Paul Murrell tests the 2018 Volvo XC40 with pricing, specs, ride and handling, safety, verdict and everything the over-50 driver needs to know.
Summary: Volvo’s smallest SUV stands out from the crowd. But at a price.
2018 Volvo XC40 Momentum Launch Edition
Pricing: $52,990 (plus on road costs, including $5000 Launch Edition package)
Warranty: Three years, unlimited km (in 2018, we expect better)
Safety: not tested (but sure to be right up with the best)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 185kW at 5500rpm
Torque: 350Nm at 31800-4800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Drive: all-wheel drive
Body: 4425mm (long); 1863mm (wide); 1652mm (high)
Turning circle: 11.4m
Weight: 1710kg (a bit heavy, but helps ride quality)
Towing: 2100kg (braked), 750kg (unbraked)
Spare: Temporary space saver (get used to it, the spare wheel is a thing of the past)
Fuel Tank: 54 litres (at our recorded consumption, this makes for a limited range)
Thirst: 7.1L/100km (combined, premium unleaded)
seniordriver consumption: 9.9/100km over 330km
[review]
The Volvo XC40 arrives with something usually in short supply in the small SUV segment: style.
It looks set to build on four years of growth for the company, after it was offloaded by Ford to Chinese car company Geely.
Volvo has always touted its safety credentials, and its claim that by 2020 nobody should be killed or seriously injured in its new cars is a big call. We hope they’re right. Other bold predictions for Volvo are that one third of its cars will be autonomous (self-driving) by 2025 and, more achievably, every model will be either a hybrid or electric vehicle after 2019. Yes, by next year!
But for now, the XC40 will be offered in petrol or diesel form and tackle the heavy hitters of the small SUV class, the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and X2, Jaguar E-Pace and the Mercedes GLA.
Smart enough to impress the neighbours.
The XC40 is a snappy dresser, with some quite unusual (for the category) design elements. The days when Volvo designers were armed with straight edged rulers and set squares are now firmly in the past. The roof line kicks up from the rear door to create a strong rear roof pillar while the concave grille (a departure from standard Volvo thinking) is leads neatly into the clamshell bonnet (the XC40 was designed by English artist Ian Kettle who was just out of art school at the time).
There are two model grades, the entry-level Momentum and a higher level, the R-Design. The starting price is $47,990 for the T5 petrol Momentum (plus on road costs) while the diesel model D4 is an additional $3000.
As you have every right to expect at this price, there’s a long list of standard equipment, but the options list is even longer.
The Momentum kicks off with push button start, dual zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights (featuring the signature Thor’s Hammer design), auto high beam, auto dimming mirrors inside and out, 12.3-inch digital display unit, 9.0-inch touchscreen media system including sat nav, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Qi wireless phone charging.
Interior trim is part cloth and part (very good) faux leather. The driver’s seat gets electronic adjustment and four-way lumbar support.
Moving up to the R-Design models, your $54,990 (petrol) or $57,990 (diesel) buys you a sharper exterior styling package that includes blacked-out gloss grille, adaptive headlights with cornering function, contrasting roof in black and dual black tailpipes. Wheels on the R-Design are 20-inch “diamond cut” black alloy units. The R-Design also gets a sport chassis with stiffer suspension.
On the inside, the R-Design has perforated leather trim on the seats and leather-bound gear selector and steering wheel with paddle shifters. The headlining in the R-Design is black and there is electric adjustment for the passenger, full keyless entry, ambient mood lighting and an electric tailgate operated by waving a foot under it, which could be dodgy if you’ve had a knee of hip replacement!
The Launch Edition models, as tested, carry an additional $10,120 worth of features (by Volvo’s reckoning) for a $5000 premium. It’s all academic, however, since they have already sold out.
There are lots of nifty storage areas (including a little one in front of the main console cubby, which some journalist who had had the car prior to seniordriveraus decided was the perfect place to leave used tissues and dead batteries – we suspect its intended purpose is to hold small change).
The large centre screen is clear and easy to read, but like all of its ilk, quickly gets covered in smudgy fingermarks. It can be fiddly to operate as well, and we question whether a driver really needs so much information when on the move. So much data can quickly become overwhelming on the road (or when stationary, for that matter!) The head up display works well but can occasionally be a distraction when it catches the eye unexpectedly, especially when turning. Another favourite bugbear of ours is the unnecessarily fiddly controls for adjusting things like the air conditioning – it takes a number of movements to first bring up the controls, and then they have to be “virtually” slid to adjust the temperature, for example. It’s not intuitive, takes attention away from the road and a simple rotary dial would do the job much better. And we wonder if the voice control has been properly calibrated to understand the Australian accent – it can be quite recalcitrant on occasion, even when you e-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-e very clearly.
The Launch Edition as tested is also fitted with a panoramic glass sunroof. Fortunately, the weather was cool during our test period because we think the mesh cover would not keep much full summer heat out of the cabin – Queenslanders take note!
A sense of fun and playfulness.
Volvos were always known as no-nonsense cars, demonstrating Scandinavian seriousness rather than unnecessary fripperies. Those days, too, are gone.
The XC40 really does bring a smile to your face, and it does so without making you feel like you’re wearing age-inappropriate clothing or pretending to be part of a generation you’re not.
We’re not too sure how long the rubbery Swedish flag that pokes out from under the left-hand side of the bonnet will survive (could it become the new collectable, like the once-coveted Holden ‘179’ badges?) but we like it anyway. The kick up at the rear of the side window line serves no useful purpose either but it adds to the individuality. It also creates an odd situation where the upper part of the rear doors always seems to extend further than you think (and quite a way beyond the lower part of the door) so it pays to keep your wits about you in tight spaces, and make sure you warn rear seat passengers or suffer the inevitable chipped paint consequences.
Practical, too.
The Volvo designers obviously considered the real world when designing the XC40. Door pockets are huge (mainly because they haven’t had to accommodate door speakers) and they are lined in the same carpet you get on the floor – it’s a little thing but suggests penny-pinching has been kept to a minimum. There’s a removable central bin in the console so you can take it out and clean it.
Boot space is a useful 460 litres, expanding to 1336 litres with the rear seats folded. And the clever thinking continues with a folding floor that is truly versatile. The power tailgate is standard in the top spec and can be optioned in the lesser model – do your shoulders a favour and specify it.
Performance doesn’t disappoint.
The XC40 will never be confused with a sports car, but that’s not its remit. Under almost all the circumstances most drivers will face, it does everything asked of it. It’s quite quick, without being neck-snapping. The eight-speed auto appears to have been set up for economy rather than fun and can occasionally be caught napping, but the paddle shifters are always there as an alternative, one that I took full advantage of. The on-demand all-wheel drive system is unobtrusive and most drivers won’t even know it’s there.
The XC40 has its idiosyncrasies, too. Selecting Drive or Reverse at rest requires an annoying two flicks of the lever to engage, but it’s something you quickly adjust to. The auto stop/start is fairly agricultural as well, kicking in with a noticeable jolt when you release the footbrake.
The comparative heavy weight of the XC40 (1710kg) works well with the suspension and it goes where you point it, although in dynamic mode, the steering weight may be a little too much for some.
Still leading the way in safety.
The XC40 is yet to be ANCAP tested but the list of safety equipment is extensive. Volvo proudly boasts that its XC60, V90 and S90 are the only cars to get perfect scores in EuroNCAP’s AEB tests and the XC40 uses the same technology. The AEB is quite remarkably advanced, even activating if it detects that you are turning in front of an oncoming car.
The XC40 is also fitted with semi-autonomous steering that literally keeps you in your lane. I tried it for some distance on the freeway (hovering my hands beside the wheel and only touching it when prompted by the system) and travelled many kilometres without having to operate the throttle, brakes, steering wheel or anything else. I didn’t however, let my attention wander and was ready to resume control at any moment. Another smart inclusion is a system that can detect if you veer off the tarmac unintentionally, and since this is a major cause of head-on collisions (drivers tend to over-react and swerve into the face of oncoming traffic) this is clearly a major safety initiative. The semi-autonomous parking system is, for most people, probably of limited value because for anyone who knows how to drive, it’s easier, quicker and less taxing to do it yourself.
Some way to go in ownership costs.
As motorists we are starting get spoiled by the remarkably good deals being offered for servicing and warranty.
Not here. The Volvo is covered by what is, by current standards, a miserable three-year warranty. Factor in fairly high servicing ($2165 for three years/45,000km, $3320 for four years/60,000km, $4030 for five years/75,000km regular servicing) and it does skew the value-for-money equation. There’s an even more expensive option that covers the occasional wheel alignment, wiper blades, brake pads and discs and pollen filters – that will set you back $6345 for five years cover. Another consideration often overlooked is the tyres; the XC40 gets quite excellent Pirelli P Zero tyres, which undoubtedly contribute to the ride and handling qualities, but they will be expensive to replace when the time comes, as it inevitably must.
In common with most European cars, the XC40 demands the more expensive 95 RON fuel as well, and at the very-nearly 10L/100km we achieved, that will also add significantly to the yearly running costs.
Summary.
The new Volvo XC40 joins a throng of compact SUVs. It offers something different, albeit at a premium price, but will appeal to buyers of the more traditional (Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and equally traditional but less established Jaguar E-Pace) competitors, while tempting buyers up from the Japanese contingent. Like most of the vehicles in this segment, it is unlikely to ever venture far off road (if at all), but even around town is an accomplished and pleasant choice.