Volvo EX40 review

The one-size-fits-all approach is common practice nowadays. You see plenty of cars available as a petrol, hybrid or electric model. However, the Volvo EX40 family was a bit ahead of the curve.

Back in 2017, the Volvo XC40 was revealed. It was designed from the get-go to accommodate a whole host of engine configurations, including pure petrol or diesel ones, as well as mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid setups. Volvo even had the foresight to envision a fully electric version, which went on sale in 2021.

Initially, it was known as the XC40 Recharge, but that name has since gone extinct. The model was rebranded as the EX40 in 2024 to help differentiate it from the XC40, and at the same time the electric motor on Single Motor versions was moved to the back of the car. Most EX40s have rear-wheel drive, although you can also have a four-wheel-drive Dual Motor version.

Volvo EX40 video review

There are plenty of rivals are available with rear-wheel drive, including the Audi Q4 e-tron, Genesis GV60 and Tesla Model Y. There’s also the Kia EV6 to keep in mind.

So how does the Volvo EX40 stack up against the best electric SUVs? Let's find out...

The entry-level Volvo EX40 is the Single Motor version. It has a 235bhp electric motor that drives the rear wheels and aids a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds.

It feels quick enough in all situations, and the Single Motor Extended Range version, which actually has a bit more power (249bhp), is exactly the same. In fact, the two have an identical 0-62mph time. 

The Twin Motor version is on a whole other level though. Thanks to its second motor on the front axle for four-wheel-drive (and total output of 402bhp), it 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?

We’d go for the Single Motor Extended Range because it’s officially capable of 348 miles on a charge – a fairly competitive distance that sits between the 330-mile Audi Q4 e-tron 45 and the 387-mile Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD. 

The Single Motor is well worth considering if you’re happy with less range – although bear in mind that electric cars usually fall some way short of the official figure. Officially, it’ll cover 294 miles before needing a top up, which is a decent amount, even though it’s less than how far the entry-level Model Y (311 miles) can cover.

The Twin Motor version has an official range of 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.

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 is likely to lie with the weight of the battery pack, which puts a lot of extra strain on the suspension and makes the ride a little choppy – particularly along poorly surfaces roads. The EX40 Twin Motor is the heaviest of the lot, so it’s the worst off. Mind you, the Single Motor cars are only a bit softer riding. 

On the plus side, every EX40 is more comfortable and settled on the road 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 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. 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.

“The ride is generally comfortable, but it’s not especially well planted, which limits your confidence on fast sections of country road and motorway.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

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 Ultra model come with fully electric seats.

Behind the steering wheel there's a crisp, clear digital driver's display 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 Ultra 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.

Pro Plus trim, as well as top-spec Ultra models, get 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 Ultra 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.

“I found the EX40's voice assistant one of the more intuitive ones I’ve used, even if I still had to repeat things every now and again.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

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 Ultra 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 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 452 litres of boot space and the boot is a useful square shape. 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.

“I rarely use front boots, but they’re still nice to have, just in case the main boot starts overflowing.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

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 are 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 Car Deals page.

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. It’s the cheapest trim by far.

Mid-spec Plus trim is worth considering if you have the extra money to spend. It adds keyless entry, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, and a reversing camera. It also has an EV heat pump that improves the EX40's efficiency in cooler weather.

Plus Pro adds a standard-fit 360-degree camera, pixel LED headlights, headlight cleaning and tinted windows, but we don’t think it’s worth the price premium. 

Similarly, we think range-topping Ultra is too expensive to recommend. However, it does add ambient interior lighting, leather upholstery, an opening sunroof, a Harman Kardon sound system and 20in alloy wheels.

In terms of reliability, the EX40's predecessor, the XC40 Recharge, ranked third out of 16th cars in the electric SUV class of our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. That’s a good result, and even more confidence-inspiring than that of the Kia EV6 (fourth) and Audi Q4 e-tron (seventh). 

In the same survey, Volvo came 12th out of 31 brands, beating Audi (24th) but not Kia (11th).  

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 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 received the top five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with particularly impressive scores for child crash protection. That bodes well for the EX40.

Every EX40 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.

“Core is much cheaper than Plus trim, but I can see some people craving the latter’s added creature comforts, especially considering the premium nature of the car.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

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