Volvo EX40 Review

How much does it cost?

Prices for the standard EX40 start from £42,360, for a car in ‘Core’ trim with features such as wireless phone charging and full Google services. At the other end of the scale is top-spec Ultra trim which gets a panoramic sunroof and an upgraded sound system - among other features - but also suffers a high price of £50,360. Opt for the higher-powered dual-motor setup and this will add an extra £4,000, too.

However, there’s plenty of scope for savings if you take a look at the used market. On AA Cars, you’ll find EX40 examples of the XC40 Recharge - what the EX40 was referred to before a naming change - for £30,200 in a high specification with just over 10,000 miles on the clock.

Engine and performance

Overview

The EX40 is available with two motor setups. The first, called Single Motor Standard Range, has, as the name suggests, a single motor sending power to its battery. This can return Volvo’s range figure of 293 miles from a charge. Sending its power to the rear wheels, this setup can bring 0-60mph in a very respectable 7.3 seconds.

Then, there’s a Single Motor Extended Range model. This gets the same single motor as the entry-level car, but brings a longer range of up to 353 miles from a charge, making it the best option for drivers looking to go long-distance.

But if you want some more performance, then there’s a Twin Motor version. This model gets an additional electric motor on the front axle to drive the forward wheels, bringing all-wheel-drive traction in the process. It also gives the EX40 supercar-like pace, with 0-60mph being completed in a blistering 4.6 seconds. A range of up to 331 miles is still quite respectable, given the amount of performance this car can deliver, too.

Out on the road

The EX40 may be on the compact end of the SUV spectrum, but it still brings plenty of presence. You sit nice and high, so there’s good visibility to be found by the person behind the wheel. The EX40 is nice and square in design, too, which makes it easy to judge where your corners are. It’s a big help when parking in a tight space, for instance.

Whichever model you opt for, you’re getting plenty of acceleration, too. While single motor versions may lack the outright pace of the twin motor variant, they’re more than speedy enough away from the line. As with all EVs, there’s no delay in torque, which means you can make a quick getaway.

Ride and handling

As with nearly all electric vehicles, the EX40 does feel a little heavier to drive than a petrol or diesel-powered version and it can suffer from a slightly rigid ride. As a result, this Volvo isn’t as plush-riding as you might expect, though choosing a model on smaller alloy wheels can certainly help to reduce this issue.

That said, the EX40 really is lovely and quiet when you’re travelling at speed with both wind and road noise being kept well suppressed. The twin-motor may have the headline acceleration but, in our opinion, it’s the more ‘regular’ models which are the best choices; the high-performance model can get you up to speed quickly, but its brakes and suspension don’t feel like they’ve been tuned to match, leaving the car to feel a bit wayward through the bends.

Interior and features

Interiors

Volvo is well-known for its interiors which exhibit a typically Scandinvian stripped-back design. It’s a similar story inside the EX40, which uses lots of soft-touch materials but doesn’t have too many fussy features. The good news is that, unlike many other electric vehicles - and some of the latest Volvos - the EX40 still gets a few physical controls to help with usability. A large rotary controller for the volume, for instance, is far better than having a more screen-centric setup.

Everything inside the EX40 feels built to last and though there are some harsher plastics used in some areas, it’s an altogether pleasant place to be.

Boot space and practicality

While the EX40 may be a more compact SUV, it actually does quite well in terms of space. Its upright, boxy design means that there’s plenty of headroom for all occupants, while plenty of glass helps to make the cabin feel airy. It’s just a shame that, since the EX40 is based on a platform which has also used petrol engines, there’s a large transmission tunnel at the back to contend with which eats into foot space.

There’s a good amount of boot room on offer, too. There’s a very usable 452 litres of space to explore and use up, with the area’s square design helping to accommodate bulkier items. You also get an additional 31 litres under the bonnet, which provides a great area in which to store the charging cables.

Features

The interior of the EX40 is indeed quite minimalist, but it does get all of the features you need. There’s a large central screen and because it comes with Google services built in, you get apps such as Google Maps installed without the need for a connected phone. You can also easily access music streaming sites such as Spotify by downloading the app to the car, rather than having to mirror it from a phone.

Elsewhere, all cars get wireless smartphone charging to keep your devices topped up without the need for a cable, and front and rear sensors to aid with parking.

Trim and colour options

Today, Volvo offers four trim levels on the EX40 - Core, Plus, Plus Pro and Ultra. Entry-level Core cars benefit from the large central screen with Google services, as well as wireless smartphone charging. As a note, these entry-level cars are only available in Single Motor, Standard Range configuration.

Step up to Plus and you do get a greater level of safety equipment, with blind spot detection and cross traffic alert now included as this grade. You also get keyless entry with hands-free access and a greater level of interior illumination. At this grade, you now unlock the full suite of motor options, too. A heated steering wheel is a big comfort-plus point on this grade, too.

Plus Pro adds in some handy features such as a 360-degree parking camera, upgraded Pixel LED headlights and tinted rear windows for added passenger privacy. Those Pixel LED headlights also get standard washers which can help to make a big difference when driving in winter, too. There are a greater number of parking sensors included at this grade as well.

Finally, we have Ultra. Bringing more light into the cabin is the panoramic sunroof that you get at this grade, while the upgraded Harmon Kardon sound system sounds fantastic and adds a lot of extra punch to the audio quality of the EX40. It’s helped no end by the subwoofer that this setup brings.

Colours-wise things are quite subdued with mainly blacks and greys available, though there are some standouts such as Forest Lake and Denim Blue.

Safety and reliability

Volvo is well-known for its safety and it’s probably reflected in the number of assistance systems included on the EX40. You get a variety of assistance systems and a good number of airbags located throughout the cabin. When the original XC40 was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2018, it scored a full five stars. However, bear in mind that tests have become more stringent since then, which could mean that the EX40 wouldn’t get a five-star rating if tested today.

The regular XC40 has proven reliable, too, and we have no reason to doubt the robustness of the EX40 as a result. If anything, it should prove more reliable than its petrol-powered cousin due to its fewer moving parts.

MPG, emissions and tax

The EX40 is an electric-only vehicle, which means you don’t have to worry about emissions. Running an electric vehicle can be cheap or expensive; access low home energy rates and you can charge the EX40 up for a fraction of what it would cost to run a petrol or diesel equivalent. However, if you need to use more expensive public charging more often, then costs could quickly rack up.

The standard rate of road tax for EX40 models will be £195, though, because all versions start from over £40,000, this car will also incur the Expensive Car Supplement. This could see yearly tax rates rise to £620 for the first five years of registration.