Volvo’s baby SUV is so stylish
Volvo’s XC40 is a tempting entry point into the trendy world of premium SUVs, writes David Linklater.
With all the attention given to the $80k T5 Launch Edition of Volvo’s XC40, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a premium-priced SUV.
In fact, the new model starts at under $60k, which is almost mainstream money. Here’s the model in question: the T4 Momentum.
Why does it look like an ambulance?
That’s a bit rude, if accurate. Twotone paint jobs are very much the thing on compact SUVs of all prices at the moment, so forgive Volvo New Zealand for being a bit brave on the colour combination with this example. We love it.
You can have the XC40 Momentum in a single colour, but for a very reasonable $400 you can add a contrast-white roof as pictured here.
The roof hue is actually used as a bit of a status thing in the XC40 range: white can be added to the lower-end models, but black is reserved (and standard) for the flagship R-Design.
Entry level equals equipment shortage, right?
In terms of the XC40 range, yes of course: the Momentum has significantly less equipment than the higher-end Inscription or R-Design models.
In terms of a $60k SUV, it actually fares pretty well. There’s still some surprise and delight stuff like a power driver’s seat with memory and Volvo’s signature Sensus nine-inch tablet-style touch screen.
The entry XC40 is also wellserved with safety equipment: blind spot and collision warnings, cross-traffic alert, driver alert control, lane-keeping assistance, oncoming lane mitigation, road sign information, run-off road mitigation and tyre pressure monitoring.
But there’s still some stuff you might expect at this level that’s optional.
The Driver Support Pack ($2000) is almost a must-have for a car like this: it brings adaptive cruise with Volvo’s Pilot Assist automated features (which are outstandingly good), a 360-degree camera system and automated parking.
There are also Convenience ($1600 for keyless entry, power tailgate and power passenger seat), Sports ($3000 for bigger wheels and other dress-up stuff) and Lifestyle ($5000 for high-end audio and the like) packages.
Get too carried away with the options and you’ll rapidly climb towards the $68k price of the AWD Inscription, but that model still doesn’t have all of the equipment listed above. So if you’re happy with FWD in the Momentum, it’s an exercise worth investigating.
Swedishly comfortable or sporty?
One thing the Momentum isn’t short of is grunt.
The 2.0-litre turbo engine serves up 140kW and sprightly performance – enough to get the front wheels twitching under power on uneven surfaces or tight corners.
So it’s quick, but the XC40 still errs much more on the side of easeof-driving and comfort than it does on sportiness. The steering feels a bit artificial and the chassis, while composed in normal cornering, starts to feel a bit rickety when you press on.
That’s all fine by us. We weren’t sure the dynamics of the $100k XC40 T5 AWD Launch Edition really suited the price and character of the car, but the Momentum seems spot-on.
It rides better than the T5 (softer suspension, smaller wheels), and while you don’t have AWD traction out of corners, the Forty isn’t really about foot-to-the-floor driving.
Is it too samey compared with Volvo’s other SUVs?
You could potentially say that about the larger XC60 versus the even larger XC90, but Volvo has made a huge effort to give the XC40 a unique character.
The cheeky exterior styling and proportions couldn’t be mistaken for any other Volvo SUV and even the interior has its own look: same key technology as the rest of the range, but less posh looking and with more emphasis on the striking details.
Example: our test car had an (optional) rubber trim insert across the dashboard that contained a relief map of Volvo’s home city of Gothenburg. Cute.
It’s one of the larger cars in the segment and the XC40 really plays up its SUV status, with a boxy exterior look and upright driving position. Volvo is known for practicality, but the XC40 goes next-level with clever storage ideas.
Door-speakers have been replaced by an ‘‘air woofer’’ in the firewall to allow bigger door bins, there are storage areas everywhere and the boot floor can be removed or folded to form a hanger for your shopping. We could go on.
Point is, the longer you live with the XC40 the more you appreciate its brilliant little design and packaging touches.
Any other cars I should consider?
Where do we start? BMW’s X2 is the XC40’s contemporary and the entry three-cylinder, front-drive 18i version is the same price.
Jaguar’s E-Pace was launched around the same time as the XC40, but it has its sights set a little higher; there’s no equivalent frontdrive model. You could also consider the Audi Q2 or MercedesBenz GLA.
But you also owe it to yourself to check out the top end of mainstream SUVs that the XC40 Momentum is competing with. Like the Mazda CX-5 Limited, which is a very classy and wellequipped machine for $55,745.