You can subscribe to the Volvo XC40

Though Care by Volvo is less expensive than its competitors, subscribing to an XC40 isn’t meant to be an economical choice. It’s about convenience.

“It’s not like when you go to McDonald’s and you get a value meal,” said Volvo spokesman Jim Nichols.

The program is meant to “overcome the friction some customers have in acquiring and owning a vehicle,” he said. “We found a lot of people entering

The tester featured a two-tone paint job with a blacked-out roof that made the car look more svelte and speedier than it is. The turbocharged fourcylinder motor churns out 248 hp, but feels overly subdued until the dynamic driving mode is activated,

all-wheel-drive SUV a more engaging driver. Still, the steering is far too light and vague, and the brakes feel grabby. The car doesn’t seem to enjoy being offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, which could improve your experience depending on your comfort level with those interfaces.)

Because this is a Volvo, there’s an array of safety features on offer. Our test vehicle included the $1,100 vision

brake system that can stop the car to avoid a collision.

For much of my week with the XC40, I was annoyed by the feature, because on a few occasions, it engaged when it wasn’t needed, and the vehicle startlingly slammed on the brakes in an attempt to avoid some imagined impending catastrophe.

And yet, in one instance, it saved me from a wreck. I was backing out of a parking space in a garage and didn’t see an SUV barreling around the corner. Sure enough, the XC40 slammed on the brakes. Surprised, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the car speeding by. on the hook for the entire two-year term, there is no early-termination fee. And subscribers are capped at 15,000 miles a year.

Nichols declined to disclose the number of people who have subscribed to the XC40 since the program launched in November (customers began receiving