Volvo EX40 Review 2024

When initially launched the electric Volvo XC40 Recharge impressed with its performance, but the range and price held it back. The latest 2023 models have improved on this with a very useable range of up to 334 miles. It's now also called the Volvo EX40. It's not the cheapest family electric car on sale, but it should definitely be on your shortlist. We'll explain all in our Volvo EX40 review.

The 'standard' Volvo XC40 is one of the best small SUVs you can buy and has proved to be a big hit for the brand. With Volvo’s move to a purely electric future, we’ve since seen the arrival of both a plug-in hybrid variant and a full-on electric version.

Initially launched in 2020 and originally called the Volvo XC40 Recharge, these models sported a punchy twin motor four-wheel-drive system that would provide a total output of 408PS and 660Nm of torque, resulting in the electric XC40 covering 0-62mph in a rapid 4.9 seconds. Not so impressive was the range, with the 78kWh battery delivery an official range of up to 259 miles. 

This was followed by single motor front-wheel drive version, but things have all changed for 2023. Complete with a name change. It's now called the Volvo EX40.

As before the Volvo EX40 is offered with the choice of two EV systems - a single motor setup and a dual motor setup, but there have been a number of changes and revisions. Perhaps the biggest change for the EX40 with a single motor is the switch from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, making it (and the updated C40 Recharge) the first rear-wheel drive Volvos in 25 years.

The main reason for this switch is efficiency, with the single motor Volvo EX40 now coming with an official range of up to 290 miles from a maximum of 264 miles achievable on the front-wheel drive car. 

The twin motor Volvo EX40 has also come in for some attention as well. It's still just as quick, but the range has been improved significantly, increasing to a much more respectable official maximum range of 334 miles. 

Thanks to a subtle facelift in 2022, the Volvo EX40 still looks very sharp on the road. The only tell-tale difference between the standard car and the electric SUV is the concave grille of the standard car has been replaced by a body-coloured panel.

Due to the space saved by the absence of an engine, the Volvo EX40 gains a 31-litre ‘frunk’ storage area underneath the bonnet, while the Volvo EX40 has 413 litres of boot space at the rear (47 litres less than the standard car). 

Inside, the Volvo EX40 has a cabin broadly the same as the standard car, which means plenty of premium finishes and comfortable seating. There's also a decent Google-powered infotainment system called Android Automotive (not to be confused with Android Auto) with Google Maps and Google Assistant built-in. Apple users fear not as there's also Apple CarPlay connectivity (though it's wired, not wireless unfortunately). 

There are three models to choose from - Core, Plus and Ultra while prices for the Volvo EX40 start at around £46,000. That's more affordable than premium rivals like the Audi Q4 e-tron and in even entry-level Core trim there's a decent amount of standard features on offer. 

The good news is that the refined handling and ride quality of the standard car has transferred over to the electric Volvo EX40. 

There’s no getting away from the fact that it’s a bit heavier than the standard car thanks to the extra weight of batteries running along the bottom of the car, but the Volvo EX40 is a nice and relaxed drive overall. 

Expect the Volvo EX40 to cruise quietly at speeds and while it’s very refined overall, tyre roar can be an issue if you opt for the large alloys. Round town and it’s smooth and settled, and while there isn’t the option to spec the Volvo EX40 with adaptive suspension, it’s certainly one of the more comfortable electric SUVs available. 

There’s no questioning how quick the Twin Motor Volvo EX40 is off the line, but don’t think you’re buying an electric SUV that can replace a hot hatch. This is a car that’s more suited to a more flowing, relaxed driving style, with the steering not as sharp as some rivals. It’s also pretty tall, so expect some body roll, especially if you throw it into a corner with some enthusiasm.

Originally offered with a 78kWh battery that drove dual motors when launched, this was followed by a single motor option.

The 2023 electric Volvo EX40 range still has the choice of two EV systems as before, but things are a little different now. For starters the rear electric motor in both the Single Motor and Twin Motor cars is the first to be developed in-house at Volvo.

The last sentence gives the game away a little when we talk about the Single Motor Volvo EX40. That's because Volvo's taken the big decision to make a mechanical change from front to rear-wheel drive.

As well as shifting the motor to the back, Volvo's also boosted the power from 231 to 238PS, while there's 420Nm of torque available to boot. The battery remains the same as the outgoing model at 69kWh, but the improved efficiencies achieved mean that the official maximum range has increased from 264 miles to 290 miles. 

With a 0-62mph of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 112mph, it's faster than a comparable Audi Q4 e-tron (8.5 seconds), while it's got a bit more power too. It loses out by up to some 32 miles on range however, but in the real world that's going to be even more marginal. 

The Twin Motor Volvo Volvo EX40 has also been updated. The impressive power of 408PS remains the same but that just tells half the story. Using new motors the power split is 150PS on the front and 258PS on the rear, compared to 204PS on the front and rear that was on the outgoing model. 

The battery has also been increased to 82kWh and the result is a much improved range of up to 334 miles compared to 269 miles on the old configuration. It's also got a bit more torque at 670Nm and is a smidge quicker 0-62mph at 4.8 seconds. 

The Volvo EX40 range is significantly better than the BMW iX1's 266 mile range, while it's also a bit quicker. Even the most powerful Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro can't match the Volvo EX40, with a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds and 299PS. It's also down a little bit on maximum range of up to 305 miles.

As you can imagine there’s plenty of grunt when you need to overtake a lorry or caravan in the crawler lane and though the top speed is capped at 112mph, the Volvo EX40 Twin (to give it its proper name) certainly doesn’t feel like it's struggling at motorway speeds. 

Euro NCAP has elected to test the electric version of the five-star rated Volvo XC40 as they’re too similar, Volvo claims the Volvo EX40 will be just as safe as the standard car. 

With the standard car scoring highly for both adult and child occupant safety, the Volvo EX40 also enjoys a number of standard safety tech. This includes automatic emergency braking (known as AEB and referred to by Volvo as City Safety autonomous emergency braking) and Oncoming Lane Mitigation that helps stop the Volvo EX40 driving over the road's centre line and into danger.

Blind-spot monitoring is also available as an option, while Volvo’s latest Pilot Assist tech provides a moderate level of autonomous driving on motorways, responsible for steering, acceleration and braking inputs (though you’ll still need to have your hands on the wheel).

If you're looking to two with an electric Volvo EX40, the Recharge Twin has a maximum braked towing weight of 1800kg, while the Single Motor version has a maximum braked towing weight of 1500kg.

The Volvo EX40 uses the same design as the Volvo XC40, making it a little smaller than both the BMW iX1 and Audi Q4 e-tron. Step inside the Volvo EX40 and you certainly don’t feel squeezed in, with plenty of space up front and in the rear. 

As you’d expect, there’s a high driving position, while the front seats are incredibly comfortable and ideal for long journeys. There’s also plenty of storage solutions dotted around the front of the cabin, including a wide centre console. 

In the back and even tall adults shouldn’t feel hemmed in, though we’d recommend no more than two adults in the back as the big hump in the centre of the rear bench seats will make things pretty uncomfortable for the person sitting in the middle.

Kids though will be fine, and there’s two Isofix fittings on the out seats. The only downside is that there might be some complaints they can’t see out that easily thanks to the exterior lines of the Volvo EX40 that lifts at the rear. 

The Volvo EX40 413 litres of boot space might be less than the standard car’s 460 litres, but the front gains a 31-litre ‘frunk’ storage area where the engine would normally sit. Still, it's down on rivals like the BMW iX1, which has a 490-litre boot. 

As we’ve come to expect from Volvo, the quality of the Volvo EX40 interior is one of the best we’ve seen in a small SUV, rivalling the best in the business. 

The sophisticated and fuss-free design of the electric Volvo EX40 interior is complemented by an array of quality materials, while all key touch points are nicely engineered. There’s also some nice attention to detail as well. Rather than opting for plastic trim from the footwell to the centre console, the Volvo EX40 benefits from carpet being extended up the sides, while the door panels also have carpet trim.

The Volvo EX40 enjoys a 9.0-inch portrait-format infotainment system and uses Google Android Automotive to drive the infotainment system. 

This system provides access to navigation (Google Maps), music, phone and most of the settings on the Volvo EX40. It’s more advanced than Android Auto as well, with the system responding to voice commands to change some of the car’s settings. For example, you can say ‘Hey Google, set the temperature to 21 degrees.’ and the cabin temperature will automatically be adjusted. 

There’s no smartphone mirroring if you're an Android user, but don't fret as all you have to do is sign into your Google account and it's a home-away-from-home.

For example, if you've used Google Maps on your smartphone or laptop, you'll be able to find previous searches on the Volvo EX40 Google Maps, while all your subscribed podcasts will be there as well. 

Apple users also have Apple CarPlay should they want it and music aficionados will want to opt for the top-of-the-range Volvo EX40 in Ultra trim that comes with the 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system from the options list. The addition of a subwoofer, more watts and Dolby Pro Logic TT surround sound is a nice upgrade over the standard 8-speaker set up.

Prices start at around £46k for the electric Volvo EX40 and that’s a considerable chunk more than the standard XC40 that starts at just over £35,830. However, you're going to be paying a hefty premium for an EV and and when compared to rivals, it shapes up very well.

The Audi Q4 e-tron starts at just over £49,000 (and don't expect as many features as standard compared to the XC40 Recharge), while the BMW iX1 starts at just over £53,000. 

If you're not quite hung-up on the badge on the front of your car, then the excellent Skoda Enyaq iV starts at around £42,000 (with the top-spec Enyaq iV 80 SportLine Plus starting at around £48,000).

Whether you’re looking at the Volvo EX40 or another electric car, we’d definitely advise installing a 7kW wallbox charger. Otherwise you’ll be waiting days not hours for your car to charge. Depending on your tariff, you can expect to pay on average around £13 to fully charge the Volvo XC40 Recharge, with charge times taking around 11 hours.

The Twin Motor XC40 Recharge now has a faster maximum charging rate of 200kW, which means you’ll have to wait around 28 minutes to charge from 10 to 80%. The Single Motor has a maximum charging rate of 130kW and as a result takes a bit longer to charge from 10 to 80%, taking around 34 minutes.

What about running costs? The Volvo EX40 comes with a 3 year/60,000 warranty, while the battery has an 8 year/100,000 warranty. It’s too early to say how reliable the Volvo EX40 will be, but the standard Volvo XC40 has proven to be a dependable SUV to date and we don’t expect anything different with the electric version.

While Volvo initially launched the XC40 Recharge with a range of trims familiar to the Volvo range, including the ever-popular R Design trim, which was then replaced by Twin, Twin Plus and Twin Pro. Moving in line with the rest of the Volvo range, the XC40 Recharge was now available in Core, Plus and Ultimate trim levels. Now called the Volvo EX40 it comes in Core, Plus and Ultra trims.

The entry-level Core trim for the XC40 is still pretty impressively spec’d, with large 19-inch alloy wheels, 12.3-inch digital instrument display, heated front seats, active LED headlamps, rear parking sensors and an electrically operated tailgate all as standard. 

Next up is the Plus starting at £52,555 and as you’d expect, it gets the balance about right for features, with the addition of front parking sensors and a rear parking camera. There’s also a few more luxury items inside, including electric seat adjustment, heated rear seats and a handsfree tailgate open/closing. 

Costing from £56,605 is the top-of-the-range XC40 Recharge Ultimate. There’s a bump up to 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic roof, auto-dimming door mirrors and a useful 360-degree parking camera. That’s not forgetting plenty of semi-autonomous driving tech as standard that’s a very nice addition to have.