Interior
The interior layout, fit and finish
Driving position and dashboard
The front seats in the Volvo XC40 are some of the best you’ll find in any family SUV. There’s a wide range of adjustment, including tilt and height, plus four-way electric lumbar adjustment on all versions. If you go for Plus trim, you'll get a fully electric driver’s seat.
We really like the driving position, too. You sit higher than you do in many rivals, particularly the BMW X1, making the XC40 feel like a proper SUV from behind the wheel, rather than just a jacked-up family hatchback. In this class, only the Range Rover Evoque feels as lofty.
Top-spec Ultimate versions have a 360-degree camera system, and all XC40s get an auto-dimming rear-view mirror as standard.
Sat nav and infotainment
Dominating the middle of the XC40's dashboard is the 9.0in tablet-style touchscreen, which works in much the same way as an iPad. While the idea of a screen that lets you swipe, pinch and scroll sounds good in theory, the reality is that you have to take your eyes off the road for longer than is ideal just to complete simple tasks – such as changing the radio station, for example.
