New Honda e:Ny1 vs used Volvo XC40 Recharge costs

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

Both of our contenders cost around £47,000 to buy outright – the Honda e:Ny1 £45,495 if you factor in our Target Price discount – with the Volvo XC40 Recharge having fallen quite sharply, in the space of two years, from its £60,300 list price when it was new. Over the next three years, it’s expected to hold its value slightly better than the e:Ny1, though.

On PCP finance, the e:Ny1 will set you back £323 per month, if you sign up to a four-year deal with a deposit of £7079 and a limit of 8000 miles per year. There’s an optional final payment of £21,164. By comparison, if you go for the XC40, it’ll cost a hefty £660 per month, with a final payment of £18,566.

Despite its extra performance, the XC40 should actually be slightly cheaper to insure than its rival. 

The e:Ny1 hasn’t yet been tested for safety by Euro NCAP, while the XC40 scored the maximum five-star rating back in 2018. Both cars get lots of safety kit, including automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, blindspot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance and a cross-traffic alert system.

No matter which car you choose, equipment levels are generous, with standard niceties such as heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic glass roof. The XC40 adds a couple of desirable extras, such as heated rear seats and a 360-degree camera (as opposed to the e:Ny1’s regular rear-view camera).

The e:Ny1 ’s peak charging rate is a relatively slow 78k W, so it takes around 45 minutes to be topped up from 10-80% via a public rapid charger. The XC40 can accept up to 150kW; if you can find a powerful enough charger, it can be replenished from 10-80% in just under half an hour, despite its larger battery. 

Neither car featured in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but Honda ranked sixth out of 32 in the overall brand league table, while Volvo was ninth.

For added peace of mind, the e:Ny1 comes with a five-year warranty and five-year service plan included in the purchase price. If you buy a year-old XC40, you’ll still have a couple years left on its three-year warranty. You can buy a Volvo approved used service plan – consisting of two services – for £499.

Alternatives

New rivals, used rivals

For similar money to our e:Ny1, you could pick up a new Skoda Enyaq, specifically the 85 version. Its official range (of 353 miles) really puts the e:Ny1's to shame and, being a larger car, you probably won't be surprised to learn that the Enyaq offers more interior space, as well as boot space – we managed to fit nine carry-on suitcases below its parcel shelf. 

If, in fact, range isn't a large concern of yours – perhaps your priorities lie in luxury – then consider a used BMW iX xDrive40. It's about as lavish as electric SUVs come: comfortable, plush inside and well equipped. It's all yours for around £45,000 on the used market. And, just so you know, you're looking at 257 miles of official range. 

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