Volvo C40 Recharge Review

Volvo C40 Recharge Pros

• Sharply styled crossover. Volvo’s designs sure are head-turners!
• Solid build & top-notch quality, inside out
• Powerful drivetrain with 402 BHP, 660 Nm and AWD gives it sportscar-like performance
• Zero emissions, cheap running costs & green image will appeal to a lot of people
• Real world range should be ~400 km, which is enough for most users
• Excellent high-speed stability coupled with sorted handling. Mature ride quality at speed too
• Loaded with features such as panoramic pixel technology headlamps, electric front seats with extendable seat bases, one-pedal driving, button-less starting procedure, air purifier, 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, etc.
• 5-star NCAP rating, top-notch safety kit & level 3 ADAS to keep you safe

Volvo C40 Recharge Cons

• Will be more expensive than the XC40 Recharge which is priced at 60 lakhs on-road
• Rear seat comfort levels are mediocre. Raised floor & upright seatback. It’s best for just 2 & ingress / egress are tricky too, due to the sloping roofline
• Coupe-like rear styling can be polarising. Will divide opinions
• Poor rearward visibility due to the acutely-angled rear windscreen & C-pillar design
• Spare tyre is placed above the boot floor and eats into luggage space
• Missing features such as ventilated seats, head-up display, adjustable regenerative braking, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, rear wiper, full-size spare tyre (has a space saver tyre) etc.
• Firm low speed ride. Liveable, but not plush in the city. You feel bad roads in the city
• Small dealership and service network isn't a patch on its German competitors

Introduction

Of late, EVs have been gaining popularity in India. It’s not only the mainstream players such as Tata, Mahindra and MG (among others) but also luxury carmakers led by Audi and Mercedes-Benz that have been introducing electric cars in the market regularly. In July 2022, Volvo joined the party with the XC40 Recharge and now, the Swedish manufacturer is gearing up to launch its second EV, the C40 Recharge.

The C40 Recharge is an SUV with a coupe-like roofline. It comes with a 78 kWh battery pack and a claimed ICAT range of 683 km (WLTP range: 530 km). It’s powered by dual electric motors that produce a total of 402 BHP and 660 Nm paired to a permanent all-wheel drive system. This powertrain allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in a claimed 4.7 seconds. While the powertrain is identical to the one in the XC40, the C40, due to its more aerodynamic design, is quicker to the 100 km/h mark by 0.2 seconds. The car's top speed is electronically limited to 180 km/h.


Volvo will announce the price of the C40 Recharge on September 4, 2023. The car will be assembled in India from imported CKD kits, which should allow Volvo to keep the price relatively low. That being said, we must remember that the CKD XC40 Recharge is priced at Rs. 56.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). We expect the C40 Recharge to cost more.

The Volvo C40 SUV brochure will be available post-launch, but you can download its specs sheet here - Volvo C40 Recharge Specs sheet.pdf.

Running Costs

The C40 Recharge has a 78 kWh battery pack which translates to ~78 units of electricity for a full charge. The per-unit cost of electricity depends on the slab that you are in & your location, but on average, it’s about Rs. 8 per unit. This translates to ~Rs. 624 to charge to 100%. Volvo claims a range of 683 km (ICAT) / 530 km (WLTP), which is significantly more than the XC40’s 418 km (WLTP). While we were not able to do a range test, you should be able to get a realistic driving range of ~400 km. Thus, you can expect an approximate running cost of Rs. 1.56 per km.

Design & Styling

As mentioned earlier, the C40 Recharge is an SUV with a coupe-like roofline. It is built on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, which also underpins the XC40 Recharge. It is sleek and has very good proportions overall. That being said, the coupe styling can be polarising.

The C40 Recharge measures 4,440 mm in length, 1,873 mm in width, and 1,591 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,702 mm.

Notable features on the outside include a colour-coordinated BEV grille, pixel technology LED headlights, LED DRLs, LED tail-lamps, two spoilers at the rear and 19-inch 5-spoke diamond cut alloy wheels. There are 6 colour options: Fjord Blue (our test car), Crystal White, Fusion Red, Onyx Black, Cloud Blue and Sage Green.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

As expected of a European premium car, the build quality of the C40 Recharge is impressive. All the body panels feel sturdy and the doors, bonnet and tailgate have a good deal of weight. The panel gaps are tight and consistent and the fit & finish is good too.

Wheels & Tyres

The C40 Recharge gets 19-inch 5-spoke diamond-cut alloy wheels and a staggered tyre setup. While the front wheels come with 235/50 section rubber, the rear wheels are shod with wide 255/45 section tyres. Our test car had Pirelli P Zero Elect tyres which provided excellent grip in the corners. The recommended tyre pressure is 41 PSI all around. While this is on the higher side the ride quality is still compliant.

Ground Clearance

The C40 Recharge has a laden ground clearance of 171 mm, which is good enough for most driving conditions in India.

Standard & Extended Warranty

Volvo hasn’t revealed the warranty details of the C40 Recharge. However, the XC40 Recharge comes with a warranty of 3 years and we expect the C40 Recharge to get the same treatment. What Volvo has revealed is that the battery has an 8-year / 1,60,000 km warranty.

Safety

As expected of a Volvo, the C40 Recharge is loaded with safety features including 7 airbags, TPMS, hill descent control, hill-start assist, collision mitigation support (front & rear), lane keeping aid, blind spot information system, cross-traffic alert with auto brake, 360-degree camera, emergency brake light and ISOFIX child seat anchors. The car gets a battery cage and level 3 ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance System) with 5 cameras, 3 radars and 12 ultra-sonic sensors. The sensor system of the C40 Recharge has been jointly developed by Zenuity.

The C40 Recharge is constructed using mild, high strength, very high strength, extra high strength and ultra high strength steel as well as aluminium keeping in mind the safety of the passengers as well as other road users. It achieved a 5-star Euro NCAP rating in 2022.

Cabin Design & Quality

The C40 Recharge has a similar dashboard to the XC40. It carries forward the same minimalist design with a large 9-inch touchscreen dominating the black dashboard. A concave backlit insert runs across the length of the dashboard. There are only a few physical buttons here rather than a clutter. Soft touch materials have been used at places on the dashboard and door pads. Volvo claims that the interior is leather-free and made from plastic, wine corks and materials found on the forest floor. 71 plastic bottles are recycled to make one set of carpets. Overall, the cabin quality is very good and most owners will be impressed.

Space & Comfort

Getting in and out of the C40 Recharge is quite easy. It’s not as tall as traditional SUVs, so don’t have to climb into the cabin. It’s more like a crossover. Once inside, there’s a good amount of space. The front passengers don’t sit too close and the wide centre console gives you a good sense of space. The all-black interior doesn’t feel as airy as a lighter-coloured one, but the C40 Recharge comes with a large, fixed panoramic sunroof which helps matters.

Front passengers get wide electrically adjustable seats draped in suede textile / microtech upholstery that are very comfortable. They come with lumbar adjustment and their seat base can be manually extended. The cushioning is on point and they provide ample support as well. There’s a healthy amount of side bolstering to keep you in place.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

Frontal visibility is excellent. Both front seats are electrically adjustable and get lumbar adjustment too, while the driver’s seat also comes with a memory function. Finding the perfect driving position is easy as the steering gets tilt & telescopic adjustment. The steering wheel has a three-spoke design and is wrapped in artificial leather. It’s nice to hold and has thumb contours as well. The hornpad will be a stretch for those with small hands and not easy to press either. Overall, the cabin is well laid out and all the controls are ergonomically placed.

Cabin Storage

There is a good amount of storage space for the front passengers. The door pockets have a soft lining and can accommodate a 1-litre bottle and other small items. The glove box though, is small and can just about hold the owner’s manual, vehicle documents and a pen. You also get a reasonably big storage box with a removable dustbin under the central armrest, two cupholders and a wireless charging pad. An ashtray, 2 Type-C USB charging ports and a 12V power outlet have also been provided. At the base of the windshield, there is a small clip for displaying parking tickets.

Rear passengers get seatback pockets that can hold a 1L bottle and small articles. The seatbacks of the front seats have storage nets to keep magazines. 2 Type-C USB charging ports and 2 bag hooks have been provided below the rear A/C vents and on the B-pillars, respectively, while cubby holes on the sides of the rear seat can be used to keep small to medium-sized items. The rear centre armrest houses two cupholders.

Air-Conditioning

The Volvo C40 Recharge comes with a dual-zone climate control system. We drove the car in and around Lonavala which is pleasant in the rainy season. But even during the rare occasion when the sun came out, the A/C did an excellent job of cooling the cabin. There’s not much of a drop in the performance of the air conditioning while driving with the range optimiser activated either. The system also comes with an inbuilt air purifier (CleanZone).

Unique & Noteworthy Features

The C40 Recharge comes with a fair set of features including ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free tailgate, pixel technology (active bending) headlamps, smartphone connectivity, a wireless charger, front seats with electrical adjustments and extendable seat bases, driver seat with memory function, auto headlamps and wipers, one-pedal driving, dual-zone climate control with air purifier, connected car technology and a 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with a subwoofer.

On the other hand, a rear wiper, full-sized spare wheel, a sunroof with glass that slides, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and ventilated seats have not been provided. Also missing are features such as the Vehicle-to-Load mobile power supply function, which the Koreans provide.

Audio System & Sound Quality

The Volvo C40 Recharge comes with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit that has a crisp display. There’s no lag and jumping through different options and screens is pretty seamless. The interface is Android-based and very user-friendly and finding the right function is easy. It comes with Bluetooth connectivity as well as wired Apple CarPlay. Android Auto can be downloaded as well. The system is paired with a 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system that includes a sub-woofer.

Coming to the sound quality, the system sounds rather bass-heavy. While there was no distortion in the sound, the high bass can get irritating.

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

Due to the coupe-like roofline, getting in and out of the rear seats is not as easy as the front. One needs to bend a little. You get 3 adjustable headrests and 3-point seatbelts for all 3 passengers. However, the floor hump is very tall and wide. This along with the hard backrest in the middle (due to the centre armrest) and rear A/C vents means that an adult third passenger in the middle won’t be very comfortable. A child might be able to bear it though.

There’s a good amount of knee room and adequate headroom for rear passengers. However, occupants over 6 feet in height might find the headroom tight due to the sloping roofline. The backrests are rather upright, but not uncomfortable. The cushioning is spot on and the seats should be comfortable over long drives. However, like in most EVs the floor is high. This results in a knees-up seating position and many will complain about a lack of under-thigh support. Rear passengers get a centre armrest with two cupholders, seatback nets, bag hooks, A/C vents and two Type-C USB charging ports.

Boot Space

The C40 Recharge has a boot space of 413 litres with the rear seats up. However, a lot of the space is taken up by the space-saver spare tyre which rests on the boot floor rather than under it. The 60:40 split rear seats can be folded down to increase cargo space.

Additionally, the frunk can hold 31 litres of luggage.

The C40 Recharge is built on Volvo’s CMA platform which is shared with the XC40 and XC40 Recharge. However, unlike the XC40, there will be no IC engine version of it.

Like the XC40 Recharge, it comes with a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted on the floor of the car. Powering the C40 are 2 electric motors – one mounted at the front and one at the rear - that together. deliver up to 402 BHP (and 660 Nm). While the motor at the front sends ~160 BHP (and 330 Nm) to the front wheels, the rear motor sends ~242 BHP (and 330 Nm) to the rear wheels giving the car an all-wheel drive configuration.

The first thing you notice when you want to start the car is that there is no start/stop button. To bring the electric motors to life, you need to press the brake and put the gear shifter in “D” mode. There is a sensor that detects if someone is present in the driver’s seat. Only then do the car’s motors start.

Step on the accelerator and the car moves forward gently. There are no jerks from gearshifts and no sound from the engine, which means it is an extremely refined experience. What’s great is that the car comes with a one-pedal drive feature which can be activated through the touchscreen head-unit. This allows the C40 Recharge to be driven by just using the accelerator and without using the brakes in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Driving the car in city traffic is a breeze. While the front visibility is good, and side visibility is average. However, the coupe-like styling and thick C-pillars severely hamper the visibility through the rear windshield. Thankfully, a 360-degree camera system has been provided.

On the open road, the C40 Recharge provides instant acceleration when you step on the accelerator. Volvo claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 4.7 seconds and we do not doubt that. Floor the A-pedal and you’ll be pushed hard back into the seats. Be sure that nothing is kept on the dashboard or it will come flying at you. This sort of acceleration puts the C40 Recharge in sportscar territory. It will see you leaving most ICE cars in the dust.

The C40 Recharge can easily cruise at triple-digit speeds on the highway and when you need to overtake a slower vehicle quickly, just floor the A-pedal and fly past the vehicle. However, the harder you drive, the faster the range drops. This is also why you will see EVs that are driving longer distances sticking to the middle lane and cruising at 80-100 km/h (which is the best cruising speed for the current lots of EVs).

Off-road Mode

The car comes with an Off-road drive mode that can be activated through the touchscreen. It is only available at speeds up to 40 km/h. It provides enhanced engine braking, which makes it possible to increase or reduce the speed of the car on steep hills by using only the accelerator pedal, without using the foot brake.

Regenerative Braking

Unlike other EVs, the C40 Recharge does not get adjustable regenerative braking. Instead, as mentioned earlier, it comes with a one-pedal drive feature. The car will start shedding speed the moment you lift your foot off the accelerator and come to a stop. The ADAS makes sure that it stops well behind the vehicle in front. Engine-braking lovers will appreciate driving with this feature activated.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

Like most EVs, the C40 Recharge is super quiet. There’s no engine or gearbox to make any noise, so the overall driving experience is silent. At slow speeds, no one will hear you coming and you might need to use the horn to warn others of your presence.

Cabin insulation is top class and wind noise and tyre / road noise are well controlled. Overall, the cabin is a quiet and comfortable place to be in.

Range

The Volvo C40 Recharge has an ICAT-certified range of 683 km or a WLTP-certified range of 530 km. In real-world driving conditions, you can expect a range of ~400 km. Given the rising demand for EVs, there are plenty of charging stations popping up everywhere, which ought to take care of range anxiety as well.

Charging

Volvo provides an 11 kW charger as standard with the C40 Recharge. The car can also be charged using a 150 kW fast charger. The company claims that this can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in just 27 minutes.

Ride Comfort

The Volvo C40 Recharge gets a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear. The suspension is on the stiffer side and the car rides on 19-inch wheels. This makes the low-speed ride firm. Every crack and bump on the road is felt. While the ride is not uncomfortable, it is far from plush. As we have seen in the case with most stiff suspension setups, the ride quality improves with speed. The recommended tyre pressure is a rather high 41 PSI. Dropping the pressure might help improve the ride.

Handling & Dynamics

Like most European cars, in a straight line, the C40 Recharge feels very stable. It’s so planted that you won’t realise how fast you are going. Undulations on the road are dispatched with aplomb. In the corners, the body roll is very well-controlled. We threw the car around some corners at pretty good speeds and it handled them like a pro. Mid-corner bumps were easily dealt with and the car doesn't lose its composure. The low centre of gravity and stiff suspension help matters when the car is driven hard. The Pirelli tyres provide excellent grip as well.

Steering

The electric power steering is a nice unit and easy to operate as well. It is light at city speeds which makes it very user-friendly. The steering weighs up well at highway speeds. Further, it can be given some more weight by activating a mode through the touchscreen. Overall, the steering feels connected and inspires confidence.

Braking

The C40 Recharge has 18-inch discs at the front and rear. These give the car great stopping power. In our short test drive, the car stopped without any drama when the brakes were slammed.

Familiar Volvo family face with Thor's hammer DRLs and sealed-off grille. While the styling is not imposing, the C40 Recharge still has a good road presence:


Rear end is unmistakably Volvo. Tailgate features "V-O-L-V-O" lettering along with "C40" and "Recharge Twin" badges:


Side profile clearly shows the compact dimensions and coupe-like styling of the C40 Recharge. Front and rear overhangs are short:


One of the best angles to view the C40 Recharge from. The high, squared-off bonnet gives the car a macho look:


Looks purposeful from all angles. Turns heads wherever it goes:


LED headlamps get Volvo's pixel technology. Headlamp clusters house the now familiar Thor’s hammer LED DRLs as well:


Front grille is body coloured with glossy black vertical slats below and the Volvo badge in the middle. Notice the front camera integrated into the badge:


Front bumper houses a pair of LED foglamps with glossy black housings, a wide air dam, sensors and a towing point:


Fully protected and absolutely flat undercarriage. 171 mm ground clearance should be adequate:


Black ORVMs with integrated LED blinkers are electrically adjustable and foldable. They also auto-fold when you lock the car:


Sensors and cameras for the 360-degree camera system are located underneath:


Each door handle gets a well-integrated request sensor and puddle lamp:


19-inch diamond cut alloy wheels are shod with 235/50 section tyres at the front...


...and 255/45 section rubber at the rear:


11 kW charger comes as standard. A 150 kW DC fast charger can also be used:


Roof slopes down towards the rear, while the window line rises. Quarter glasses are provided at the rear. Overall glass area is on the lesser side, but thanks to the sunroof, enough light comes into the cabin:


C-pillars are very thick:


Fixed glossy black sunroof:


Sharkfin antenna sits at the end of the roof section:


New signature LED tail-lamps look very attractive:


Tailgate sports 2 spoilers to improve aerodynamics and stability at high speeds:


Dual-tone rear bumper houses parking sensors, a pair of foglamps and a towing point:


Neat and tidy underbody:

While this is no full-size SUV like say the Fortuner, the view from the driver's seat is commanding:


Steering is small in diameter and nice to hold. It is wrapped in artificial leather and has contours where you would normally grip the wheel. Hornpad will be a stretch for those with small hands. It's not easy to press either:


Press the brake and shift the gear lever to D / R to bring the electric motors to life:


Instrument cluster is fully digital:


You can have it display the map for navigation:


Switchgear for the lights is located on the left, while the controls for the wipers are located on the right. The C40 Recharge is equipped with automatic headlights and automatic wipers:


The doorpad is soft where the window meets the door all the way down to the armrest. The bottom part is hard plastic but of decent quality. The wool-felt-like material on the doors is likely to get roughed up in Indian conditions though. Door pockets can hold a 1L bottle and other stuff:


Door sill is not very wide and gets "Recharge" branded scuff plates:


Seats come in black with white stitching. They feature suede textile / microtech upholstery. The seats are firm with excellent bolstering on the sides and offer superb support with lumbar adjustment. They are also wide enough to suit larger built folks:


Both seats are electrically adjustable and also get a lumbar adjustment. Driver seat gets 2 seat memory positions. The fore and aft travel range is long. Even tall drivers will fit in without complaints:


The seat base can be manually extended as well to provide better under-thigh support for taller drivers:


The accelerator and brake pedal are well-spaced. The dead pedal is positioned perfectly and can even accommodate large-sized shoes. It has a rubberised surface. The front footwells are illuminated:


ORVMs are wide enough to give a good view of happenings at the rear. They also come with blind-spot warnings:


Frameless IRVM gets auto-dimming functionality. It is large enough to comfortably cover the rear windshield:


The angle of the rear windshield and thick C-pillars restrict rearward visibility. Rear headrests can be folded when not in use via the touchscreen to improve visibility:


Sound system has been provided by Harman Kardon and comes with 13 speakers including a subwoofer. Centre speaker is mounted on the dashboard:


Centre fascia is tilted towards the driver. The subtle use of chrome, silver and piano black gives it a classy minimalist look:


9-inch touchscreen head-unit runs an Android-based Google-assisted infotainment system. It is smooth to operate with no lag. It comes with Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay connectivity, voice commands and telematics:


Sound quality from the Harman Kardon audio system will be acceptable for most users. However, audiophiles are likely to find it too bass-heavy:


Charging limit, current limit and time can be set up through the touchscreen:


Range assistant gives you an indication of what is consuming more power:


The C40 Recharge comes with a range optimiser function which limits certain functions of the climate control system:


Climate control system comes with an inbuilt air purifier called CleanZone:


Multiple settings including those for ADAS and driving dynamics can be changed through the touchscreen head unit:


Navigation is through Google Maps:


Touchscreen doubles up as a display for the 360-degree camera system:


Physical switches for operating the most common functions of the infotainment system and climate control are provided as well as a button to switch between the various drive modes. They are finished in piano black and have a subtle chrome border:


12V power outlet and two Type-C USB ports are located low on the centre fascia:


The base of the centre fascia features a wireless smartphone charger with ambient lighting:


Gear shifter is wrapped in artificial leather and gets a piano black console:


Centre console houses a couple of cup holders and an ashtray just ahead of them. The centre armrest is wrapped in artificial leather and gets contrast white stitching:


The storage bin under the armrest is reasonably big and even houses a removable dustbin:


Dust bin has a spring-loaded lid and is deep enough to easily swallow toffee wrappers, tissue papers, toll tickets or any other items you want to discard:


With the dustbin removed, the storage space is enormous. Notice the rubberised base of the storage bin:


Passenger side of the dash gets a translucent insert with ambient lighting:


Glovebox has two sections but is on the smaller side:


Roof bezel consists of controls for the cabin lights, SOS call and...


...Bluetooth mic:


Both front sunvisors get vanity mirrors with lights as well as ticket holders:


Panoramic sunroof is fixed and does not get a cover. However, it comes with a dark glass, infrared coating and UV protection:


Rear doorpads follow the same theme as the ones in the front. However, they do not get translucent inserts and ambient lighting. Instead, they get grilles. Door pockets are smaller as well, but are still large enough to hold a 1L bottle and a few knick-knacks:


While legroom is sufficient, tall people may feel under-thigh support is lacking. Tall and wide floor hump makes it difficult for the third passenger to be comfortable:


All three rear seat passengers get three-point seatbelts and headrests. ISOFIX child seat mounts are a part of the standard equipment:


Cubby holes on the sides of the rear seat can be used to keep small to medium-sized items. They have a rubberised base:


Seatbacks have nets for the rear passengers to store stuff. While they are scooped out, they have a hard plastic cover:


White LED reading lamps are located above the rear doors. No grab handles for the rear passengers. However, Volvo has provided slots in which you can fit removable coat hooks:


Nifty bag hooks on both B-pillars:


A/C blower for the rear passengers. No controls for temperature or blower speed are provided. Direction and air volume can be controlled manually:


2 Type-C USB ports with a plastic cover for rear passengers are placed low down:


Space saver spare tyre is stored above the boot floor and restricts luggage space:


Boot can accommodate up to 413L of luggage. With the centre armrest down, you can fold down this plastic cover and access the boot from the rear seat:


Wide parcel tray comes with a prominent lip to stop articles kept on it from rolling onto the rear seat:


Tools, warning triangle and charging cable are stored under the boot floor:


With the rear seats fully folded, you get a perfectly flat loading bay with enough space to take all your airport luggage and more:


Simply press the button on the left to close the tailgate. The button on the right is used to close and lock the tailgate:


Frunk has a carrying capacity of 31 litres. It gets a soft lining on the base:


Disclaimer: Volvo invited Team-BHP for the C40 Recharge test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

Used to be a time when a luxury car used to really be droolworthy and have features that were pathbreaking. Today a car that is costing probably close to 70-80L INR is touting ambient lighting, air purifiers and auto headlamps as unique features. I'm sorry but is this 2010?
It then misses out on:

Features which some entry level hatchbacks and all mid level cars are giving. Where is the luxury in this? Performance is similar to cars a segment below while features are similar to cars three segments below. Ride quality is harsh, rear seats are uncomfortable. Sad to see this while the 20-30 L segment is hitting it out of the park with launch after launch. Even with the law of diminished returns, there has to be some wow factor in this range. I don't want to reach the speed of light while my butt is hurting and my teeth are chattering
(I'm talking about ride quality and keeping this a family friendly forum).

It surely is a head turner and if Volvo can price it around 70-75 lacs, they will have a winner in hands. I think that many people may pick it over EV6 given the looks and badge. In fact, either this or XC40 recharge will be my first pick if I have to pick a garage like this today.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...0-1-crore.html (What is your ideal three car garage under ₹1,00,00,000 (1 Crore)?)

XC40 is ~60 L on road. I don't know why it should be anything more then ~62-63 on road.

Nice review there. Thank you for the same!

Is the bump up from the XC40 due to a new battery and new motor? If yes, any visibility provided by the Volvo team as to when do they plan to launch the upgraded XC40 in India? Globally these cars have moved to 82kw units so clearly India is not getting the latest tech as has been provided by the Koreans.

The absence of adjustable regeneration is a letdown. It’s puzzling why even manufacturers like Tesla haven’t caught on to this essential feature

Regen on the fly via paddles (like the ones on EV6 and Ioniq 5) is perhaps the most potent feature in an EV that makes it engaging to drive. Just hold the left paddle and you've got max regen. Release it, and you're back to default. It's like having an instant brake pedal at your fingertips. Believe me, it's a blast!

Single paddle driving can't even come close to the thrills and involvement this feature brings. If you're in for some real driving fun, those paddles are where it's at!

I was at Lonavala Radisson where the Volvo test drives were being held!!! The red ones were absolutely gorgeous to look. Wish I could afford one of these!

My absolutely personal take on this car, it's featureset and USPs are a little different from what many others may have. It's not an apple to apple comparision if we compare a car like this one with every second car on the road. Any product offering is a package of many things. Features is definitely a big one but along with that comes tech specs, positioning, segment, branding and various other intangibles. Not to forget the fact that niche factor too plays a role. Which inturn also may mean that such cars are inherently low volume and are often imported (CBUs or CKDs).

My needs from a car may be very different from that of another person, who in turn may want very different things from his car than say the retired Sharmaji in the neighborhood. So, yes, just comparing 5 features from a 20 lakhs car with a 65 lakhs, CKD CAR and saying why are these features not there may not always work. Sometimes form over functionality and the core, intended market's expectations from such a car may be very different from what you and I want. To give you an example features like AEB in the ADAS incorporated cars may look good initially but soon the harsh realities of Indian markets hit us. There are many who would happily by 1- top just to avoid ADAS and the additional associated costs. And yet when a very capable Scorpio N went to Australia the reviewers there were in a spin that Mahindra could actually think of launching a car minus AEB and this makes this car so unsafe. They were even speculating the number of stars this will cost the Scorpio N in the ANCAP.

Bottomline remains that there is no universal, golden rule for what needs to be there in a car just based on its price. To that extent this car too will have its buyers based on those who look for this niche.

Interesting car and relatively well priced if sub ₹ 60 l as EVs go. The only challenge is the lack of boot space - which if an even bigger challenge for weekend / vacation use than the lack of range. Would have been good if you had a photo of the boot with the tyre placed in it - would give readers a much better initial perspective on practicality.

The only other concern is whether the GOI treats Volvo as a Swedish manufacturer or as a Chinese one. If they crack down based on the Geely ownership, that could be a severe problem for consumers.