Review: The elegant electric C40 Recharge is the safest Volvo ever — but it comes at a high price
Published on 23 October, 2022
Overview
For decades, Volvo has been leading the way in automotive safety, and back in 1959 it was the first car manufacturer to fit three-point safety belts as standard and also the first car maker to voluntarily limit its vehicles to a top speed of 180km/h.
Next month, the company will unveil the EX90, the safest Volvo car to ever hit the road. It’ll feature a unique set of eight cameras, five radars, 16 ultrasonic sensors and a cutting-edge LiDAR sensor.
These features will be added to all future Volvo models and it is estimated they could reduce serious collisions by 20pc.
The EX90 is also a key part of Volvo’s electric ambitions. The company plans to phase out all of its internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030, and by 2025
half of its vehicles will be fully electric. It also aims to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
Our test car this week is the C40 Recharge, the first dedicated battery electric vehicle to come from the Swedish car maker. Available with two battery sizes and the choice of single motor or dual-motor versions, we are testing the single-motor version.
Taking styling cues from the XC40, the C40 is designed as a blend of SUV and coupé and sits lower to the ground than your usual SUV. With a sleek, sloped roofline, it is a striking-looking crossover.
Inside, it has all the hallmarks of a Volvo cabin, with Scandinavian chic, and is awash with smart and thoughtful ways to store everything from phones to bags. The Google user interface is simple to use, while the use of renewable and recycled material includes the carpet, which is made of 100pc recycled PET plastic bottles.
On the downside, the sloping roofline reduces rear visibility quite considerably.
On the road it feels fast, it handles well and the brakes are responsive and reassuring. The suspension is firm but the C40 is still comfortable and refined over all road surfaces.
The new single-motor C40 sends power to the front wheels and comes with a 69kWh battery that gives a range of 434km on a single charge.
Volvo says the C40 will charge from 10pc to 80pc capacity in about 32 minutes on a fast-charging system. If you need the reassurance of extra grip, the all-wheel-drive version comes with twin electric motors and is powered by a 78kWh battery with a range of around 420km that can be fast-charged from 10pc to 80pc in about 40 minutes.
As expected, the C40 Recharge has been awarded a five-star safety rating in the 2022 Euro NCAP tests and it scored well on occupant safety and driver-assist systems.
The starting price for the C40 is €58,730 for the 69kWh battery and €63,610 for the 78kWh. Rivals include Audi’s Q4 Sportback 40 e-Tron (€58,715), Kia EV6 (€52,000), Mercedes EQA (€59,960), Volkswagen ID.5 (€61,345), Tesla Model Y (€64,962), Skoda Enyaq IV 80 (€52,250) and Hyundai Ioniq5 (77.4 kW) (€48,495).
With an elegant design, the C40 is a thing of beauty and it is safe, comfortable and good to drive but, all things considered, the price is too high and the range too low when compared to its rivals.
Star rating: 4/5
Under the Bonnet
Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric (Single Motor)
Starting Price: €58,730
Engine: Electric
Transmission: Automatic
Co2/Motor Tax: 0g/km/€120
Battery Pack: Lithium-ion Battery — 69kWh
Range: 434km
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