Cheaper Volvo XC40 option

THREE-CYCLINDER ENGINE: STILL WITH 115KW AND 265NM ON TAP

At the moment in SA, XC40 T3 is available in manual, with the automatic due to follow only later next year.

The very successful Volvo XC40 is now available in T3 guise, which now means you can access the range for about R100 000 less than before.

To do this you will have to sacrifice a cylinder, but you still get 115 kW and 265 Nm on tap. The all-new 1.5 litre T3, three-cylinder, direct-injection petrol engine was developed in-house using the same modular design as Volvo’s four-cylinder Drive-E engines. The three-cylinder powertrain comes with a six-speed manual transmission while an optional eight-speed transmission will follow at a later date.

The engine was designed primarily for integration into Twin Engine plug-in hybrid cars and a hybridised as well as a pure electric powertrain option for the XC40 will be added later.

At the moment for South Africans the XC40 T3 is now available in manual, with the T3 automatic due to follow only later next year.

However, despite the temporary limitation in terms of gearboxes, XC40 customers will still have some choices when it comes to trim levels, including Momentum and R-Design, plus the luxurious new Inscription level.

The Inscription trim offers exterior styling choices with 18 inch, 19 inch or 20 inch rims, unique skid plates, side window and grille mesh chrome, plus model-specific car colours. Inside, Inscription adds a newly designed crystal gear knob and the attractive Driftwood deco.

XC40 customers can also get accessories like the 21 inch Black Diamond Cut alloy wheels, and the new accessory styling kit that offers brushed stainless steel skid plates and integrated dual tailpipes.

Functional practicality has also been a major focus on the inside of the XC40, where smart features like a removable rubbish bin, a cubby hole hook, a dedicated smartphone storage area with wireless (inductive) charging, and a multi-adaptable boot floor, help keep the cabin tidy.

City Safety is included as standard in the new XC40. This system senses potential collisions, even when it is dark, and can activate the brakes automatically should you not react in time. City Safety provides three levels of intervention; warning, brake support and full autonomous braking, and uses a combination of instruments and sensors to constantly monitor surrounding conditions.

The ground-breaking Pedestrian, Cyclist and Large Animal Detection technology detects and automatically brakes the vehicle in the event of a pedestrian, cyclist or large animal (such as cattle) stepping/swerving/jumping out in front of the car. The advanced sensor system scans the area ahead and will prompt you to act with a flashing warning light, along with an audible alarm. If you do not react to the warning, and a collision is imminent, the car immediately brakes with full braking force.

Rearward facing radar detects if a rear impact is imminent, and safety belts are tightened in advance in order to protect the occupants. Lights also start flashing to warn the driver behind and brakes are activated to help reduce the impact movement.

Lane Keeping Aid is a standard-fitted system that helps the driver keep the car in its lane by gently steering the car back if it is

about to cross a lane marking, and if the car senses that the driver is not driving actively, or for example, not using their indicators. If the supplied steering intervention is insufficient the driver is alerted by vibrations in the steering wheel. The system is active between 65-200km/h.

The new XC40 can also help you stay informed by displaying real-world road sign information within your instrument display. This function also has the ability to warn the driver should the vehicle exceed the current road speed limit.

Optionally available, is Volvo’s next generation of semi-autonomous technology. The Adaptive Cruise Control feature maintains the desired set vehicle speed but utilises radar to monitor the vehicle in front and automatically slows down or speeds up as necessary. In an evolution of this, Pilot Assist also takes care of the steering (up to 130km/h and when lane markings are clearly visible) by continually monitoring the area in front of the vehicle, making the necessary steering, accelerator and brake inputs as required to keep to the desired speed, distance and within the lane markings.

The Blind Spot Information System uses sensors to alert the driver to vehicles within the mirror blind spots, on either side of the vehicle. Cross Traffic Alert uses radar to provide information to the driver about vehicles approaching from the side – for example when reversing out of a parking space. New in the XC40, Cross Traffic Alert now also includes braking support, which allows the car to brake on its own if an impact from either side is imminent.

This function allows the car to take over steering control in difficult parallel or perpendicular parking spots. The driver is prompted to control the throttle, braking and gear inputs. The “park out” function also assists in exiting tighter spots.

During low speed manoeuvres, the Visual Park Assist 360º Cameras provide the driver with additional information relating to the car’s surroundings. A birdseye view of the car is provided via four hidden cameras, digitally stitched together to create a seamless image on the centre screen.

Run-off road accidents are among the largest cause of single vehicle accidents. To combat this, Volvo Cars has developed two support systems to help avoid a runoff road accident or to protect the car’s occupants in the case of an unavoidable road departure.

The Run-off Road Mitigation function is designed to help prevent unintentional road departures at vehicle speeds between 65-140 km/h. Run-off Road Protection focuses on accidental road departure. Using input from the car’s advanced sensor system, the technology is able to detect a run off road scenario.

In 2007, Volvo Cars introduced a worldfirst technology to combat this danger. Driver Alert Control keeps track of the car’s path in relation to lane markings on either side, by means of the camera in the windscreen. If the system detects that the car is being driven in an erratic manner the driver gets an alert in the form of an audible signal as well as a text message and a coffee cup symbol in the driver display, that indicate it is time to take a

break. With Sensus Navigation, the driver also gets guidance to the next available place to take the break.