XC40 electric will fit the bill
MY FAVOURITE crossover is the Volvo XC40. Particularly if it’s in R-design spec like this week’s test car, with piano black detailing. I’m not a huge fan of SUVS and crossovers but thevolvo has won me over with its styling both inside and out. It’s clean, fuss-fee and very nordic.
The one on test is a XC40 Recharge T5. Recharge isvolvo’s new brand name for its electrified cars but this is a plug-in hybrid. It’s a bit confusing because on its way is a fully-electric XC40 also called Recharge. But for now a PHEV is your only choice.
Under the bonnet we have a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 178bhp.this is aided and abetted by an electric motor that adds a further 81bhp. Both drive through an automatic transmission to the front wheels.
And that’s the only powertrain available in the XC40 Recharge.you can’t buy a XC40 PHEV in the entry-level Momentum trim: your choice is between this R-design as a sporty option and the Inscription – the box to tick if you’re after more luxury.
We’ve done this test the proper way. Taken the car around towaitrose (my nearest public charging point) and topped up the lithium-ion battery so that we have the full 31-mile electric-only range.
Actually, after having done so the car’s display showed a range of 25 miles. Enough for our plan.which was to drive to Milton Keynes to test a couple of new Mercs, then drive down the M1 into central London to see a mate and drive home.
The trip from home to MK would be done on petrol power, as would the leg from there into central London. For the last bit I would switch the XC40 into electric-only mode and make it home silently and emissions-free.
F£40,905
Petrol – 1.5 178bhp plus 81bhp electric motor
0 to 62mph in 7.3 seconds, 127mph top speed
IRST thought about thisvolvo is why not wait for the full-electric version? Owning a PHEV and not regularly charging its battery is completely pointless.you’ll save money in tax but will not benefit from the reduced fuel consumption. If you don’t have charging facilities at home then there’s no point having a PHEV or a BEV.
Another argument for waiting for the electric-only XC40 Recharge is that the PHEV version isn’t exactly cheap.
Our test car costs £40,905 (the Inscription is £41,225) without options.we don’t have a price for the XC40 Recharge yet but with a PICG grant taken into account I doubt that it will be hugely more expensive than the PHEV.
As much as I like the looks of the
R-design, before signing on the dotted line I’d want to drive the Inscription. Why? Because the R-design features a sports suspension package as standard.the ride’s not as comfortable as you’d want it to be. There’s something even more annoying about how the XC40 T5 drives – and that’s the brakes. I can’t, in recent memory, recall a car that has such inconsistent pedal feel.
At first it feels as though the brakes are being applied as normal, then there’s a dead feel that brings the worry you’re going to drive into the back of the car in front and then – as you press harder – the brakes bite and everyone is thrown forward.
Perhaps it has something to do with the regenerative braking system but I’ve not experienced it on petrol or diesel XC40S.
Apart from these niggles thevolvo is as beguiling as all the other versions we’ve tested. Both R-design and Inscription have beautifully designed interiors with plenty of Nordic-ness about them. I’ve ranted before aboutvolvo’s infotainment system which is dangerously distracting to use.
Still, the voice recognition works well and if you make full use of its functions you can avoid being distracted.
Interior is spacious and airy and there’s 460 litres of luggage space with the seats in place and 1,336 litres with them folded flat.
Driving the XC40 PHEV through central London the 14 miles back to my house was very pleasant. I arrived home with nine miles of electric range left and not once was I tempted to save some juice by going into driving modes and selecting Sport or another option to fire up the petrol engine.
If you want to go electric then my advice is to skip this model and wait for the XC40 Recharge to arrive.the PHEV version is too much of a halfway house.
119.1-139.4mpg 47-55g/km Audi Q3, DS 7, BMW X3
7/10