First drive verdict on new Volvo XC40
We drive all -new XC40 small SUV to see if it can repeat the successes of its larger siblings
VOLVO is on a roll at the moment, thanks to the XC90 and XC60 SUVS, and the S90 saloon and V90 estate. And the next phase in the Swedish brand’s recovery from near-obscurity of five years ago starts here, with the XC40. Auto Express has been behind the wheel of the new challenger to see how it stacks up.
The XC40 is clearly a Volvo, although the styling (which the designers say was inspired by sci-fi movies) is more edgy and youthful than the relatively mature XC60 and XC90. The newcomer is a little bit longer in body and wheelbase than Jaguar’s newly launched E-pace, and a touch taller – it’s very much an SUV, not a crossover.
The greatest significance of the XC40 arguably lies beneath it, because it’s the first Volvo to use a new set of chassis parts called CMA (Compact Modular Architecture). This has been jointly engineered by Volvo and its Chinese owner, Geely, so it has to offer value to buyers in Asia as well as standing up to premium rivals in Europe. The XC40 range will expand to include a plug-in hybrid edition and a pure-electric version, but at launch it’s available with just conventional motors. There are two fourcylinder diesels – the D3 (148bhp) and the D4, which has 188bhp and 400Nm, and is available only with four-wheel drive and an eight-speed auto gearbox. The diesels look fairly efficient, with the D4 we’re driving here emitting 131g/km, for a Benefit In Kind company car tax rate of 29 per cent.
There are also three petrols – the asyet-untested 154bhp three-cylinder T3, which is front-drive and manual only, and the T4 (188bhp) and T5 (247bhp), which stick with all-wheel drive and the auto.
The three core trim levels – Momentum, R-design and Inscription – are the same as you’ll find across the Volvo range. The first of them offers pretty much all of the basics, with dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, auto wipers, cruise control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and Volvo’s nine-inch portrait-layout infotainment system. The cheapest
XC40 is the T3 Momentum front-wheeldrive manual, which starts at £28,750, while an all-wheel-drive automatic D4 diesel in the same trim level will set you back £31,700. Even a fully loaded D4 Inscription Pro weighs in at £36,600, which is about the same as the peak of the Audi Q3 range.
Volvo’s finance computer is still being fed all the required data to get monthly numbers. But a man with a calculator at the company suggests that a D3 Momentum should cost you around £25 per month less than a Q3 2.0 TDI Sport, on similar terms over a four-year deal.
The D4 unit tested here has more than enough shove for a car of the XC40’S size and weight, so it actually feels pretty brisk. The engine does its best work between just over 1,500rpm and about 3,000rpm, and the eight-speed auto is keen to shift up just before the higher of those figures. It’s nicely judged, really, because that’s also the point where the motor really identifies itself as a diesel, through a harsher note and increased volume.
At a cruise there’s little to complain about engine-wise, but we did notice a fair bit of road noise from the optional 19-inch rubber, and some wind noise from around the A-pillars and side mirrors.
Our car also had gearshift paddles, which will only be an option on R-design models in the UK. The box isn’t that quick to respond to them anyway, but it’s worth noting that the alternative for ‘manual control’ is an oddball configuration on the gear selector; in the left-hand-drive car tested, we pushed it right to shift up, and pulled it towards us to change down. It’s one of the least satisfying gearshift layouts we’ve encountered.
Even on those optional wheels, at high speeds the XC40 does a good job of soaking up road imperfections, occasionally with a slight floating effect, but never to the point of making you seasick. Its trickiest moments come at
“The XC40 is the first Volvo to use the company’s CMA platform architecture”
low speeds around town, where you might find yourself troubled by potholes and patchy road surfaces. We’d expect a standard Momentum on 18-inch wheels to show a bit more compliance in this regard.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect such a generally wafty small SUV to be a bit boat-like in corners. But in fact, the XC40 stays composed, even when required to perform a sudden, rapid change of direction. The steering adds to the experience – not because it’s blessed with any great deal of feedback, but rather because it’s nicely weighted and direct, to the point where you’ll have confidence in what it’s doing after only a few corners.
All ‘new-era’ Volvos have scored pretty strongly on infotainment – and since the XC40 offers basically the same system as its bigger stablemates, it looks particularly strong for its class. The portrait-format system, with its ‘collapsible blinds’ interface, takes a little bit of getting used to, but it’s quick to navigate once you get the hang of things and the screen is crystal clear. It’s also able to transfer key information, such as sat-nav instructions, to the fully digital instrument panel that’s standard across the range.
The only fly in the ointment here is smartphone integration, because while Android Auto and Apple Carplay are available, they’re £300 extra. That’s pretty stingy when this level of connectivity is now standard on many mid-range superminis.
The rest of the cabin is neat, functional and, in its own way, very Swedish. If you’re a fan of soft-touch fabrics then you’ll probably judge it a disappointment, but the rest of us should find the XC40’S interior a pretty special place to spend time.
The facia has relatively few switches, and a clean, uncluttered look. There are simple, clever touches, too; in this respect, the XC40 lives up to the ‘Utility’ of an SUV rather well. There’s a folding hook integrated into the glovebox that is designed to help you make it home without spilling a drop of your takeaway. The rather flimsy-looking lidded compartment between the front seats turns out to be a removable, washable bin, too.
There’s also the option of a wireless phone charging pad – positioned logically, along with a USB port, at the base of the centre console. An additional socket comes with the Smartphone Connectivity pack.
The fact that the XC40’S wheelbase is around 10cm longer than a Q3’s is reflected in excellent rear legroom. And the amount of headroom for back-seat passengers is equally impressive, even with the optional panoramic sunroof fitted. There’s plenty of room on board for four grown-ups, in other words, although a fifth adult may complain about the transmission tunnel that runs down the middle of the rear footwell.
Rivals in the class claim a larger boot capacity than the Volvo’s 460 litres, but the XC40 has a commendably flat load bay, with no lip at the front edge, and it stays that way even if you lower the rear seats to increase the space on offer to 1,336 litres. Spec the Convenience Pack and you’ll get a folding boot floor that can divide the space and stop your shopping from rolling around. The hinges even stand proud of the top edge of the resulting divider, giving you a few extra points from which to hang shopping bags.
A winning package, then? We reckon so, but with one major caveat. The car we’ve tried mixes the D4 engine with Momentum trim, and that’s not a combination that will actually be offered to British customers. You’ll need to step back to D3 power to access the entry spec which, we suspect, could have the most composed ride quality for the UK’S poor roads. Will that trade-off bring any compromises of its own, or be the pick of the range and worth a crucial fifth star in our verdict? We’ll have to wait and see.