan reaches 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. That makes it the quickest 940 variant on record. It uses the turbocharged B230FT engine rated at 162 hp and 195 lb-ft, paired with rear-wheel drive, and it also leads the model range in quarter-mile performance.
For the 940 Series generation, recorded 0-60 times average 8.37 seconds across three tests. The quickest example is the 1991 SE Sedan at 7.8 seconds. Every recorded 940 Series test here uses a turbocharged gasoline powertrain, with output listed at 162 hp and rear-wheel drive.
The quickest Volvo 940 Turbo Sedan on record reaches 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. That result came from a 1991 Turbo Sedan, which also ran the quarter-mile in 16.6 seconds at 82 mph. Another tested 1991 Turbo Sedan ran 8.9 seconds to 60 mph, so 8.4 seconds is the benchmark for that trim.
The SE Sedan is quicker. The 1991 Volvo 940 SE Sedan ran 0-60 in 7.8 seconds, while the 1991 Turbo Sedan recorded 8.4 and 8.9 seconds. That gives the SE Sedan a clear edge in straight-line acceleration, even though both trims share the same 162-hp, 195-lb-ft turbocharged B230FT setup.
The Volvo 940 runs the quarter-mile in 16.2 to 16.8 seconds across recorded tests, with trap speeds from 81.8 to 87 mph. The average quarter-mile performance is 16.53 seconds at 83.6 mph. The fastest run belongs to the 1991 SE Sedan at 16.2 seconds and 87 mph.
There are three Volvo 940 performance tests on record, and all three are production-stock cars. Across those runs, the model averages 8.37 seconds from 0-60 mph and 16.53 seconds in the quarter-mile at 83.6 mph. The fastest result is the 1991 SE Sedan at 7.8 seconds to 60 mph.

Sources

Car and Driver
Motor Week
Road & Track

0–60 and quarter-mile times vary with driver, weather, tire temperature, and wear. We collect every verified run we can find — so you see the range of what a Volvo 940 can do, not a single marketing claim.

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Other Volvo 0–60 times

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