Are you ready for the all-electric Volvo EX40? This is an SUV that is as expressive as it is versatile. Although Volvo has come under the Chinese manufacturer Geely for several years now, the development of this electric car took place in Sweden. We put this electric car through its paces for two weeks in a comprehensive review and discovered many positive aspects. However, this whirlwind romance did not conclude on an entirely positive note. The reason behind it? The SUV made an uncharacteristic mistake on the highway.
Good
- Very comfortable when driving
- Extensive range of assistance systems
- Google Maps used as its navigation system
- Comfortable 1-pedal driving is possible
Bad
- Range drops drastically while on the highway
- Limited space in the second row of seats
- Rather high base price
Volvo EX40 Twin Motor Performance AWD: All deals
Volvo EX40: Price and availability
Perhaps the most important message right off the bat: compared to the Volvo EC40, the otherwise largely identical sister model with a crossover design, the Volvo EX40 is slightly cheaper. The EX40 is available as a rear-wheel drive in two different versions in the US: Single Motor Extended Range (Core, Plus, and Ultra trims) and Recharge Twin Motor AWD (Core, Plus, and Ultra trims as well). The basic Single Motor Extended Range model sports 185 kW (252 PS) and currently costs at least $53,795.
More expensive with All-Wheel Drive
And if you happen to fancy a car with all-wheel drive, Volvo has just the right model for you: The EX40 Twin Motor AWD Core with 300 kW (408 hp) is available from $55,545, and the EX40 Twin Motor Performance AWD reviewed by us is armed with 325 kW (442 hp) and retails for $62,045. You can spice up your EX40 with various equipment packages if you so desire. For example, our review car came with 20-inch alloy wheels, a chic sand-dune paint finish, and a high-quality lighting package. All of these will cost more at Volvo.
You can view the Volvo EX40 at any Volvo dealer and place an order if you like. Alternatively, you can visit the Volvo homepage to configure your desired model. Of course, you might also be interested in taking up a lease offer.
Design and build quality
The interior of the Volvo EX40 closely resembles a very stylish cockpit that is also armed to the teeth with plenty of high-tech equipment. A 12.3-inch digital instrument display awaits you behind the steering wheel. Not only can you view your current speed (left) and the current energy flow (right) here, but you can also view a current map section from Google Maps if required. If you were to program the navigation system, you could reduce the display of the map section to the most important route commands with mere arrow displays. Unfortunately, there is no option for a heads-up display.
The interior of the Volvo EX40 impressed with charm, luxury, and high-quality workmanship
The interior retains its typical Scandinavian design – dropping leather completely by using only synthetic fabrics. A leather replica is available upon request and at extra cost. A panoramic glass roof allows plenty of daylight into the interior and creates a pleasant atmosphere. Best of all? It can even double up as a sliding roof with a lift function and is even included as standard in the all-wheel drive Performance variant. Given the high base price, this is perhaps expected. A premium sound system from Harman Kardon ensures perfect audio enjoyment.
The center display is framed vertically in fairly wide frames. This doesn’t look quite as modern as in other electric cars within this price range. What’s impressive is how Android is the basis for the operating system. This means you can use many apps you are already familiar with on your smartphone in your car. Whether Google Maps for navigation, Google Assistant for voice commands, or entertainment apps such as Spotify, YouTube, or Prime Video – everything is possible. You even have a web browser at your disposal. In other words, you’re guaranteed not to miss the latest news from nextpit at your next charging stop.
Below the center display, you will find not only a large media control button to adjust the volume but also physical buttons for the front window ventilation and rear window heating. The button for the hazard warning lights can also be found here. We would have liked this to be a little further up for better ease of use. The intuitive multifunction steering wheel impressed me with its many practical functions. Incidentally, you can switch off the warning tone that sounds whenever you exceed the speed limit at the touch of a button. While this is certainly not desirable, it is extremely practical for the driver.
Performance and driving characteristics
The Volvo EX40 is actually the XC40 with a new name, with the latter being on sale for several years now; it measures 4.40 meters long and 1.65 meters high and sports the typical Volvo design. The elongated, boomerang-shaped rear lights are particularly eye-catching, while LED headlights that are reminiscent of Thor’s Mjolnir design are used in front. You can purchase the electric SUV with either a 70 or 82-kWh battery.
The All-wheel drive version of the Volvo EX40 is a little rocket
As mentioned at the beginning, we used the Volvo EX40 Twin Motor Performance AWD for our review. This is the variant with all-wheel drive and contains plenty of power under the hood: 325 kW or 442 hp are available in this electric car. According to the manufacturer, you can get from 0 to 100 km/h in a brisk 4.6 seconds and can drive at speeds of up to 180 km/h. After that, the electronic braking system kicks in.
From the very first few meters in the Volvo EX40, it becomes clear that you can expect a similar driving experience to the almost identical Volvo EC40 crossover model. The car remained firmly and comfortably on the road, but rapid acceleration was still possible at all times. The gears are selected via a fairly large gear knob on the center console. There are no paddle shifters behind the steering wheel to manually adjust regenerative braking whenever you coast along.
If you want to be a little more economical on the road, then the single-motor version might be worth checking out. With this, you can achieve the same sprint distance in around seven seconds. You can adjust the strength of the regenerative braking in two stages via the center display. And if you opt for the better regenerative braking rate, you can drive the car without much practice, which I consider to be extremely comfortable single-pedal driving. Simply take your foot off the power pedal, and the car decelerates until it comes to a complete stop after a few seconds, such as at traffic lights. You will only need the brake pedal under exceptional situations.
Available room
In terms of space, the Volvo EX40 needs to be viewed in a somewhat different manner. The front looks really good. Even tall passengers have plenty of room. The closed center console does not cause any restrictions, but the rear of the electric car is somewhat different.
Limited space in the second row of seats
With a wheelbase of 2.70 meters, the rear is more cramped, especially when the driver and/or front passenger push their seats all the way back. Adults can then barely get in through the rear doors. This is where you realize that the Volvo EX40 belongs more to the compact SUV class.
The good news, however, is that the driver and front passenger don’t have to move their seats that far back. They still have enough room in the front, even if the passengers in the rear are given a little more legroom. With that, they can enjoy sufficient headroom up to a height of around 1.90 meters. Unlike the Volvo EC40, the roof in the EX40 does not slope flat towards the rear. This design also boasts another advantage: the rear window is significantly larger and allows a much better view of the rear despite the presence of a rather wide C-pillar.
Available trunk volume
The volume of the trunk is always of interest in any SUV. We have good news for you here. Whether you’re planning an extensive shopping trip, want to pack a crate of beer in the trunk, or simply need plenty of space for your luggage, the Volvo EX40 is here for you! With 410 liters of volume in the trunk, you can transport quite a lot. If you ever need more space, simply fold down the rear seats, and you end up with 1,286 liters of room. That’s slightly more than in the Volvo EC40 and about as much as in the Chinese Nio ET5 Touring Estate.
Loading and unloading is almost problem-free because the Volvo designers have dispensed with an annoying ramp. The trunk floor is level with the rear bumper, so to speak. However, you do have to heave your load high enough to load stuff inside. There is a small compartment under the trunk floor to store a first-aid kit or charging cable. There is also a 31-liter frunk under the hood, which allows you to stow an AC charging cable there without any complications.
Towing a trailer with the Volvo EX40? No problem!
Do you plan to tow a trailer with the Volvo EX40? No problem! With the all-wheel drive model, a braked trailer load of up to 1,800 kilograms is possible on a 12 percent gradient. With the variant that only features rear-wheel drive, it can still handle up to 1,500 kilograms. Do be aware that the towbar hitch costs another $1,560.
Range of the Volvo EX40
Wondering how far you can get with the Volvo EX40? In the performance version with all-wheel drive, Volvo promises a range of up to 517 kilometers according to the WLTP standard under optimal conditions. However, that’s just a figure on paper. During our review in the winter of January, we measured a significantly lower range on the highway in cold temperatures. When driving at 130 km/h for most of the time, it was able to last for approximately 330 kilometers. This is not surprising at all, as electric cars simply consume more electricity in winter than in summer.
Significantly lower consumption in the city
Things look better in the city. Here, you can use the electric car’s regenerative braking function to increase its mileage. During my test drives, I consumed an average of around 17 kWh per 100 kilometers on inner-city journeys. But the same applies here: if it’s frosty outside, the range can drop rather significantly. The actual range depends on other factors as well as the outside temperature. For instance, the driving style and the use of other comfort features such as windscreen ventilation or rear window heating.
We measured an average power consumption of 22 kWh/100 km on country roads and as much as 27 kWh/100 km while on the highway. Not only do winter temperatures, but also the high unladen weight of almost 2.2 tons had a negative impact on power consumption. Incidentally, the heater, which is particularly efficient in winter, is included as standard across all trims.
Charging
Although the Volvo EX40, unlike the Hyundai IONIQ 5 in comparison, is not based on an 800-volt platform, it still charges fairly quickly if the energy storage system is no longer sufficiently full. Volvo itself promises that you can charge the electric SUV with up to 205 kW via the charging port installed at the rear left. The single-motor model manages a maximum of 180 kW, making it decent enough for everyday use.
However, you can only achieve such peak charging during the summer when the battery is nice and warm. In our winter test, after driving around 50 kilometers in city traffic around Münster, the maximum charging power was 135 kW. That is still acceptable to us. At an outside temperature of 11 degrees Celsius, we spent around 37 minutes at the charging station to top up from 14 to 80 percent. In the summer, it should take only around 28 minutes. It should be similarly fast if you have a long highway journey with a warmed-up battery.
11 kW AC charging power via alternating current – that’s as good as it gets!
If you were to connect it to a standard charging station or can use a wallbox at home, a charging capacity of up to 11 kW is possible via alternating current. Unfortunately, there is no available upgrade to 22 kW, not even for an extra charge. According to the manufacturer, a full AC charge of the battery from 0 to 100 percent takes around eight hours.
There’s also another piece of good news: the navigation system based on Google Maps is not only easy to use but also really clever. It takes into account all the necessary charging stops on a planned journey. What I particularly liked in the review is how it also shows the expected remaining range at the destination and does so with an amazingly high degree of accuracy!
Final verdict
The Volvo EX40 and the Volvo EC40 do have their fair share of similarities as electric cars, apart from their looks. This is not to say they are identical underneath the hood, so to speak. That’s why I can say at this point that the EX40 may not be the prettier electric car, but it is definitely the more obvious E-SUV choice for the driver. This is especially so if you are a little taller, as you will appreciate the larger rear window and the better view to the rear.
Volvo EX40: Plenty of comfort with high power consumption
While design is always a matter of personal preference, driving characteristics are a different matter. Here, the Volvo EX40 is impressive across the board. It is really comfortable to drive, and the chassis absorbs most bumps without any problems. The car drives almost like a luxury-class electric car. Thanks to the excellent noise insulation, the interior also feels very comfortable and quiet. There is also the fact that the Android operating system with Google Maps is integrated. The seats are very comfortable, in my opinion – even more so when embarking on longer journeys and cornering at speed. However, experience has shown that this is always more of a subjective impression. The ambient lighting, which is both discreet and elegant, also contributed to the fact that driving the Volvo EX40 is always a pleasant experience.
There would be almost nothing to complain about, right? If it weren’t for the high power consumption on the highway, this is also a shortcoming that I also had to document in other Volvo models that I have had the pleasure of driving in the past. Apart from this weakness, however, the Volvo EX40 is highly recommended for anyone who is looking for a feel-good SUV and is prepared to fork out money for the rather high price tag. Unfortunately, the Volvo EX40 itself is not a bargain, either.
