/ (min cost $ 0 ) or signup to continue reading isn't resting on its laurels. The is barely three years old, but it's already been overhauled; along with the usual mid-life interior tweaks and styling changes, front-wheel drive models have made the leap to rear-wheel drive. The range-topping dual-motor model on test here is still all-wheel drive.
.. but it's picked up more range, and in world dominated by electric car price cuts has actually become more expensive.
Our range-topping Recharge Twin Pure Electric is now close to $90,000 when you account for on-road costs, making it pricier than a plethora of bigger rivals. How does the updated XC40 shape up after its nip-and-tuck? Price hikes have been applied to the electric XC40 Recharge for 2024; in the case of the range-topping tester here you'll pay close to $5000 more than for the pre-update model. For all the changes under the skin, the new XC40 Recharge is familiar behind the wheel.
It's still a little SUV that punches above its weight for practicality, and feels grown up behind the wheel. Thanks to a recent update, its technology has also taken a step forward since its debut. The front seats offer a commanding view over the square bonnet, and strike a neat balance between padding and the sort of support you need on long drives.
Volvo does some of the best pews in the business, and the XC40 continues the tradition. With an upright dashboard and minimalist, crisp lines, you won't be mistaking the XC40 for anything but a Volvo at first glance. The dashboard features an interesting backlit trim designed to mimic a topographical map that looks great at night, but a bit bland in daylight.
The vegan material on the seats is kind to cows, but it's not nearly as nice to touch as leather. Given the price of this car, we'd rather something interesting like wool – or proper leather. Dominating the dash is a vertically-oriented 9.
0-inch touchscreen, which sits in the same housing as the display in the petrol model but features some EV-specific features like a range assistant. The bones of the software were developed by Google, which means you get voice and Google Maps standard, but the system is set up to look familiar to anyone who's used the Sensus tech in older models. It's snappy to use, and the ability to download apps like Spotify from the Google Play store opens the door for a level of customisation not currently possible in most infotainment systems.
Having the same people who do the software for mobile phones design your Bluetooth interface, for example, means this is one of the easiest cars in which to find a contact and make a call on the move. It's also improved significantly. At launch, you didn't get CarPlay – and the network connection was a bit ropey.
Now, you get wired CarPlay and we didn't suffer any dropouts or major issues with the network. The perks of software updates, right? The driver is faced with a clean, simple digital instrument binnacle with inbuilt Google Maps. It's excellent, although you're light on for configuration options compared to what's on offer in some rival luxury marques.
This remains a really sensible, practical cabin. The deep door pockets, spacious transmission tunnel (this is based on a petrol car after all), and under-dash space are all cleverly designed, although you don't get the same sense of open-plan lightness on offer in some dedicated EV rivals. Rear seat passengers are better catered for than you might expect of a car that's relatively compact on paper.
For one, they get their own vents, along with a fold-down central armrest and spacious door pockets. The tall roofline means headroom is good enough for adults to get comfortable back there, even with the panoramic sunroof, and the amount of legroom will accomodate tall teenagers. Some compact-ish crossovers are a kid-only proposition in the rear, but the XC40 punches above its weight.
It's a good place to spend time, and demands few compromises compared to a similarly-priced petrol car. There are two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors back there for child seats. The big rear door opening makes this an easier car to load child seats into as well.
.. but it's still not on quite the same level as a or .
There's a small storage space beneath the bonnet, but it's not what you'd call capacious. It's best reserved for the charge cables, but not much more. Although the base XC40 Recharge has switched from front- to rear-wheel drive, the Twin remains all-wheel drive.
This is a fast car. Put your foot down and, despite its chunky Scandinavian exterior and hefty kerb weight, it lunges off the mark with the sort of vigour you'd expect of a . You're also able to get out of parking spots or your garage in a hurry; there's no start button to mess about with here, you just stand on the brake and slot the car into drive.
That's not usually the case in cars based on legacy internal combustion platforms. There's a real sense of solidity to all the controls. The accelerator requires a firm push, and the steering is direct.
It's not a hard car to drive, though. Once dialled into the heavy-handed regenerative braking you seldom need to take your foot off the accelerator in the city, and it's perfectly smooth and quiet at city speeds. The XC40 Recharge is a happy camper in the city, where its upright body and compact proportions make it a natural fit.
It squeezes easily into tight parking bays, and is easy to thread through my tight underground garage. The grainy surround-view camera isn't exactly ideal for small spaces though, and undermines the high-tech feeling you'd expect of an electric car. It's long been an issue with Volvo cars, and one that finally appears to have been addressed in the even newer .
With a relatively springy, taut suspension tune, the XC40 never feels outright plush. You're aware of its weight, and the fact keeping all 2100kg of it in check is tricky when you're stuck with a passive steel suspension setup instead of more expensive air or adaptive dampers. With that said, the Recharge still does a good job keeping city bumps and potholes out of the cabin, and it feels tied-down over big crests and dips on the highway.
It feels like a shrunken or at speed. Road noise is quite noticeable here – as has always been the case across the XC40 – on country roads. That isn't uncommon in luxury European cars, designed to work on billiard-table-smooth tarmac rather than coarse-chip roads.
The tyre roar and wind rustle from the mirrors will have you turning up the stereo a couple of clicks, although it's still quieter than, say, a on similar roads. Where the Volvo really shines on the open road is when it comes to its driver assists. It'll keep its distance to a car in front, and actively steer to stay in its lane.
Unlike some cars, where you feel like you're fighting the computer brain, the Pilot Assist in the XC40 feels just about right. On test here is the flagship XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric. The Volvo XC40 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2018.
This 2018 Euro NCAP testing was originally conducted on the petrol-powered XC40, but the rating was extended to include the pure-electric and plug-in hybrid Recharge models. The XC40 Recharge is backed by the same warranty as the broader Volvo range, but comes with the added perk of free servicing. The Recharge Twin is a practical, comfortable SUV, but it's not the electric XC40 we'd recommend.
It's close to $10,000 more expensive than the similarly lovely Single Motor – and although it packs a serious punch in a straight line, that comes at the cost of range. Volvo has made some changes to try and improve its efficiency, but it's still miles short of the Tesla Model Y. If you're into road tripping, it limits the car's usefulness.
Even if you're a city slicker, it costs more money to go the same distance as in its rivals. Yes, the Recharge Dual is fast. But the base XC40 Recharge is a more talented all-rounder, and a more sensible pick for anyone looking to make the leap to electric power.
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