Volvo XC40 Recharge: Pure clean fun with lots of space in a compact package

The Good: Fun high drive, thoughtful pilot assist, spacious interior in a compact body, familiar yet clean combination of touchscreen and knobs

The Bad: Slow charge at home, no spare tyre, only one option available

The Volvo XC40 Pure Recharge is a compact electric SUV introduced to Australia in late 2021, and it joins a growing range of electric SUVs on the local market.

At $76,990 before on-roads, the 1.65m high XC40 Pure Recharge sits in the middle of the range of electric SUVs available here; from the $44,900 MG ZS EV right up to premium players like the $137,900 Mercedes-Benz EQC and $137,700 Audi e-tron.

It competes directly against the Mercedes-Benz EQA 250, which is priced from $76,800, as well as the $71,990 Hyundai Ioniq 5 (which is priced from $75,900 for the AWD option) and the Kia EV6, which is priced from $67,800 but goes north of $82,900 for the dual-motor GT-Line model (all are before on-road fees and charges).

Driving and specifications

While it doesn’t have the same generous driving range of the Kia EV6 and the super-futuristic internal styling of the Ioniq 5, or features like vehicle-to-load and 350kW charging that are available in both the South Korean newcomers, it makes up for this with its spacious interior, familiar yet techy dash and zippy acceleration.

Its 78kWh battery is rated for 418km (WLTP) in the most optimum of conditions (though in real-world conditions you’ll get around 370km), and its twin 150kW motors (300kW combined) deliver a very zippy 660Nm instantaneous torque.

This makes it astonishingly quick for a 2 tonne+ compact SUV. With acceleration from 0-100km/hr in 4.9 seconds it outdoes its competitors by far (the Ioniq 5 will do 6.1 seconds in its top-of-the-line fitout, and while the EV6 can do the sprint in 5.2 seconds, the EQA languishes at 8.9 seconds).

It is also rated to tow a not-too-shabby 1.5 tonnes, making it one of the most capable electric towers in the country.

Its closest relation is the Polestar 2, which we also recently reviewed here and here. And while both are built on the Geely CMA platform (the China auto giant which part owns both Volvo and its high performance all-electric offshoot Polestar) and shared by the two marques, there are some distinct differences between the XC40 Pure Recharge and the Polestar 2.

A key difference is that unlike the Polestar 2 which starts at $59,900 that can be added onto with driver assist, premium trim and performance packages, the Volvo XC40 Pure Recharge is only available in Australia in one iteration.

Interface and connectivity

Like the Polestar 2, the XC40 Pure Recharge comes with the same Android Automotive interface via a vertical touchscreen, albeit with slightly different styling on the display, as well as a secondary display behind the driver’s wheel.

Combined with a row of knobs and dials for entertainment and climate, as well as manual yet retro-styled air vents, the centre dash presents a totally non-confronting interface for the car’s controls.

Thanks to the integrated Android Automotive, you can access music via your preferred Play Store app. While not all Play Store apps can be downloaded to the car, because they use Google’s Android OS more can be added over time.

Very pleasing to see is the Android navigation system, which is really snappy and easy-to-follow. Also, because the car has Android Automotive it has  Google Assistant – you don’t even have to touch the screen if you don’t want to you. Just say, “hey google, give me directions to this and that,” and off you go. The kids were also highly amused by asking Google what a cat sounds like, then hearing the car meow.

Again, as with the Polestar 2, the operating system includes Range Assistant, which gives you real-time energy consumption and a fairly decent range estimate. And did I mention the Harman Kardon sounds system? It is spot on, making driving to your favourite tunes a winner.

Inside the XC40 Pure Recharge

This is one of those cars that feels a lot bigger inside than it looks on the outside: It’s got a more upright seating position than the Polestar 2, which is more of a muscled fastback design. For those after leg space, there isn’t quite the same length in the front as the Polestar 2 but countering that, the centre console is not aggressively expanding sideways into the knee space.

My 6″2′ teenager found he fitted in the back better than in the front passenger seat where the glove box got in the way of his knees. Even still, with more than a metre of legroom in the front and 917mm in the rear, it’s definitely a spacious car even though it’s Volvo’s baby of the SUV range, with heaps of vision out of all windows including the back.

As for interior styling, Volvo has added a flock on the inside of the doors which helps with sound reduction but probably isn’t ideal if you have toddlers in the back who can reach the flock and pick bits of it off. These are contrasted with carbon fibre-style surfaces around the door handle and on the dash.

Handling and Pilot Assist

With 20″ wheels, the XC40 Pure Recharge is not the most well-cushioned ride. You do tend to feel every bump in this car, which might be in part due to the higher ground clearance.

What Volvo does do well though is the Pilot Assist, which is a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane keeping. As with the Polestar 2, it is really well thought out with a pleasing balance between assistive steering that doesn’t leave you feeling like you’re battling with the car for control of the wheel.

Just press the controls on the left of the steering wheel and it will manage your speed and keep you within your lane. If you do need to change lanes, rather than turning off with a loud “bing-bong” as in the Tesla Model 3, when you put the indicator on it turns off the assist system temporarily, allows you to cross the line without any warning vibration and then kicks back in once you’re in the next lane.

Final thoughts

I was also disappointed by the at-home charge rate, which on my single phase 15amp power point would only do 6 amps, gaining a maximum 7km/hr. For that reason it would probably be best to install a wall charger if you plan on charging at home a lot. At public chargers, its 150kW max charge rate was more than enough to top up when out and about, however.

It also can’t be ignored that for a car that will be more than $80,000 after on-roads, it would be nice to have a bit more driving range. With a 78kWh battery, energy efficiency doesn’t seem to be a major concern for Volvo which is a shame because the extra use of battery materials could be avoided. With a fully-loaded car, careful planning to stop at chargers along the way might be needed if driving long distances.

The lack of spare wheel also caught me off guard; while my Model 3 is also lacking in this regard, it is just one of those things that can really throw plans out of whack if you happen to get a large puncture. Which I did, believe it or not, and although Volvo had thoughtfully included a tyre sealant, in this case a tear in the tyre wall thanks to council drain covers was too big to fix, and onto the tow truck the car went.

But I wouldn’t let those things put me off considering it as a car. All in all, the XC40 Pure Recharge is a pleasure to drive; it feels lightfooted and has plenty of presence and vision on the road which is something I’ve missed in a sedan.

Also, I really think that Volvo has got it right in terms of dash controls and tech access, and with 452 litres of cargo space in the rear as well as thoughtful additions like a pop out rubbish bins and sliding drawers under the front seats – and a sunroof that actually opens! – the XC40 Pure Recharge is pure clean fun.