Car Review: Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo, as you know, has been a major player in the automotive scene for quite some time now and with hybrids being in trend Volvo is trying their hand for the sector. The XC40 Recharge is one of those attempts that hope will help them corner the market.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge is the fun hybrid with plenty of techs and is a fun driving experience overall. This hybrid from Volvo looks good and if you are looking for something luxurious then this might be it.

The XC40 Recharge is decadently Swedish and has ample room in the interior. So what is it all about? Well, here is an in-depth Volvo XC40 Recharge review for you to look into. So let’s get into it.

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Volvo XC40 Overview & Price

The new XC40 Hybrid is one of the best hybrids on the market and provides amazing value for money. There are a few versions of the hybrid and the T4 is the first one you look into. The Recharge T4 is a front-wheel-drive version with a 184-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine. However, if you are looking for something a bit more power then the T5 is a bit better.

It is an all-wheel-drive model with a  248-hp turbo-four engine. The XC40 Recharge has two rows of seats that are comfortable and is supportive enough for long commutes. In terms of cargo space, you will never have any problems. The XC40 Recharge has a lot of bins and auxiliary repositories for you to put your things in.

Now if you are looking for a strong driving performance then the  BMW X1 and the Jaguar F-Pace would better options. But if you need a car that provides ample driving prowess and handsome exterior then the XC40 is going to be perfect for you. In terms of the interior, all the XC40 Recharge come equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

On the base model, you will have Cloth seats however you can take leather as well. However, the R-Design and Inscription models come standard with leather seats. The Momentum trim does, however, have power child locks for the rear doors, an automatically dimming rearview mirror, and heated windshield wiper blades.

The R-Design comes with a beautiful panoramic roof but the power fold option for the rear seats has been taken away. Now the XC40 comes in 3 different trims. The base model is called the Momentum which is priced at around 34,695 dollars. However, the T5 R-Design trim is a bit more powerful and for us provides the best value for money.

The R-Design comes in around 40,945 dollars and the Inscription is priced around 41,445 dollars. But the best buy in all these trims is the T5 R-Design has more power with a 248-hp engine and is around 42,945 dollars. The standard T5 R-Design comes with navigation, dynamic suspension hardware, a panoramic roof, and a sporting appearance. But to make it even better you can add the adaptive dampers for additional adjustability and heated front seats and steering wheel.

Getting the Advanced Package is going to make your XCV40 even better. The Advanced Package comes with adaptive dampers for additional adjustability and heated front seats and steering wheel.

Along with that, you will get adaptive cruise control with a semi-autonomous mode, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and adaptive LED headlights with a cleaning system. Additionally, we recommend you get the Lava carpeting and door inserts to spruce up the interior.

Volvo XC40 Recharge Specs, Engine, & Performance

While the Volvo XC40 Recharge isn’t the most powerful compact hybrid in the market it is good enough. It comes equipped with turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 148HP for the T4 and 248 HP. The T5 is briskly fast for its type with it going from 0 to 60 in 6.2 seconds. The eight-speed automatic transmission that the XC40 ensures that the hybrid compact handles perfectly.

You won’t even feel the handling for the most part. While the powertrain is quiet but the engine has a drawback with it making coarse engine sound. Luxury compact crossovers usually don’t come with a lot of towing capacity but the XC40 is beast with a 3500-pound limit. Now you may love the Mercedes-Benz GLA250 or the BMW X1 more but it holds its own against those premium luxury compact crossover hybrids.

The XC40 is amazingly stable and playful and mostly because of the steering it has. The steering is light, sharp, and responsive making the stability on the XC40 supple and a joy to ride. Now the stability is lost a bit if you choose the 20-inch wheel option but it’s still fairly comfortable.

The  R-Design model is more of a sporty option for the XC40 and comes with a stiffer suspension which gives it enhanced agility. You can, however, get an adjustable suspension for added agility but that’s upto you. Now let’s talk about fuel efficiency. While the EPA did give the XC40 competitive ratings but in terms of real-world MPG, it does fall a bit flat.

The Volvo XC40 T5 R-Design comes around  29 real-world mpg. Now that is beaten fairly easily by the Mercedes-Benz GLA250 and Mini Cooper Countryman which both boast a real-world mpg of 34.

Volvo XC40 Interior, Connectivity, & Safety

Volvo’s design for the XC40 is inspired by contemporary Swedish designs. The interior at a glance is fun and functional and being a luxury compact hybrid the interior also gives you the pash upscale feel as well. The upright design for the XC40 helps the interior with ambiance and ensures that there is ample leg-room for both the front and back row.

While the interior isn’t at the epitome of opulence but it is fun and has youthful flourishes and integrations. For example, you can have optional blaze-orange carpeting that extends up into the door panels, textured metallic trim in place of traditional wood inlays, and rectilinear vents with floating chrome adjusters. However, if you get the Inscription model then you get driftwood trim and a shift knob crafted from Orrefors crystal which is a bit more upscale than the other trims.

Now for luggage space, it has a good amount of it. With the rear seats folded you can fit around 23 luggage. Along with that the Volvo XC40 sports a lot of different innovative cargo storage features. Things like a hook that flips out from the glovebox to hold takeout bags, a divider for the cargo area, and a removable garbage bin with a hinged door in the center console.

For the infotainment system, the Volvo XC40 has Volvo's Sensus Connect infotainment system. And it is projected on a 9-inch screen which is in a slightly left-canted position in the center on the dashboard. Now you can control almost everything on the car from this screen so that makes it a functional integration. However, there is a big system lag so that’s a bad thing.

Let’s get to know the safety features for the XC40. The XC40 comes with automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assist along with automatic high-beam headlamps as standard. There are other more advanced features you can get for the XC40 like the semi-autonomous driving mode are optional.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is yet to test the car so we will let you know the details when we have it. In terms of the warranty, Volvo offers 4 years or 50,000 miles limited warranty and the same stands for the powertrain. Also, Volvo offers  3 years or 36,000 miles scheduled maintenance coverage which does come in handy.

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Conclusion

And that’s it. This is our 2020 Volvo XC40 Recharge review we have for you. So if you are in the market for a compact hybrid crossover you should check the XC40 out. While it is not the fastest or the most powerful it offers a healthy amount of all that you can look for in a compact hybrid crossover. Let us know how you like the XC40 and if you prefer some other model then let us know about that as well. So that’s it for now, until next time, Adios!