Double or nothing for ‘little cousin’

Steven Chisholm asks if the new Volvo XC40 has what it takes to emulate its larger stablemates and outperform sales predictions

The XC40 is Volvo’s first foray into the small SUV segment and it’s hitting the market at a time when the brand’s stock is high with buyers looking for an alternative to the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi.

The XC60 has already doubled its forecast figure for orders since launch and Volvo achieved record worldwide sales in 2017. In the UK, last year was their second biggest ever with 46,000 sales and the X C 60 has just been named World Car of the Year for 2018.

Big shoes to fill then. But the XC40 has hit the ground running, having already been crowned European Car of the Year for 2018.

I took the First Edition, T5 petrol version for a test drive to see what all the fuss was about.

The first thing to note is the exterior design, which Volvo have nailed. It’s chunky, without being overbearing and while it retains some of the XC60 and X C 90 elegance, it is a more utilitarian looking prospect overall.

Volvo prefer to call it the XC60’ s cousin, as opposed to its ‘little brother’, and rather than being a scaled-down version of the larger car it’ s been designed from the ground up on Volvo’s new small car architecture.

The car is aimed at younger buyers than one might previously have associated with the brand and a range of visualcan see buyers option a contrast roof and bodykit while each trim level comes with visual hallmarks like different front grille treatments and alloy wheels.

Those customisation options are all tied to specific trim levels (and in limited colour combinations) though, so it’s not quite the free-for-all you get with some brands.

There are three trim levels: Momentum — the entry level; R Design — a sportier treatment; and the luxury Inscription spec. Each comes with a different chassis set-up and can be purchased with a ‘pro’ pack which adds extra equipment.

The car I tested was in First Edition spec — a limitededition version based on the sporty R-Design Pro spec.

The interior of the car shares the minimalist look and premium feel of other cars intheVolvoline-up,dominated by the upright Sensus infotainment system on the centre console. Leather and nu buck seats and ‘Cutting Edge’ aluminium inlays are typically premium without being over the top.

Inscription models can be optioned with my personal favourite ‘driftwood’ dashboard inlays — as seen in Jimmy Perez’ sVolvoV 90 in the new series of Shetland.

And, if you’re an audiophile, there’s a premium Harman Kardon sound system completewith an air-ventilated sub woofer.

The test car was equipped with the four-cylinder petrol T5 engine, the 247hp big beast of the launch line-up, which also includes a four-cylinder, 189bhp D4 diesel option. Volvo say three-cylinder, hybrid and EV variants will follow later.

Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission the T5 engine is unbelievably smooth and has power in spades. With a nought to 60 mph time of 6.2 seconds it should feel like an absolutehood l em—but the truth is it all feels perfectly civilised, under control and quiet.

Our car was fitted with the larger 19-inch wheels and had suspension tuned more towardsporty handling than that found in the Inscription set-up, but ride and comfort remained in good order.

The driving position and space for front passengers is excellent — and the cabin is fitted with lots of family oriented cubbyholes like a tablet compartment under the seat, tissue box in the centre console next to a removable waste basket and door compartments big enough to accommodate a laptop. Rear space is perfect for two kids and two adults would be comfortable enough so long as they are under the six foot mark.

Volvo have projected sales to sit right in between those of the Mercedes GLA (13,876) and the BMW X1 (14,614) but, with stylish Scandi appeal and fresh off the back of a European Car of the Year award, I’d be surprised if that didn’t prove to be a conservative estimate.

Perhaps, like the X C 60, they could even double it.