Volvo likes nice and normal and solid, and comes with a tough EV that you can safely refer to as premium. Remarkable: with the XC40 P8, the brand now also offers the technology of the Polestar 2 under its own name.
In Sweden, or rather China, they go even further with their EV offensive than all those competing brands that usher in the EV era with mainly new names, such as ID and EQ. After all, Volvo simply created a completely new brand with Polestar. All the more remarkable that Volvo also simply supplies the electric powertrain of the Polestar 2 under its own name. The XC40 Recharge P8 AWD is an electric SUV with two electric motors and a large battery pack for a starting price of € 55,495. He looks stocky, tough and square. Inside, the seat is fairly upright, which could be more relaxed. There is a fair amount of space available behind the sofa, partly due to the height. There is a handy storage space for loose items under the loading floor and an extra luggage space in the nose, although that is not about 31 liters.
The XC40 interior does not look particularly high-tech, but it is very tidy and high-quality. Every detail has been designed with care and in a consistently applied style and the materials used are original and beautiful. Just like on the outside, the XC40 shows a recognizable Volvo style on the inside, but then topped with a more youthful sauce. There are hardly any differences with a normal XC40. They become bigger when we exchange the material for the digital. Just like the Polestar, the electric XC40 has Android Automotive. That looks broadly the same as the existing Volvo system and it works fine. The added value is mainly in Google Maps, which is also extensively displayed on the screen behind the wheel. This means always up-to-date traffic information, clear routes and the option to log in, so that all previously visited addresses can automatically be found in the car. Volvo adds to this the property that the car knows very precisely how to predict with which battery percentage you will arrive at the destination. It is a pity that the remaining driving range only appears on the display when that value drops below 50 kilometers, although it is reported that it is still being worked on. The same also applies to an app, which currently does not exist for the Volvo.
Sturdy base
The Polestar 2 is not known for being very efficient and that is certainly not better with the somewhat higher Volvo. Especially on the highway and with lower temperatures, the range quickly decreases and you have to look for a charging station again. The chassis is on the sturdy side, but with a high weight and a relatively high and short carriage, that is almost impossible. There is a lot of movement in the body on bad road surfaces. The XC40 drives as we are used to from Volvo: a bit distant and very predictable. The car is not easily distracted by a faster corner, but does not involve its driver in the driving either. Except when the gas is on the shelf, because the acceleration is almost hilarious. With 408 horsepower, the P8 is by far the strongest XC40 available. Nobody expects this compact SUV to take off so quickly and that’s nice, even if you can only use it occasionally. For the time being, every electric Volvo is so fast, because the P8 AWD is the only available version for the time being. If you want a well-dressed XC40, you still have to get started with the options list.