Test Car Specifications
Model: 2024 Volvo EX40 Twin Motor AWD Ultra
Price: EX40 from £45,955
Motors: two electric motors
Battery: 82kWh lithium-ion polymer
Transmission: single-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power: 408hp
Torque: 670Nm
Emissions: 0g/km
Range: 323 miles
0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 112mph
Boot space: 410 litres (plus 31-litre front cargo bay)
Styling
The letters on the back might have changed slightly, but the EX40 still looks identical to the old XC40. The design is pretty sharp and it's distinctly Scandinavian, so there's no mistaking it for anything else, but it's hardly an aerodynamic shape. Nevertheless, it won't look out of place in any car park you choose to frequent, whether that's in a rough part of town or outside a posh country hotel. The EX40's image might be distinctive and upmarket, but it isn't snobbish or brash. Nobody hates an EX40.
Interior
Just like the exterior design, the Volvo's interior remains more or less unchanged, but it still looks ultra-modern. The Scandinavian style of Volvo's interiors means the EX40 oozes minimalist cool, with very few buttons and a massive touchscreen dominating proceedings.
That screen uses a slightly confusing interface that's dominated by words and becomes quite distracting on the move, but it's redeemed by features such as Google Maps technology, which replaces a conventional navigation system. With that tech on board, it's much easier to navigate and it can integrate available range into the instructions, helping you plan charge stops.
The cabin is also very well made, which makes it feel more upmarket, and it uses lots of premium materials, even if it doesn't feel quite as posh as the larger XC60 and XC90 models. But it does get the same digital instrument display, which is minimalist and sharp, making it very easy to use, even if it isn't all that configurable.
Practicality
Although it's supposedly a more useful shape than the EC40 with which it shares pretty much everything, the EX40 doesn't look that much more spacious on paper. Yes, you get a slightly larger boot, but 410 litres of luggage space isn't all that impressive. It is better than it sounds, though, because the space is only measured to the window line, and the space above that is still there for bulkier items, unlike in the EC40. And the EX40 supplements that space with 31 litres of storage under the bonnet, giving you somewhere to put charging cables and the like.
It also has a slightly higher roofline, which means the rear seats are a bit more commodious for tall passengers, offering fractionally more headroom than the EC40. You get a similarly generous amount of rear legroom, too, so the EX40 will very comfortably carry four adults without complaint.
Performance
The EX40 is offered with a choice of three different powertrains, all of which offer a different combination of performance, range and driven wheels. The base ‘Single Motor’ option uses a single electric motor to drive the rear wheels, then feeds that motor from a 69kWh battery, giving it a range of 295 miles on the official economy test.
Then, at the other end of the scale, you can have the Twin Motor version tested here, with two electric motors giving it all-wheel drive, while an 82kWh battery lives under the floor. But while that might sound efficient and capable off-road, it’s actually more power-orientated. With 408hp, it’ll get from 0-62mph in an unnecessarily rapid 4.8 seconds, and it has a maximum range of 331 miles.
Perhaps the most tempting option, though, is the Single Motor Extended Range version, which sends 252hp to the rear wheels and has a 78kWh battery, giving it a range of 342 miles on a charge. Admittedly, you’re unlikely to achieve that in the real world – our Twin Motor test car covered about 230 miles between charges on the motorway during our test – but the Single Motor Extended Range should improve on that to at least some extent.
And when the battery is depleted, it should charge quite quickly. When hooked up to a 175kW DC charge point, the EX40’s battery can be filled from 10 to 80 percent around half an hour. And while charging at home will take longer, most customers should manage to fill their car’s battery overnight if they use a ‘wallbox’ domestic charger.
Ride & Handling
The XC40 and its electric derivatives have been popular because they have been so easy and pleasant to drive, and the EX40 continues that tradition. Ride comfort is good rather than great, but the fact remains that the Volvo soaks up lumps and bumps with aplomb, particularly at motorway speeds and on faster A-roads. It's a bit firmer around town, where the weight of the batteries seems to have an impact, but it's still perfectly tolerable.
And though it's comfy enough, the EX40 still handles fairly well. The steering doesn't have much feel, it's true, but it's quite accurate and there's plenty of grip, while body control is perfectly sufficient. All of which means you won't want to abuse the EX40 too much, but it'll put up with a bit of mistreatment.
And being electric, it's pretty refined at any speed, and the inclusion of regenerative braking means it's easy to use around town. That said, the regenerative mode is quite aggressive, and it requires slightly more delicate use of the accelerator to prevent you from feeling like a nodding dog.
Value
The cheapest EX40 comes in at £45,995, which makes it considerably cheaper than a Genesis GV60, but only a few hundred quid less expensive than the BMW iX1. And that money only pays for the basic single-motor, standard-range powertrain in entry-level Core form. Nevertheless, that version still gets the touchscreen with Google Maps, the digital instrument display and a wireless phone charging pad, as well as a power-operated tailgate and two-zone climate control. A reversing camera, parking sensors and heated front seats are thrown in, too.
It's actually a fairly generous specification, and for an extra £1,750 you can upgrade it to the Single Motor Extended Range powertrain, boosting that range a bit. Alternatively, you can spend an extra £6,100 on the Plus version, which adds some extra safety equipment and frees up the option of a two-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain. Finally, the range is capped by the Ultra, which costs another £5,000 or so, but is solely available with the Extended Range battery. Aside from that, it also benefits from a panoramic roof, pixel LED headlights and a Harman Kardon sound system.
Verdict
Perhaps the twin-motor versions of the EX40 don't make as much sense as the more efficient single-motor options, but for those who need all-wheel drive, the Volvo will prove likeable and useful in equal measure. Like the electric XC40 models, the new version is at home anywhere, and offers a useful (if pretty unspectacular) range, as well as premium class. As a result, the Volvo has undeniable appeal, even if some rivals are more engaging on the road.
