The Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electrical is about to get a reputation change.
Whereas there’s no main modifications to its styling or drivetrains, the compact electrical SUV shall be rebadged EX40 for 2025 to higher align with Volvo’s EV naming technique.
Which means the EX40 will be a part of the present EX30 and EX90, with extra to return. The associated C40 Recharge coupe crossover will likewise be rebadged EC40.
However the 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electrical you see right here shall be largely unchanged for the up to date vary. So, what are we working with?
Following a fairly complete replace beneath the pores and skin late final 12 months, the bottom XC40 Recharge went from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive – sure, this little SUV is rear-wheel drive. It additionally gained a brand new battery for improved vary, and the brand new motor on the rear axle provides improved efficiency.
It’s in any other case the acquainted XC40 components that first debuted in 2017, aside from a light refresh and a brand new Google-powered infotainment system from 2023.
Does the venerable Volvo nonetheless have a lot to supply? Or, is it outshone by the newer (however smaller) EX30 sub-compact SUV?
How does the Volvo XC40 evaluate?
View an in depth breakdown of the Volvo XC40 in opposition to equally sized autos.
Volvo
XC40
How a lot does the Volvo XC40 price?
The XC40 Recharge vary begins with the Plus Single on take a look at, priced from $76,990 earlier than on-road prices.
| Mannequin | Worth earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 2024 Volvo XC40 Plus B4 | $54,990 |
| 2024 Volvo XC40 Final B4 Vivid | $61,990 |
| 2024 Volvo XC40 Final B4 Darkish | $62,990 |
| 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electrical | $76,990 |
| 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electrical | $85,990 |
To see how the XC40 Recharge strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software.
What’s the Volvo XC40 like on the within?
The fundamental XC40 components has barely modified in seven years, and that’s no unhealthy factor given how fashionable this automobile has been not simply in Australia however all over the world.
As is typical of the Swedish model – although the automotive is sourced from China – there’s a powerful openness and airiness to the cabin, which is a trademark of Volvo’s wagons and SUVs.
It’s upright, it’s spacious, and ergonomically excellent. There’s a basic feeling of high quality concerning the execution and atmosphere, although poking and prodding round reveals the place a few of the prices have been reduce.
The chunky Volvo steering wheel is gorgeous to carry, with a clean leather-based rim and easy multifunction switchgear which operates with a strong motion. It’s all fairly satisfying to make use of.
It’s the same story for the row of buttons beneath the touchscreen, in addition to the window switches within the doorways. There’s a solidity that’s typical Volvo.
As you’d count on the entrance seats are sofa ranges of comfy. Whereas they’re textile trimmed on this base mannequin they’re splendidly supportive and supply heaps of electrical adjustment, together with reminiscence. The entrance pews additionally supply considered one of my favorite options, within the type of extendable base cushions.
Forward of the motive force is a digital instrument cluster which, as we’ve famous in earlier critiques, seems good however is proscribed in performance and adjustability. There’s mainly one structure with the choice to point out Google Maps within the centre or not. It covers the fundamentals, however little else.
The 9.0-inch portrait-oriented centre touchscreen is extra spectacular regardless of its smaller quoted dimension, powered by Google built-in. Whereas it retains the same look to the older Sensus system, it’s quicker, extra related, and provides higher performance.
Being Google-based, it has the Google Assistant built-in, built-in Google Maps and varied different net-based providers out of the field. It nearly removes the necessity to have Apple CarPlay related it’s truly that good.
You may plug your cellphone in for Apple CarPlay through USB-C, and it labored seamlessly in our expertise. Oddly, there’s nonetheless no Android Auto performance. You do, nevertheless, get distant capabilities through the Volvo app for 4 years.
One other factor to notice is the absence of bodily local weather controls, with everlasting digital shortcuts sitting on the base of the touchscreen. It may be fiddly whenever you first attempt it, nevertheless it’s higher than a few of the different digital buttons we’ve sampled.
It’s additionally irritating the heated seat and steering wheel controls are buried within the touchscreen, significantly for the latter. Absolutely, the button for the heated steering wheel must be… on the steering wheel?
Fortunately, Volvo has saved the demister capabilities as laborious buttons under the touchscreen, along with a quantity knob that doubles up as a play/pause button, flanked by skip buttons on both facet.
One more reason for the XC40’s enduring recognition is the practicality of the rear cabin. The Pure Electrical model retains these optimistic traits from the ICE donor automotive.
The tall, boxy physique means there’s higher area for taller passengers than in most opponents. I’m 6’1 and may comfortably sit behind my most well-liked driving place with room to spare. Children shall be very completely happy again right here, and shouldn’t be susceptible to journey illness due to the plentiful glasshouse.
You get directional air vents within the rear, and there’s facilities like large door bins, map pockets, and a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders. The ICE platform has carried over the rear driveline hump from petrol-fired AWD variations of the XC40, nevertheless it’s in any other case excellent for the category.
Dad and mom with smaller children shall be catered for with ISOFIX anchor factors on the outboard rear seat positions, in addition to prime tether factors throughout the backs of all three rear seats. The broad and flat rear bench means you have got loads of choices when you must cart a number of folks round.
Whereas practicality is an XC40 robust go well with, its 410-litre cargo quantity declare isn’t fairly class-leading. Nonetheless, the tall and sq. physique makes it a really usable area, and the rear seats fold flat to open up a quoted 1295 litres.
There’s additionally a variable ground if you must create smaller compartments to cease your issues rolling round or falling over, and there’s some good underfloor storage.
| Dimensions | Volvo XC40 Recharge |
|---|---|
| Size | 4440mm |
| Width | 1938mm |
| Top | 1651mm |
| Wheelbase | 2702mm |
| Boot capability | 410L-1295L |
To see how the XC40 Recharge strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
There’s no petrol engine beneath the bonnet, quite a small 31-litre storage space for stowing your cables, or no matter else you are feeling like squeezing in there.
| Specs | Volvo XC40 Recharge Single |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electrical |
| Battery | 69kWh li-ion |
| Energy | 175kW |
| Torque | 420Nm |
| Pushed wheels | Rear |
| Weight | 2040kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 7.3 seconds |
| Claimed vary | 435 kilometres |
| Max AC cost fee | 11kW |
| Max DC cost fee | 130kW |
To see how the XC40 Recharge strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software.
How does the Volvo XC40 drive?
Lots of people gravitate to the tempo and response of dual-motor electrical autos, however I’d argue most single-motor variations are extra balanced of their energy supply and are sometimes extra environment friendly.
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2025 EX40 proven
Within the case of the XC40 Recharge (quickly to be the EX40), having 175kW and 420Nm on the rear axle is greater than sufficient to get this admittedly heavy 2040kg electrical SUV shifting at first rate tempo.
Volvo quotes a 0-100km/h time of seven.3 seconds which is hardly sluggish. Not way back that was the kind of tempo you’d count on from sizzling hatches.
The XC40 might not at all times really feel fairly that fast in its commonplace setting, as Volvo (and Polestar) have a behavior of constructing the throttle a little bit doughy to regularly pile on energy for clean and linear acceleration.
Ground it and also you’ll get a transfer on briskly, however in any other case you possibly can kind of effortlessly waft alongside in a cruisier method, which maybe is best suited to the XC40’s extra comfort-focused and family-friendly pitch.
Talking of consolation, the smaller 19-inch alloy wheels and chubbier 235/50 tyres make the single-motor XC40 Recharge extra compliant than the Twin using on greater 20-inch alloys.
Whereas the XC40 does with out adaptive damping there’s a pleasant stability between consolation and physique management, with a slight lean to the firmer facet of issues to account for the added weight of the massive battery pack within the ground pan.
It often thuds over sharper hits, however is in any other case fairly effectively sorted and offers with the lumps and bumps of metropolis life fairly effectively.
Lively damping can be a welcome future addition, to permit for higher adjustability in lieu of the air suspension out there on bigger Volvo fashions.
There’s a fairly heavy weighting to the steering although it offers a reassuring stage of suggestions and accuracy to make the XC40 an agreeable city companion.
It’s simple to string by way of site visitors and bustling metropolis streets, and isn’t intimidating to park due to its good outward visibility, and upright and compact strains. The Plus’s reversing digital camera is common, and it’s a disgrace you possibly can’t possibility the Final Twin’s encompass digital camera system.
There’s a single-pedal driving mode which is likely one of the more practical techniques this facet of a Tesla, although you possibly can drive it like a traditional XC40 if you want.
It’s additionally properly insulated from the surface world, although there’s a touch of tyre roar at increased speeds on rougher sections of blacktop – that is removed from unusual within the compact premium segments, although.
Volvo’s driver help applied sciences are on the higher finish of the breed. The Pilot Help operate is selectable through the steering wheel controls, and combines adaptive cruise and lane centring for semi-autonomous driving on the freeway and through site visitors jams.
It’s one of many extra correct and intuitive techniques available on the market, and helps to take the load off prolonged stints behind the wheel or throughout peak-hour whenever you’re held up bumper-to-bumper on the finish of a freeway.
Normal blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert bolster the already good outward visibility, accounting for the massive rear pillars that may impede over-the-shoulder view. The XC40 will even brake to mitigate a collision when reversing out of tight parking areas in the event you can’t see the crossing site visitors.
As famous earlier the reversing digital camera isn’t the perfect particularly when the remainder of Volvo’s options are so good. Fortunately there are entrance and rear parking sensors, the entrance ones specifically serving to with the XC40’s tall and bluff bonnet.
What do you get?
The XC40 Recharge Single has a barely decrease stage of specification than the Twin – Volvo dubs the decrease grade ‘Plus’ and the upper variant ‘Final’ in step with different nameplates.
XC40 Recharge highlights:
- 19-inch wheels
- 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Google built-in working system
- Google Automotive Companies
- Volvo Vehicles app
- DAB+ digital radio
- 8-speaker sound system
- 12-inch digital instrument show
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- LED headlights and tail lights
- Keyless entry and begin
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Heated entrance and rear seats
- Energy-folding rear headrests
- Palms-free energy tailgate
- Auto-dimming inside, exterior mirrors
Recharge Twin provides:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Harman Kardon premium sound system
- Vegan textile inside trim
- Encompass-view digital camera
Is the Volvo XC40 secure?
The Volvo XC40 has a five-star ANCAP security score based mostly on testing performed by Euro NCAP in 2018.
This 2018 Euro NCAP testing was initially performed on the petrol-powered XC40, however the score was prolonged to incorporate the pure-electric and plug-in hybrid Recharge fashions.
| Class | Volvo XC40 |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 97 per cent |
| Little one occupant safety | 84 per cent |
| Weak street consumer safety | 71 per cent |
| Security help | 78 per cent |
Normal security options embody:
- 7 airbags incl. driver’s knee
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Weak street consumer detection
- Lane departure warning
- Lane preserve help
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Parking sensors – entrance, rear
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Reversing digital camera
How a lot does the Volvo XC40 price to run?
The XC40 Recharge is backed by the identical guarantee because the broader Volvo vary, however comes with the added perk of free servicing.
| Operating prices | Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 5 years, limitless kilometres |
| Battery guarantee | 8 years or 160,000 kilometres |
| Service intervals | 2 years or 30,000km |
| Service pricing | Free (5 years) |
Whereas Volvo doesn’t quote an official energy consumption determine in Australia, we noticed the XC40 Recharge Single Motor’s journey pc hovering between 17-19kWh/100km throughout our week of testing.
This can be a fairly robust level of distinction to the extra highly effective twin-motor model, which is able to typically balloon into the low- to mid-20kWh/100km in real-world driving – we managed a thirsty 26kWh/100km in a latest overview.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Volvo XC40
EVs from present mannequin strains and structure can typically be inherently compromised, however the XC40 Recharge does an excellent job combining a pure electrical drivetrain with an approachable, standard components.
That is an XC40 that simply occurs to be an EV, that means all of the issues we all know and love about the usual SUV apply. It seems good, drives effectively, and is tremendous sensible for its measurement.
In base Single Motor guise, the electrical XC40 provides robust worth and good ranges of efficiency, and can prevent a useful $9000 in comparison with the extra highly effective and better specified XC40 Recharge Twin.
Whereas it lacks a few options on the spec sheet, the ‘Plus’-spec XC40 Recharge covers all of the bases after which some, and provides premium driving refinement befitting the Volvo badge. Additional, it’s priced across the similar quantity as many German rivals with inner combustion engines.
That’s to not say it’s excellent and you can purchase one sight unseen – the reversing digital camera is poor, and the restricted trim choices means you mainly get to select your paint and that’s it.
Given its recognition Down Below, it’s a disgrace Australian clients aren’t supplied a little bit extra selection like non-compulsory packages, further upholstery choices, and even the larger battery with the Single Motor drivetrain.
However these shortcomings are removed from dealbreakers, and the XC40 Recharge stays very aggressive in opposition to rivals from German premium marques – the Audi This fall e-tron, BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA all price considerably extra.
It’s positively price a glance, although it is also price ready for the approaching EX40 rebadge to see if Volvo Australia regulate the lineup and specs to handle the aforementioned drawbacks.
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