Volvo EX40 review

If you're looking at the photo above and thinking, "I'm sure I've seen a lot of those on the road but I've never heard of a Volvo EX40", then allow us to explain.

You see, the EX40 used to be called the XC40 Recharge, which is (or rather was) the fully electric version of the Volvo XC40. The XC40 is still on sale and is a brilliant family SUV but it's now only available with a choice of petrol engines.

The reason for the rename is because the Swedish brand has two other electric SUVs – the smaller Volvo EX30 and the soon-to-be-launched Volvo EX90. The EX40 follows the same naming convention so it's clearer to potentially buyers which models they should be considering if they want an electric car.

Key rivals to the Volvo EX40 include the Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW iX1, Genesis GV60 and Tesla Model Y. If you can do without a posh, premium-brand badge, you might also be looking at a Ford Mustang Mach-E or Kia EV6.

So, how does the EX40 stack up against the best electric SUVs? Read on to find out...

Logic would suggest that the Single Motor version of the Volvo EX40 makes the most sense. We haven't tried it yet, but it can officially do 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds so it's far from a slouch. 

The Twin Motor version adds a second motor on the front axle for four-wheel drive (and a lot more power), and can rocket to 62mph from a standstill in just 4.8 seconds – but do you really need theme park ride acceleration from your family SUV?

Indeed, the most compelling reason to choose the Twin Motor is because it comes with a large 79kWh (usable capacity) battery for an official range of up to 332 miles. In our real-world tests – on a wet and windy day with the temperature hovering around 10C – it managed 232 miles on a full charge.

The Single Motor makes do with a 66kWh battery for an official range of up to 294 miles. However, a Single Motor Extended Range will soon be offered, combining the 79kWh battery with rear-wheel drive for a probable official range of more than 350 miles. We expect that version to be the pick of the line-up.

While ride comfort is a big strength of the Volvo XC40, the electric EX40 isn't quite so agreeable. Don't get us wrong – it's never uncomfortably firm or jarring, but neither is it as serenely smooth as an Audi Q4 e-tron.

The blame no doubt lies with the weight of the battery pack, which put a lot of extra strain on the suspension and makes the ride a little choppy – particularly along poorly surfaces roads. Mind you, the EX40 is still more settled than a BMW iX1 or Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Being fairly tall and heavy, the EX40 unsurprisingly leans quite a bit through corners; it feels most at home when you're driving in a relaxed fashion.

The light steering feels a touch vague regardless of the weight setting you've chosen, and fails to provide a reassuring sense of connection with the front wheels. The iX1, EV6 and Model Y are all more agile, and will put a bigger grin on your face along a typical country road.

There's some mild wind buffeting from around the door mirrors at motorway speeds, plus a small amount of road noise, but little more than you’d experience in a Genesis GV60 or Q4 e-tron. 

The EX40 is easy to drive smoothly, too. The brakes respond fairly consistently when you squeeze the middle pedal, plus there's a one-pedal driving function so that just lifting off the accelerator slows the car down to a complete stop.

Driving overview

Strengths Decent range; Twin Motor is seriously rapid; easy to drive smoothly

Weaknesses Slightly choppy ride; not particularly agile; vague steering

The front seats in the Volvo EX40 are some of the best you’ll find. The entry-level Core has mostly manual adjustment with four-way electrically adjustable lumbar support, but Plus and Ultimate model come with fully electric seats.

Behind the steering wheel there's a crisp, clear digital instrument panel that's very easy to read, and provides you with all the information you need about the car's speed, range and efficiency.

One criticism is that the minimalist design of the dashboard means you need to delve into the infotainment touchscreen to adjust the interior temperature, which can be rather distracting when you're driving. That said, the Google voice assistant can take care of the job instead, if you'd prefer.

The EX40's elevated driving position gives you a good view of the road ahead, helped further by relatively slim windscreen pillars. You also get large door mirrors, so you can see clearly what’s drawing up alongside.

Bright, automatic LED headlights and auto high-beam assist make easy work of night-time driving, and going for top spec Ultimate trim gets you special Pixel headlights, which allow you to use high-beam at all times without dazzling oncoming traffic.

Over-the-shoulder visibility isn’t great, being compromised by a window line that kicks up towards the back of the car. However, rear parking sensors are standard on all trims, with a reversing camera added on mid-level Plus trim.

The top-spec Ultimate model gets a 360-degree camera, which gives you a very helpful bird's eye view of the car when you're parking.

The 9.0in tablet-style touchscreen was co-developed with Google and is essentially the same as the system you'll find in the Polestar 2. As such, you’ll find sat-nav and voice control taken care of by Google Maps and Google Assistant, although Apple users can sync up their phone using Apple CarPlay if they'd prefer. There's no Android Auto though.

Unfortunately, the relatively small size of the touchscreen combined with tiny small icons means you have to take your eyes off the road for longer than is ideal. You can use voice commands via the Google Assistant for some tasks, but we'd prefer a rotary controller like you get in a BMW iX3 or Genesis GV60.

In better news, the standard eight-speaker stereo sounds great, but audiophiles can splash out on a richer sounding 13-speaker Harman Kardon system with the top-end Ultimate version.

Volvo is tough to beat when it comes to interior quality. Pretty much anything you touch in any EX40 feels ready to stand the test of time and the rigours of daily family use, yet is also elegant and sumptuous.

The great mix of high-quality plastics and metal inlays gives the EX40 plenty of premium panache. It’s certainly screwed together better than the Ford Mustang Mach-E and even feels more robust than the Audi Q4 e-tron. Only the Genesis GV60 has the edge for interior quality in this price bracket.

Interior overview

Strengths High-quality interior; impressive voice control system; comfortable seats

Weaknesses Fiddly touchscreen; no physical air-con controls

The Volvo EX40's exterior dimensions are relatively compact compared with some family SUVs but there’s lots of space inside.

You'll find plenty of head room in the front, even with the space-sapping panoramic glass roof that's fitted to top-spec Ultimate models. The interior is also broad enough that you won’t clash elbows with your front passenger.

The front half of the interior is full of thoughtful details. There's a pop-out rubbish bin between the front seats and carpeted door pockets that are each big enough to take a laptop or two large bottles of water. There are also sliding drawers under the front seats.

The EX40 is roomy enough in the back for taller adults to sit comfortably without their heads brushing the ceiling or their knees bashing the seat in front. True, it isn't quite as spacious in the back as a Tesla Model Y or Audi Q4 e-tron but the margins are small.

Thanks to the relatively wide rear bench, even three adults can sit side by side fairly easily, with lots of space under the front seats for their feet. The middle passenger’s legs will need to straddle a fairly big hump in the floor, though. 

Those in the back get reasonably big door bins and there are cupholders in the central armrest. Overall, the EX40 has no less interior space than the petrol-powered Volvo XC40.

As you'd expect, folding rear seats come as standard – although the seatback splits in a 60/40 arrangement as opposed to the more versatile 40/20/40 configuration you get in higher-spec versions of the Audi Q4 e-tron.

You can’t fold or slide the rear bench, but that feature is a rarity in the electric SUV class – particularly at this price point (the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a rare exception). At least there's a ski hatch that lets you thread long, thin items through from the boot while still carrying passengers in the back.

The EX40 has a 452-litre boot with usefully square proportions. There’s no lip to negotiate at the entrance and a flap midway along the boot floor can be clipped up vertically to prevent smaller items from sliding around. All models also come with an electric tailgate and handy hooks for shopping bags.

We managed to fit eight carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf. For context, the EV6 and Q4 e-tron swallowed seven cases, and the Model Y took 10 in total, including one in the storage compartment under the bonnet. 

The EX40 has storage space for the charging cable and other bits under the bonnet, but it's not big enough for a carry-on suitcase.

Practicality overview

Strengths Good-sized boot; plenty of interior stowage; some storage under bonnet

Weaknesses Rear seats don't do anything clever; some rivals have more rear space

As a cash buy, the Volvo EX40 Single Motor will set you back about the same as a mid-spec Kia EV6 or Skoda Enyaq so it's cheaper than an entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron or Genesis GV60. 

It varies month by month, but there of often some attractive offers for those buying on PCP finance, meaning your monthly repayments might be lower than you think. You can make sure you're getting the best price by checking our new Volvo deals.

The EX40 Single Motor has a maximum charging rate of 135kW, meaning a 10-80% top-up will take around 35 minutes in ideal conditions. The Twin Motor can accept up to 205kW, so a 10-80% charge can be tackled in less than half an hour – despite the fact this version has a larger battery.

Entry-level Core trim gets you the basics, including 19in alloy wheels, climate control, cruise control, automatic wipers and rear parking sensors. 

Even so, we reckon it's worth paying a bit extra for mid-spec Plus trim. For not a lot more money, it adds keyless entry, heated and electrically adjustable front seats and a reversing camera. It also has a heat pump that improves the EX40's efficiency in cooler weather.

Range-topping Ultimate adds ambient interior lighting, leather upholstery, an opening sunroof, a 360-degree camera, a Harman Kardon sound system and 20-inch alloy wheels – but it’s too expensive to recommend.

Volvo came a respectable ninth (out of 32 brands) in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, just below Kia but above Audi, BMW, Tesla.

A three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which includes roadside assistance, comes as standard, as does a three-year paintwork warranty and 12 years of cover against rust. That's par for the course among premium electric cars and can be extended for a fee, although the EV6 offers a seven-year warranty as standard. The EX40's battery, meanwhile, is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

The XC40 Recharge (the name by which the EX40 was formerly known) received the top five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with particularly impressive scores for child crash protection.

Every model gets an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system that not only recognises other cars but also cyclists, pedestrians and large animals. Traffic-sign recognition and Oncoming Lane Mitigation, which can intervene if you cross the road's centre line and into the path of oncoming traffic, are also included.

Mid-range Plus adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, along with adaptive cruise control and a semi-autonomous driving function. A system to detect an imminent collision from behind and adjust braking to reduce the impact is also included on top-spec Ultimate trim.

Buying & owning overview

Strengths Tempting finance offers; Twin Motor is fast to charge; impressive Euro NCAP safety score

Weaknesses Efficiency could be better; warranty is nothing special

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