Volvo XC40 review

Looking at the distinctive design of the Volvo XC40, you begin to wonder if the German premium brands have it wrong – their ‘Russian doll’ designs lead to a very strong resemblance between models, which often leaves you struggling to tell one from another. At the very least, Volvo's creativity is jolly refreshing.

Of course, the XC40 does retain some distinctive Volvo design cues. Its Thor’s Hammer headlight design and equally striking LED rear lights, for instance, ape the company’s other models, keeping the bloodline recognisable.

Now, the Volvo XC40 is a former What Car? Car of the Year so it's no secret that it's good. But it's been around a while now, so is it still a better buy than rival family SUVs, such as the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque? Read on to find out.

If you decide to buy a Volvo XC40, or any other car for that matter, take a look at the latest deals available through our free What Car? New Car Buying service. You could save plenty on the brochure price without any tedious haggling.

Our pick of the Volvo XC40's engines is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Recharge T4 petrol, which offers a combined output of 211bhp from its 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor. The standard automatic gearbox is pretty responsive, and the brisk 0-62mph time of 8.5sec should be plenty for most buyers' desires.

The regular petrol versions of the XC40 are more comfortable than any of their chief rivals, including the firm-riding BMW X1 and the unsettled Jaguar E-Pace. The XC40 betters even some relatively comfortable alternatives, such as the Range Rover Evoque and Volkswagen Tiguan.

The entry-level T2 is relatively hushed at low revs, apart from a few whooshes and whistles from the turbocharger. It starts to sound quite thrummy when you rev it harder, but you don't feel much vibration through the controls. The B4 emits the odd turbo whoosh, but the B4 and B3 are smoother and quieter than the T2 when you rev them out.

The PHEV models (T4 and T5) are relatively quiet in pure electric mode, although you do hear slightly more whine from the electric motor than you do in the Kuga PHEV and some other rivals. You can tell when the petrol engine fires up but it's never uncouth.

Whichever engine you choose, you'll hear mild wind buffeting around the windscreen at motorway speeds. There's also road noise, especially when big 20in alloy wheels are fitted (the Evoque is notably more subdued in this respect). Still, the XC40 is nowhere near as raucous as the X1 on a motorway. The regenerative brakes of the PHEV models are a little snatchy when they cut in, but the rest of the range has regular brakes that are progressive and make it easy to slow you down smoothly.