Volvo EX40 review

Driving position

It might be Volvo’s smallest SUV, but this popular crossover gives you a high driving position, more like a family SUV. This really helps with visibility.

And being a Volvo, you know that whichever position you find yourself in behind the wheel (and there’s plenty of adjustment), it’ll be an extremely comfy one.

We tried the top-spec Ultra version for a week, with upgraded electrically adjustable front seats and even electric folding of the rear headrests that you can control from the touchscreen.

Tech and features

Features are where the Volvo EX40 really stands out, but not in a garish and glitzy way. It’s all very subtle, and everything just works exactly as you’d expect.

The 9.0-inch portrait touchscreen is easy to navigate, and the built-in Google-powered sat-nav integrates neatly into the digital instrument cluster too.

There’s a wireless phone charging pad beneath the screen on all models, including entry-level Core, but it’s a real shame that Apple CarPlay is wired only.

Android Auto is wireless, which makes sense since the system is based on Android software, but we’d like to see wireless CarPlay to keep up with rivals and driver expectations.

Our top-spec test car also had the upgraded 600W Harman/Kardon sound system. The Harman/Kardon is great, but the standard sound system is more than acceptable – extras like the 360-degree parking camera are worth upgrading for though.

The entry-level Core trim includes heated front seats, but it’s really worth stepping up to at least mid-spec Plus for a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats, plus keyless entry and a powered boot lid. These things just made the EX40 a more rounded car, worthy of its premium reputation.

Electric motors and power

We know we said the EX40 stands out for its tech, but its electric powertrain might just be its best asset. It’s one of the most intuitive systems to use and really shows just how enjoyable electric cars can be to drive.

We drove the Single Motor Extended Range model, which has a 252hp motor driving the rear wheels. It’s probably the sweet spot in the range.

There’s also a 238hp Single Motor variant with a smaller battery (more on range and efficiency later), and a powerful Twin Motor that’s all-wheel drive and has 408hp.

A top-spec Twin Motor Performance version upgrades to 442hp in total, bringing the 0-62mph time to 4.6 seconds (compared with 4.7 seconds for the regular Twin Motor).

Both Single Motor variants get to that speed in 7.3 seconds – quick enough not to feel like you’re missing out on any performance.

Handling and ride comfort

This is the best part, because the One Pedal Drive mode is truly magnificent. In fact, we’d go as far as saying it’s the best we’ve driven.

We were most impressed with how quickly the regenerative braking can bring the car’s speed down, yet how gently it comes to a complete stop.

You can genuinely get away without using the brakes at all in the EX40, and the accelerator is set up to help you drive more efficiently (not easy in an EV, when the power is usually pretty instant).

The suspension is the right amount of firm to prevent excessive body roll while keeping the car comfortable around town, but the 20-inch alloys fitted to high-spec cars can be slightly rattly over potholes. The 19-inch rims fitted to mid-spec Plus cars might be better and won’t look out of proportion.

The only gripe we have – and a very minor one at that – is the slightly ‘elastic’ feel to the steering around the centre point. The first few degrees of the turn didn’t quite land the wheels where we expected, but that’s mostly just a case of getting used to the car you drive rather than being any sort of problem.

Boot space

If you’re upgrading from a hatchback, you’ll be pleased with the amount of boot space on offer.

Measured up to the windows, there’s 410 litres of space, or 851 litres with the rear seats folded.

Volvo also quotes figures for loading right up to the roof, and at 536/1,286 litres, you shouldn’t have a problem loading the car with affordable Swedish flat-pack furniture…

Apart from the extra storage under the boot floor, there’s also a 31-litre froot (front boot) area under the bonnet – keep your charging cables in here for a nice and tidy boot.

Rear seats

The legroom in the back is acceptable for adults (plenty for kids), but space in the back is really helped by ample headroom, courtesy of the car’s slightly boxy shape.

Even with the sliding and tilting sunroof fitted to top-spec cars, you’d have to be really tall to feel cramped.

There is a hump in the middle of the floor, which is disappointing given that this is an electric car and doesn’t need as much of the running gear as combustion-powered cars.

That means fitting three adults in the back could be a challenge and something you’d only want to do on short trips.

Storage solutions

Talk about being family-friendly – our favourite storage solution in the EX40 was the bin located in the centre console, which you can simply remove and empty.

When a car brand even thinks about what you’re going to do with your rubbish, you know you’re in for a treat.

It’s all pretty familiarly ‘Volvo’ in the front, with that wireless phone charger, two cupholders and a nice, deep space under the armrest. The glovebox doesn’t excel, but there’s still space for loose odds and ends.

The door bins, however, are ginormous and even have a carved-out bottle-shaped area for more drinks.

In the back, you get smaller door bins and two cupholders in the central armrest.

Towing

Single Motor versions can tow up to 1,500kg, with Twin Motor models capable of a slightly heavier 1,800kg, but you’ll need to fit a tow bar for that.

Our test car had the £1,400 electrically deployable towbar, which hides away neatly under the car and locks into place with a kick of your foot (or by hand if you can be bothered to bend down).

Having the electric socket to power what you’re towing on the side of the towbar itself just gives it a very clean finish too.

We only tested it for a short period with a fairly light six-metre trailer designed for boats – probably no more than about 500kg.

Even so, there was no noticeable change to the electric powertrain’s drive or regenerative braking. A heavier trailer would probably have a more noticeable effect.

Safety

Surprise, surprise, the XC40 and coupé-like EC40 both got full five-star safety ratings from Euro NCAP. The EX40 hasn’t been specifically tested yet, but it’s almost a given that it’ll share those scores.

Standard systems include steering support to avoid pedestrians, cyclists and other forward collisions around town, a driver monitoring system and a traffic sign information display.

Volvo doesn’t add any more safety kit for higher trim levels as some other manufacturers do, so every model is as good as each other.

Range and charging

We were left a little bit disappointed at the real-world range figures of our EX40 – the Extended Range model should be able to do 309-343 miles between charges, but we were getting about 200-240 miles.

Over the course of more than 400 miles, we got 2.5 mi/kWh, which isn’t ideal.

Admittedly, temperatures were between 1°C and about 8°C, so efficiency was bound to take a hit, but the heat pump should’ve helped here.

On that subject, the heat pump doesn’t come on entry-level Core models, but on a £45,000 car, we’d like to see it be standard across the range.

Battery size depends on the model you pick – they include 69kWh (Single Motor), 78kWh (Single Motor Extended Range) and 82kWh (Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance).

The two Twin Motor models claim around 301-332 miles of range, and the car with the smallest battery will do 270-296 miles, according to Volvo’s figures.

11kW charging is standard across the range, but most homes are limited to 7kW anyway, so a full charge will take between nearly 10 and nearly 12 hours.

10-80% takes 28 to 33 minutes at a fast charger, depending on battery size.

Reliability

The EX40 shares its platform with the petrol-powered XC40, which is why it used to be called the XC40 Recharge. It’s been around since 2018 and also shares parts with the Polestar 2.

Both cars have gained a loyal following over the years, and few owners have had to report any major problems.

The EX40 should be even more reliable than combustion-powered XC40 models too because electric motors use fewer moving parts that can go wrong in the first place.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups for used EX40 models are between 33 and 40, which is about on par with key rivals like the BMW iX1 and Kia EV6.

Being a bit more premium, the Mercedes EQA will likely cost more to insure than the EX40.