# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
The XC40 is what happened when Volvo decided to bound, for the first time, into the compact SUV arena. An area that’s... Read the full TG review inside.

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Volvo's baby SUV does a decent job of being slightly different but entirely acceptable

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Volvo's baby SUV does a decent job of being slightly different but entirely acceptable

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Volvo's baby SUV does a decent job of being slightly different but entirely acceptable

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.description
Volvo's baby SUV does a decent job of being slightly different but entirely acceptable

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content[]
"description":"Volvo's baby SUV does a decent job of being slightly different but entirely acceptable
"

# data.attributes.field_cars_driving.value
As long as your expectations are kept suitably in check then the XC40 is a perfectly acceptable drive – it’s certainly not a barrel of laughs, though. The steering has been given strong anaesthesia, and you won't find much interaction between throttle and cornering line.

But the point is, if you want that sort of tyre-stressing fun, an SUV is the wrong place to find it. You want a car with a lower centre of gravity, like an estate. And fortunately, Volvo has performed the slowest handbrake turn ever by reintroducing the V60 and V90 to UK shores, after a misguided year-long hiatus.

The XC40 instead has a tidy and relaxing chassis that does exactly what a SUV should. It's comfortable to be in and at ease with itself. Acoustic comfort is well taken care of, too. There's little wind noise or racket from the tyres. It's a peaceful cruiser.

Off motorways, and away from roads at all, the XC40 isn't a Land Rover or Jeep, but it does have a useful measure of bad-surface smarts. The tyres are chunkily treaded. Approach and departure angles aren't bad, there's 210mm of ground clearance, and you can switch to an off-road calibration for the powertrain and ESP.

What are the engines like?

Well, technically it’s just the one engine – a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4cyl petrol available with 161bhp or 194bhp. You can get whatever transmission you like (as long as it’s a seven-speed automatic) and the combustion-engined version of the XC40 is front-wheel drive only.

It’s a serviceable motor with no particular character, but that's on par with much of the driving experience here. You’re not here to be wowed by the drive, more soothed by the Swedish ambience. The 0–62mph run takes 8.6 seconds in the B3; 7.6 seconds in the B4. Years ago that would have been fairly rapid, but these days not so much – there’s enough in reserve if you get into trouble and have to mash the throttle, though you’d have to wait for the gearbox to rouse itself from daydreaming.

The B3 engine’s rated at 150g/km and 42.2mpg, while the B4 creeps up to 153g/km and 42.2mpg. The latter isn’t particularly achievable – expect more like mid-30s over a tank of mixed driving. There’s no diesel available here, so the full EV is your only other option.

Is the XC40 a comfortable car?

It’s a respectably smooth drive, the XC40. The 19in wheels of the Ultimate trim do hamper that a smidge, but running out through the suburbs, the suspension bears you along in superb repose, with supple springing and quiet tyres.

When you add a bit of speed, the body movements tend towards the floaty. Which makes you expect the whole assembly is going to turn into a flubby mess as soon as you try a bit of brisk cornering, but body roll is kept admirably in check.

# data.attributes.field_cars_driving.processed
As long as your expectations are kept suitably in check then the XC40 is a perfectly acceptable drive – it’s certainly not a barrel of laughs, though. The steering has been given strong anaesthesia, and you won't find much interaction between throttle and cornering line.

But the point is, if you want that sort of tyre-stressing fun, an SUV is the wrong place to find it. You want a car with a lower centre of gravity, like an estate. And fortunately, Volvo has performed the slowest handbrake turn ever by reintroducing the V60 and V90 to UK shores, after a misguided year-long hiatus.

The XC40 instead has a tidy and relaxing chassis that does exactly what a SUV should. It's comfortable to be in and at ease with itself. Acoustic comfort is well taken care of, too. There's little wind noise or racket from the tyres. It's a peaceful cruiser.

Off motorways, and away from roads at all, the XC40 isn't a Land Rover or Jeep, but it does have a useful measure of bad-surface smarts. The tyres are chunkily treaded. Approach and departure angles aren't bad, there's 210mm of ground clearance, and you can switch to an off-road calibration for the powertrain and ESP.

What are the engines like?

Well, technically it’s just the one engine – a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4cyl petrol available with 161bhp or 194bhp. You can get whatever transmission you like (as long as it’s a seven-speed automatic) and the combustion-engined version of the XC40 is front-wheel drive only.

It’s a serviceable motor with no particular character, but that's on par with much of the driving experience here. You’re not here to be wowed by the drive, more soothed by the Swedish ambience. The 0–62mph run takes 8.6 seconds in the B3; 7.6 seconds in the B4. Years ago that would have been fairly rapid, but these days not so much – there’s enough in reserve if you get into trouble and have to mash the throttle, though you’d have to wait for the gearbox to rouse itself from daydreaming.

The B3 engine’s rated at 150g/km and 42.2mpg, while the B4 creeps up to 153g/km and 42.2mpg. The latter isn’t particularly achievable – expect more like mid-30s over a tank of mixed driving. There’s no diesel available here, so the full EV is your only other option.

Is the XC40 a comfortable car?

It’s a respectably smooth drive, the XC40. The 19in wheels of the Ultimate trim do hamper that a smidge, but running out through the suburbs, the suspension bears you along in superb repose, with supple springing and quiet tyres.

When you add a bit of speed, the body movements tend towards the floaty. Which makes you expect the whole assembly is going to turn into a flubby mess as soon as you try a bit of brisk cornering, but body roll is kept admirably in check.

# data.attributes.field_cars_editor_title
Volvo XC40 review: it’s small, it’s Swedish, it’s… not a meatball

# data.attributes.field_cars_inside.value
We like that Volvo ploughs its own furrow when it comes to interior design: it’s Scandi cool in here rather than chintzy or fussy. The air vents stand out from the dash and the garnish strips are scalloped out of the main surface. They're also top-lit, and come in chequerboard machined aluminium as an alternative to birch-forest natural-matte wood. We’re not sold: like ironing a stripey shirt, it plays with your vision.

What’s the tech like?

All versions get a large 9.0-inch central screen, coupled with a 12.3-inch driver display. It’s all Android-based, meaning Google Maps, Google Assistant and other familiar apps like Waze are accessible without Android Auto. Although that is supported, alongside Apple CarPlay.

As always with Volvo's touchscreen system, it's got nice graphics and understandable menus. But easy to fathom isn't the same as easy to use. Many functions demand a series of multiple screen-presses, which is hard to do when you're bouncing down the road.

None of it can be done by haptics alone, so you have to take your eyes off the driving. Changing the aircon settings can get particularly fussy, and more actual switches would help. Sure, Google’s voice commands work better than on most other cars’ systems we’ve tried, but they’re still not going to replace good old fashioned finger jabs.

Is the XC40 practical?

The front seats are decent for long trips, with plenty of adjustability and a nice upright position that gives you a good view over the wide, flat bonnet. Despite the relative size of the XC40 it’s still best suited to carrying four people rather than five. There’s decent legroom in the back, but the middle seat is affected by the raised tunnel moving from front to rear.

There’s a decent amount of cabin storage and it’s all very thoughtfully put together – you get a nifty little curry hook in the front passenger footwell, for instance. Kids might feel a little short-changed at the stylistic flourish that kicks up the rear window line through the back doors, somewhat cutting off their ability to look out the window.

Out back, you get 443 litres of space in the boot with the seats up and 1,319 litres of space with the seats knocked down. That’s more than the Kuga offers seats-up, but about 200 litres less when the Ford’s seats are down. It’s also a bit smaller than the BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque, but on par with the Audi Q3 and Mercedes CLA.

The boot floor does a clever origami up-fold that divides the boot into two, making a deep trough to stop shopping bags toppling. The parcel shelf fits under the floor too. The sort of boring stuff that doesn't sell a car, but does make it easier to live with.

# data.attributes.field_cars_inside.processed
We like that Volvo ploughs its own furrow when it comes to interior design: it’s Scandi cool in here rather than chintzy or fussy. The air vents stand out from the dash and the garnish strips are scalloped out of the main surface. They're also top-lit, and come in chequerboard machined aluminium as an alternative to birch-forest natural-matte wood. We’re not sold: like ironing a stripey shirt, it plays with your vision.

What’s the tech like?

All versions get a large 9.0-inch central screen, coupled with a 12.3-inch driver display. It’s all Android-based, meaning Google Maps, Google Assistant and other familiar apps like Waze are accessible without Android Auto. Although that is supported, alongside Apple CarPlay.

As always with Volvo's touchscreen system, it's got nice graphics and understandable menus. But easy to fathom isn't the same as easy to use. Many functions demand a series of multiple screen-presses, which is hard to do when you're bouncing down the road.

None of it can be done by haptics alone, so you have to take your eyes off the driving. Changing the aircon settings can get particularly fussy, and more actual switches would help. Sure, Google’s voice commands work better than on most other cars’ systems we’ve tried, but they’re still not going to replace good old fashioned finger jabs.

Is the XC40 practical?

The front seats are decent for long trips, with plenty of adjustability and a nice upright position that gives you a good view over the wide, flat bonnet. Despite the relative size of the XC40 it’s still best suited to carrying four people rather than five. There’s decent legroom in the back, but the middle seat is affected by the raised tunnel moving from front to rear.

There’s a decent amount of cabin storage and it’s all very thoughtfully put together – you get a nifty little curry hook in the front passenger footwell, for instance. Kids might feel a little short-changed at the stylistic flourish that kicks up the rear window line through the back doors, somewhat cutting off their ability to look out the window.

Out back, you get 443 litres of space in the boot with the seats up and 1,319 litres of space with the seats knocked down. That’s more than the Kuga offers seats-up, but about 200 litres less when the Ford’s seats are down. It’s also a bit smaller than the BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque, but on par with the Audi Q3 and Mercedes CLA.

The boot floor does a clever origami up-fold that divides the boot into two, making a deep trough to stop shopping bags toppling. The parcel shelf fits under the floor too. The sort of boring stuff that doesn't sell a car, but does make it easier to live with.

# data.attributes.field_cars_owning.value
Core cars come very well equipped as standard. Since the refresh, there are 18in wheels, cruise control, auto LED headlights, heated front seats, keyless entry, heated windscreen, seats and steering wheel, handsfree tailgate opening and front parking sensors.

Plus adds in keyless entry, air purification, blindspot monitoring, and bigger 19in wheels, where the Plus Pro trim ramps things up with a 360-degree camera, fancier headlights, Pilot Assist driver assist and privacy windows.

Ultra does what it says on the tin with a fancy Harman Kardon sound system, enhanced driver’s seat, and panoramic glass sunroof.

The Black Edition follows suit, but hugs everything in a glorious glossy black that looks terrific in real-life when clean… and less terrific when not. Dirty is its default appearance unless you’re prepared to visit the car wash every other day.

Which one should I go for?

If the all-electric EX40 feels like a leap too far into the future, this mildly hybridised XC40 is a savvy halfway house. Handsome and well-mannered, it’s a thoughtfully engineered choice in such a busy arena.

It’s not what you’d call cheap, mind. The sweet spot is the Plus trim – whichever variant you opt for. It’s sufficiently kitted without putting you over the £40,000 threshold for the Expensive Car Supplement which, once crossed, adds another £425 onto your road tax for five years. The pano roof and sound system are nice, but possibly not that nice.

# data.attributes.field_cars_owning.processed
Core cars come very well equipped as standard. Since the refresh, there are 18in wheels, cruise control, auto LED headlights, heated front seats, keyless entry, heated windscreen, seats and steering wheel, handsfree tailgate opening and front parking sensors.

Plus adds in keyless entry, air purification, blindspot monitoring, and bigger 19in wheels, where the Plus Pro trim ramps things up with a 360-degree camera, fancier headlights, Pilot Assist driver assist and privacy windows.

Ultra does what it says on the tin with a fancy Harman Kardon sound system, enhanced driver’s seat, and panoramic glass sunroof.

The Black Edition follows suit, but hugs everything in a glorious glossy black that looks terrific in real-life when clean… and less terrific when not. Dirty is its default appearance unless you’re prepared to visit the car wash every other day.

Which one should I go for?

If the all-electric EX40 feels like a leap too far into the future, this mildly hybridised XC40 is a savvy halfway house. Handsome and well-mannered, it’s a thoughtfully engineered choice in such a busy arena.

It’s not what you’d call cheap, mind. The sweet spot is the Plus trim – whichever variant you opt for. It’s sufficiently kitted without putting you over the £40,000 threshold for the Expensive Car Supplement which, once crossed, adds another £425 onto your road tax for five years. The pano roof and sound system are nice, but possibly not that nice.

# data.attributes.field_cars_stand_first
And Volvo’s littlest petrol car now gets the Black Edition treatment. Scandi Noir, anyone?

# data.attributes.field_cars_verdict.value
The XC40 is an upright and solid SUV rather than pretending too hard to be a car-like crossover. Volvo has made something nicely distinctive here. That's helped by the fact the values of an SUV correspond with many of the values of Volvo. It's a comfy drive that imparts a sense of all-weather security. It keeps you calm rather than goading you into vigorous cornering, but if you insist it won't go to pieces.

The cabin is extremely well organised and practical, with some handy storage ideas that really work. It's also roomy and well made. The electric EX40 is well worth a look too, but it’s quite expensive in comparison.

# data.attributes.field_cars_verdict.processed
The XC40 is an upright and solid SUV rather than pretending too hard to be a car-like crossover. Volvo has made something nicely distinctive here. That's helped by the fact the values of an SUV correspond with many of the values of Volvo. It's a comfy drive that imparts a sense of all-weather security. It keeps you calm rather than goading you into vigorous cornering, but if you insist it won't go to pieces.

The cabin is extremely well organised and practical, with some handy storage ideas that really work. It's also roomy and well made. The electric EX40 is well worth a look too, but it’s quite expensive in comparison.

# data.attributes.field_cars_verdict_against
The engine is nothing special, the auto ‘box is indecisive and jerky, Black Edition needs a lot of upkeep

# data.attributes.field_cars_verdict_for
Stylish inside and out, very comfortable, practical cabin, super safe

# data.attributes.field_cars_verdict_text
It keeps you calm rather than goading you into vigorous cornering... but if you insist it won't go to pieces

# data.attributes.field_cars_what_is_it.value
This is the XC40, Volvo’s entry model – or at least it was until the EX30 electric SUV came along. So now it’s just Volvo’s entry petrol car. It’s been on sale since 2017 – with a careful facelift introduced in 2022 to keep things fresh.

Though it falls into the ‘compact SUV’ category, it actually feels pretty big. That’s important because it competes with stuff that really isn’t very small at all. Think the Mercedes GLA, Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque, plus left-field choices like the Lexus NX, Volkswagen Tiguan, Mazda CX-5 or DS 7.

We’d lump the Ford Kuga in there too – it’s the benchmark for being good to drive. Tough crowd: you can’t put any old tat on sale.

That's a lot of competition...

What can we say, people love their compact family SUVs. They can all get a bit same-y, though, so if you have trouble telling your BMW X1s from your X3s and X5s, you'll note Volvo hasn't taken the same approach to its design.

The XC40’s front end screams ‘present day Volvo’, with an angular, relatively small side glass area, and stretched cut-outs in the lower body side. Fashionable two-tone paint schemes also feature prominently in the configurator.

What's the interior like?

The once riotous colour palette has had a Scandi-style talking-to, with the garish interior colours of old replaced by more tasteful tones such as charcoal, dark leather and light leather. Someone in the finance department clearly didn’t like what the spectrum of hues was doing to Volvo’s residuals…

In typical Swedish fashion, it’s usefully roomy and practical. The cabin and boot have several clever ideas to keep your bits and pieces organised and stop them slithering about.

The XC40 doesn't use a shrunk version of the XC60/XC90 structure and suspension, either. The XC40 sits on parent company Geely’s CMA (compact modular architecture) platform, which has been designed for maximum space efficiency and took into account from the beginning upcoming EV powertrains.

How does it drive?

Unlike many of its rivals, the XC40 has no pretensions of offering a ‘car-like’ driving experience. Rather, it offers more of a mini large SUV experience, leaning into the format rather than trying to disguise it. You get smooth road manners and imperious float from the high ride, though the car still corners fairly flatly through bends.

[node:field_onward_journey_card-themed]

The combustion engines are limited to a mild-hybrid 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol engine in two states of tune – 161bhp and 194bhp. These are badged B3 and B4 respectively, the former getting you to 62mph from a stop in 8.6 seconds and the latter doing it a second quicker.

Both are limited to 112mph top speeds (as is Volvo’s policy these days), and officially rated at 42.8 and 42.2mpg. The 48V mild hybrid system amounts to extended stop-start capability and some faint electric boost.

Is it practical for a family?

The XC40 has more about it in terms of day to day family running than anything from the likes of Audi or Mercedes. The cabin storage is useful, you’ll appreciate the little plugs and hooks about the place and access to the seats is pretty good. Likewise there’s a bit of trickery in the boot that makes it more practical for loose loads of shopping too. It would get cramped for five adults, but there’s decent space for kids, even if they might prefer a better view out.

Come on then, how much do I need to shell out?

£35,840. That’s for the standard Core trim, rising up through Plus, Plus Pro and Ultra which costs £43,910. Upgrading from the B3 to the B4 engine adds just over a grand to the asking price.

Weirdly, there’s a Black Edition that Volvo thinks is it’s own thing and not a trim level. £39,910 and up if you want that one. We’ll explain all over on the Buying tab.

# data.attributes.field_cars_what_is_it.processed
This is the XC40, Volvo’s entry model – or at least it was until the EX30 electric SUV came along. So now it’s just Volvo’s entry petrol car. It’s been on sale since 2017 – with a careful facelift introduced in 2022 to keep things fresh.

Though it falls into the ‘compact SUV’ category, it actually feels pretty big. That’s important because it competes with stuff that really isn’t very small at all. Think the Mercedes GLA, Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque, plus left-field choices like the Lexus NX, Volkswagen Tiguan, Mazda CX-5 or DS 7.

We’d lump the Ford Kuga in there too – it’s the benchmark for being good to drive. Tough crowd: you can’t put any old tat on sale.

That's a lot of competition...

What can we say, people love their compact family SUVs. They can all get a bit same-y, though, so if you have trouble telling your BMW X1s from your X3s and X5s, you'll note Volvo hasn't taken the same approach to its design.

The XC40’s front end screams ‘present day Volvo’, with an angular, relatively small side glass area, and stretched cut-outs in the lower body side. Fashionable two-tone paint schemes also feature prominently in the configurator.

What's the interior like?

The once riotous colour palette has had a Scandi-style talking-to, with the garish interior colours of old replaced by more tasteful tones such as charcoal, dark leather and light leather. Someone in the finance department clearly didn’t like what the spectrum of hues was doing to Volvo’s residuals…

In typical Swedish fashion, it’s usefully roomy and practical. The cabin and boot have several clever ideas to keep your bits and pieces organised and stop them slithering about.

The XC40 doesn't use a shrunk version of the XC60/XC90 structure and suspension, either. The XC40 sits on parent company Geely’s CMA (compact modular architecture) platform, which has been designed for maximum space efficiency and took into account from the beginning upcoming EV powertrains.

How does it drive?

Unlike many of its rivals, the XC40 has no pretensions of offering a ‘car-like’ driving experience. Rather, it offers more of a mini large SUV experience, leaning into the format rather than trying to disguise it. You get smooth road manners and imperious float from the high ride, though the car still corners fairly flatly through bends.

The combustion engines are limited to a mild-hybrid 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol engine in two states of tune – 161bhp and 194bhp. These are badged B3 and B4 respectively, the former getting you to 62mph from a stop in 8.6 seconds and the latter doing it a second quicker.

Both are limited to 112mph top speeds (as is Volvo’s policy these days), and officially rated at 42.8 and 42.2mpg. The 48V mild hybrid system amounts to extended stop-start capability and some faint electric boost.

Is it practical for a family?

The XC40 has more about it in terms of day to day family running than anything from the likes of Audi or Mercedes. The cabin storage is useful, you’ll appreciate the little plugs and hooks about the place and access to the seats is pretty good. Likewise there’s a bit of trickery in the boot that makes it more practical for loose loads of shopping too. It would get cramped for five adults, but there’s decent space for kids, even if they might prefer a better view out.

Come on then, how much do I need to shell out?

£35,840. That’s for the standard Core trim, rising up through Plus, Plus Pro and Ultra which costs £43,910. Upgrading from the B3 to the B4 engine adds just over a grand to the asking price.

Weirdly, there’s a Black Edition that Volvo thinks is it’s own thing and not a trim level. £39,910 and up if you want that one. We’ll explain all over on the Buying tab.

# data.attributes.field_cars_what_we_say
Volvo's baby SUV does a decent job of being slightly different but entirely acceptable

# data.attributes.field_cars_wildcard_text
A small SUV with some quirky interior bits? Peugeot does that at a cheaper price