The Nordic carmaker’s newest SUV surprises with its attractive design, large interior space and comfortable ride. Volvo XC40 is more than a worthy sibling to the XC60 and XC90 family.

Volvo, in conjunction with Chinese giant Geely, has developed a new CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) platform for the XC40. Instead of the trapezoidal axle found on the XC60 and XC90, here you’ll find only the MacPherson type, which speaks about the current and future focus of the Volvo XC40 as a smaller size variant of the XC range.

Sophisticated design aims at women

The distinctive design retains the typical elements of the Swedish carmaker, while showing off the appealing curves accentuated by the distinctive Thor’s Hammer style light signature. The car’s shapes are angular, minimalist and contain no superfluous details, yet it is remarkable how much the Volvo XC40 suits women. The spectrum of pastel colours on offer and the attention to detail (such as the colour-coordinated handles and special radiator grille) reveal that the targeting of women is deliberate.

Although it’s the smallest of the SUV family, it’s surprisingly spacious. The layout is excellent and you’ll find quality materials everywhere. But even with all this said, some parts of the interior feel cheap. And the infotainment controls are unnecessarily complicated too.

The front seats are traditionally great in a Volvo, comfortable and with plenty of adjustment, but the rear seats are set maybe too low, which can be uncomfortable (especially for someone tall).

Practically compartmentalized boot space

With 460 litres, the boot offers plenty of space, and when you fold down the rear seats, you get up to 1,336 litres of volume. A double floor mat and a bulkhead to secure the cargo in the boot against movement are an added bonus.

Even in the countryside the XC40 provides a very comfortable ride and has a superbly soundproof engine. The only unfortunate exception is the turbocharger – it’s loudness can get annoying. Also be prepared for higher real-world fuel consumption.

Volvo XC40: Momentum and R-Design

The basic range of cars is very well equipped. The car is offered in two specifications, namely Momentum and R-Design. The petrol engines are referred to as T3, T4 and T5. The weakest T3 has a power output of 156 horsepower and is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox, the most powerful T5 has a power output of 247 horsepower and is mated to an 8-speed Geartronic transmission. The D3 and D4 diesels are available with all-wheel drive and both transmission options. The more powerful D4 diesel with 187 horsepower is then available with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Car And Driver’s Volvo SC40 review with T4 and T5 variations comparison

An article by Carwow focused on the Volvo XC40 infotainment

Parkers’ Volvo XC40 review

What Volvo XC40 reviews agree on

+ Attractive bodywork
+ Large interior space with plenty of storage
+ Practical luggage compartment
+ A wide range of safety systems

– The turbocharger is too noisy
– Low-set rear seats
– Higher real-world consumption
– Small parts of interior feel cheap
– Complicated infotainment

Volvo XC40 dimensions and height