Volvo XC40 Car Review
Having been crowned the Irish Car of the Year 2019, the XC40 is one of the most popular additions to the Volvo family. Stylish inside and out the XC40 is Volvo’s interpretation of the compact SUV. At a starting price of around €37,000, Volvo aims to compete competitively against premium brands such as Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Jaguar.
We test drove the sportier R-Design, which starts from around €42,000. This spec has some slick upgrades which include larger alloy wheels, blacked out grill and dual tip exhausts.
The boot can be opened manually or by the simple swipe of a foot which is a common feature associated with most premium cars these days. With a large boot capacity of 430 litres, What makes the XC40 extremely practical is the addition of features such as a 12-volt socket, dividers for bags, and hooks for hanging items.
Overall the car is quite spacious at the back and can fit three passengers quite comfortably. However, the optional sunroof for the V60 does compromise headroom for the back seat passengers.
A useful addition to the XC40 is the adjustable steering wheel that provides drivers with better reach and comfort when getting behind the wheel. All specs are fitted with a digital dashboard, adding to Volvo’s goal of creating a premium SUV.
Volvo vehicles are known for their intuitive technology, and the XC40 follows suit. The sizeable vertical screen provides a great user experience as it makes navigating from app-to-app on the infotainment system that bit easier.
Other features worth highlighting include the incredible 360° camera for parking assist, accident avoidance and lane assist. Unfortunately Apple CarPlay and Android Auto do not come as standard, unlike many of its competitors.
Our R-Design was equipped with the T4 petrol engine, delivering 190bhp through an automatic eight-speed gearbox. However, a lag exists when transitioning between gears, which slightly hinders its performance on the road.
Overall, this slick and fun addition to the Volvo range is worthy of consideration if you’re looking for an upscale SUV. Although equipped with some fantastic features, the only drawback would be that many of these aren’t available with the standard model and would require upgrading to some of the higher end models.
