Introduced in 2017 as part of the
Volvo brand’s notable shift upmarket after it was purchased by Geely, the
XC40 is the smallest of three modern
SUV packages that showcase both the best of this Swedish brand in terms of styling and sophistication, as well as a range of forward-focused drivetrain technologies.
Offering a welcome level of distinction on the road compared with many of its modern rivals, it’s to the credit of the
XC40’s original design that this vehicle still looks fresh despite closing in on being six years old. Available with a choice of eight exterior color's, each with a contrast-color black roof, even the entry-level Plus derivative ships with 19-inch alloy wheels as standard.
Highlights of the modern
Volvo brand’s high-quality interiors include a focus on materials and usability. To this end, each model in its current portfolio features a 9-inch, portrait-style touchscreen infotainment display that in recent months incorporates a Google-based operating system. Other impressive enhancements include a keyless go setup that allows the owner to simply buckle up and place the transmission into drive mode if the key fob is on their person. The vehicle powers down once more after the driver has left his/her seat to exit the car.
Built on the brand’s CMA platform that’s able to accommodate either a traditional combustion engine or, indeed, an all-electric drivetrain, the
XC40 range was bolstered in 2020 with the introduction of a Recharge model that features a 66-kWh battery pack sited below the passenger compartment and two electric motors, one on each axle. A hot hatch humbling setup capable of a 0-100 km/h sprint in less than 5 seconds, this flagship model was joined in 2022 by a second all-electric derivative, this time making do with just one motor powering the rear wheels only. Featuring the same battery pack, this Recharge Plus model offers a claimed operating range of up to 460 km between charges.
Management of this operating range can be optimized via a so-called single-pedal driving mode that allows the driver to both accelerate and then decelerate using only the throttle pedal. A lift of this pedal automatically engages the vehicle's brakes, and will ultimately bring the
XC40 to a stop, to harness regenerative braking energy back into the battery.
Able to accept a maximum (DC) charge of 135 kW, the
XC40 Recharge Single Motor’s battery can potentially be charged from 20 to 80% capacity within 24 minutes.
A recent addition to the
XC40’s broad family of vehicles is a new
C40 model that offers a fashionable coupé-style swept roofline compared with the more traditional
SUV shape of its XC siblings. This new offering is available exclusively with the twin-engine drivetrain from the flagship
XC40.
With a claimed luggage capacity of 411 liter's, the
XC40’s closest rival in the South African market is the BMW iX1.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus Single Motor – from R1 298 000
Volvo XC40 Recharge Ultimate Twin Motor - from R1 298 000
Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Motor - from R1 324 000
Prices include the full
Volvo Recharge Care Package:
•
Volvo on Call for 5 years
• Charging Cable for public charging stations
• Includes home charging wall box
