Volvo XC40 review

Is the Volvo XC40 a good car?

There are plenty of contenders in the small premium SUV sector, and the Volvo XC40 is a decent choice. It’s not sensational to drive, but it strikes a decent blend of comfort and cruising refinement, all while offering lots of kerb appeal in a small-car package.

Add in a funky cabin design, a capable (albeit small-screened) infotainment system, plus Volvo's traditional focus on safety, and it's hard not to see the attraction of the XC40 as one of the most accomplished compact SUVs in the premium sector. The range has been whittled down in recent years, with plug-in hybrid power no longer offered and the all-electric XC40 now a standalone model rebadged as the EX40.

How much does the Volvo XC40 cost?

While the Volvo XC40 line-up has been slimmed down (now exclusively powered by petrol engines), prices are still at the premium end of the compact SUV scale. The base Core model starts from around £36,000, and is only offered with the less powerful 161bhp B3 petrol engine, while moving up to mid-spec Plus trim adds nearly £4,000 to the price. That’s with the B3 engine, while adding the 194bhp B4 powertrain (which is the same engine tuned to offer a higher power output) adds around £1,200 to the list price.

At the top of the range is Ultra trim, which is a walk up of around £4,500 over Plus spec, but is arguably not worth the extra, because the larger wheels that come with it spoil the XC40’s ride.

In addition to these standard trims, Volvo offers Black Edition upgrades to Plus and Ultra models. This package adds black metallic paint and gloss-black exterior trim in place of the chrome finishes found on other models in the range. The Black Edition package adds around £1,000 to the price of Plus trim models, but only £250 to Ultra variants.

The XC40 is the smallest combustion-engined Volvo SUV, although the company now offers the even smaller electric Volvo EX30, too. The EX40 is the electric version of the XC40, after Volvo rebranded the XC40 Recharge to bring it into line with the EX30 and large Volvo EX90 electric SUV. For now, the XC40 continues alongside the larger Volvo XC60 and seven-seat Volvo XC90.

All versions of the XC40 are front-wheel drive – if you want four-wheel drive, you’ll have to pick the all-electric (and expensive) EX40 Twin Motor model. As well as only driving the front wheels, the XC40 is also sold exclusively with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

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There was a time when the XC40 came with petrol, diesel, electric or plug-in hybrid powertrains. But the electric model is now called the EX40, while the diesel and PHEV variants have been banished to history. That leaves two petrol options, which offer decent performance, but overall, the XC40 delivers comfort over sporty driving, although we’d recommend avoiding the larger wheel options that upset the car’s ride. Read more about the Volvo XC40's engines, performance and drive…

An engine line-up that’s now limited to a pair of petrol mild-hybrid units means the XC40 isn’t the most economical compact SUV on the market, while list prices are on the high side. Only two models dip below the £40,000 mark to avoid the luxury car road tax premium, but higher-spec cars make up for this with a long list of standard kit. Read more about the Volvo XC40's MPG, emissions and running costs…

The XC40’s interior has a more upright design than some rivals, while the space on offer is merely average for the class. The quality of the cabin is good, though, while the contemporary look means things are kept simple in terms of controls. There was a time when the XC40’s portrait touchscreen was considered large, but with the increase in screen sizes over the past few years, it can now only really be considered as average. However, it does run Google’s fast and effective operating system. Read more about the Volvo XC40's interior, design and technology…

There’s a bit more style than substance to the XC40’s cabin, with reasonable space inside, but less than you’ll find in some rivals. There are deep door bins, a curry hook in the glovebox and a washable bin in the centre console, while the tall roof line means headroom is fine, even when panoramic glass is fitted. The boot is reasonable, while dividers stop loose items rolling about. Read more about the Volvo XC40's boot space, comfort and practicality…

Since the XC40 has been on sale since 2018, and has been the subject of frequent updates to its equipment and tech, there shouldn’t be too many concerns with reliability. If you do need to visit a dealer, the most recent Driver Power dealer results saw respondents bemoan the lack of facilities at its franchises. Safety is first-rate, though, with a five-star Euro NCAP rating and a host of clever assistance tech. Read more about the Volvo XC40’s reliability and safety…