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I received an interesting E-mail from a reader last week, following up on a recent long-term report on the single-motor Volvo EC40 I’m currently driving. 

It turns out that our reader, a keen petrolhead called Derek Dunthorne, is running the twin-motor version of the Volvo EC40, and although it’s in a different specification to mine and something of an upgrade, we share many similar opinions. 

Derek loves the interior, telling me that the “Android-based interface is brilliant – easy to use and completely logical – although, like most folk, I would prefer knobs for the heating and ventilation”.

He also gave me some background information on his buying decision. Moving away from several Porsche Macans, this would be his – wait for it – 56th car. What particularly impressed him was Volvo’s interior quality and finish; they’re not quite at Porsche standards, in his opinion, but better than the Korean alternatives. He initially considered the smaller and newer EX30, but found he preferred the more conventional driver displays of the EC40, which is something I happen to agree with.

It also turns out that we are even getting the same miles per kWh. But the really interesting information from Derek was beyond even what our long-term reports can offer. It transpires that he bought the car at six months old with 1,800 miles on the clock for a discount of 33 per cent on the new price and a three per cent PCP (to hedge against depreciation). He was impressed with Volvo’s used car 30-day exchange policy, and as it transpired that was a good choice, because he actually ended up using it. Unhappy with his first car for a number of reasons, he returned it and the company refunded his money and allowed him to choose another, which he now loves.

In terms of running costs, his are a fraction of mine. He uses the Octopus Energy Intelligent Go tariff that enables him to charge overnight for 7.0p per kWh. This means he has spent around £120 on electricity in 12 months and about 4,000 miles. Like many, he has never needed to use public charging, with all his journeys having been no longer than the 200 miles that the Volvo can comfortably complete.

In the digital era, we often hear about information overload, but Derek’s E-mail and the context of his purchase and ongoing experience really brought home the power of information for car buyers. Which is what our annual Driver Power satisfaction survey is all about: real-world experiences from real-world drivers. 

You can read the 2025 results next week, but in the meantime ‘be more Derek’. Fill in the latest survey that will contribute to next year’s results, because there is clearly no such thing as too much information when it comes to changing cars. We need all the help we can get, from experts and those living with the cars we’re considering.

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