Volvo 145 1973–1974 car dimensions: 4640 mm long, 1710 mm wide and 1450 mm high. Unladen weight is 1,260 kg. Braked towing is 1,200 kg.
The cabin has a redesigned dashboard with gauges and warning lights grouped in front of the driver plus a center console for controls. Seats offer six adjustments including forward-back, backrest angle, head restraint height, lumbar support, seat height and cushion rake. A new heating and ventilation system with ten outlets and three-speed fan is standard and prepared for optional air conditioning. Electric rear window defroster is standard along with inertia reel seat belts.
Cargo volume is approximately 1.5 cubic metres with rear seats up and 1.9 cubic metres with seats folded down for a flat floor 1.88 m long. There is a concealed underfloor storage of 100 litres plus textile upholstery matching the cabin and a rear window with standard wiper washer and electric heating.
Maximum towing weight is 1200 kg braked or 700 kg unbraked. Payload or carrying capacity is 460 kg based on kerb weight around 1300-1340 kg and gross vehicle weight of 1800-1820 kg. Rear springs include hollow rubber snubbers to handle heavy loads making the estate suitable for practical work and load carrying.
The cabin offers firm supportive front seats with six manual adjustments including lumbar support via a side knob, height, rake, fore-aft travel, backrest angle and head restraint height. Heavy-duty vinyl covers the seats for easy cleaning while cloth or leather facings appear on higher grades. A new heating and ventilation system delivers air through ten outlets including face-level dash vents, floor ducts front and rear plus defrosters. Electrically heated rear window glass with wiper-washer is standard. The layout feels practical and spacious with good rearward vision and a flat cargo floor.
Petrol engines B20A carburetted or B20F injected. 58-litre tank
Engine oil and filter change every 6000 miles after initial service
Four-wheel disc brakes with dual triangular split circuits
Standard anti-intrusion door bars, inertia-reel three-point belts front and outer rear, laminated windscreen
Child-proof rear door locks and fire-resistant upholstery
High-impact bumpers on shock absorbers meeting 5 mph front standard
Fuel is petrol only. Carburettor B20A or continuous-injection B20F versions are offered depending on market and grade. The tank holds about 58 litres and sits protected under the rear floor. Injection models run on lower-octane fuel than earlier high-compression units.
Servicing follows a straightforward schedule. After the first 600-1200 mile inspection the engine oil and filter are renewed every 6000 miles or six months. Gearbox and rear-axle oils are checked at the same intervals and changed less often. Access to plugs and filter is good once the air cleaner is clear.
Safety equipment centres on a rigid passenger cell with front and rear crumple zones. All four wheels carry disc brakes served by dual circuits that retain most stopping power if one fails. Doors contain steel anti-intrusion bars. Three-point inertia-reel belts protect front and outer rear seats. head restraints are standard and height-adjustable. A padded energy-absorbing steering wheel, collapsible column, laminated windscreen and child-proof rear locks complete the kit. No official star rating is published for this generation.
Keeping the car means regular underbody wax and rust checks because the unit body is welded in thousands of spots. Radial tyres became standard in 1973 for better load capacity and handling. The heated rear window and washer keep the large glass clear in poor weather so reverse vision stays reliable.
Length 4640 mm, Width 1710 mm, Height 1450 mm, Wheelbase 2600 mm (145 1973–1974)
Sources: manufacturer data, Volvo Cars legacy models page, carfolio.com 1973 145 specs, 1973/1974 Volvo brochures via volvoclub.org.uk and archive.