Volvo EX40 (2026) Review

Introduction

Volvo has been electrifying its range over the past few years. Many are electrically powered versions of its combustion-engined cars or, at the very least, began their lives that way.

The EX40 is one such example – in fact, when it launched in 2020, it was the Swedish manufacturer’s first EV.

Back then, it (along with the plug-in hybrid model) was known as the XC40 Recharge – mainly because it was an electric version of the combustion-engined XC40, the 'Recharge' moniker denoting that it had no such engine.

It was facelifted three years later, before being renamed the EX40 (along with the rest of the electric range, which took on the ‘EX’ nomenclature) in 2024. Putting an electric motor in a car designed for an engine sounds like a logical idea, but it can be fraught with difficulties.

Chassis strength, replacing redundant, complex fuel and exhaust systems, and integrating EV software with older mechanical parts create difficulties, not to mention the need for physical space to accommodate batteries.

Sometimes, these challenges are insurmountable. But what’s interesting is that, when the combustion-engined XC40 – on which the EX40 is based – was unveiled nearly a decade ago, Volvo always intended for it to be an EV eventually.

As such, despite an electric version being years off, it was designed from the ground up to be one.

That means none of the compromises you often find in petrol-to-electric conversions is present – and that can only be a good thing.

What are the Pros & Cons of the Volvo EX40?

Pros:

• Great value for money
• Large boot
• Roomy interior

Cons:

• Interior looks cluttered
• So-so handling
• Fiddly infotainment, despite Google’s excellence

What are the first impressions of the Volvo EX40?

The EX40 has a sophisticated front end, with a high bonnet and sharp drop-off.

It is unmistakably a Volvo, retaining the design language of other cars in the fleet. However, unlike the XC40, the grille is covered by a blank panel that houses the Volvo logo centrally.

The headlights create a frown, albeit not an overly aggressive one. At the same time, towards the bottom, there's a trapezoidal lower grille beneath the number plate, with piano-black indentations on either side, housing the fog lights.

Along the side, there’s thick cladding, a sizeable indentation in the lower part of the doors, and the bottom of the rear-side windows rises diagonally towards the back of the car. Around the back, another feature of Volvo’s design language – its shoulders and headlight arrangement – is also present.

The number plate sits lower in the clad rear bumper, while the tailgate is left blank, apart from the Volvo name spelt in spaced-out lettering and the EX40 badge. It looks nice – family-friendly, appealing, contemporary and stylish – even hinting at sportiness without looking excessively aggressive or ostentatious.

What are the Volvo EX40’s key features?

The EX40 comes in four trim levels.

Entry-level Core gets 19-inch alloys, a nine-inch Google-derived infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB radio, a 12.3-inch digital driver display, and a wireless phone charger, plus dual-zone climate control.

You also get heated front seats, four-way power-adjustable lumbar support, power-folding door mirrors, a powered tailgate, premium textile upholstery, an air quality system, an auto-dimmed rear-view mirror, ambient lighting, and LED headlights. A rear-view camera is also included.

Next up, Plus trim gets black alloys, air purification, suede textile, Microtech upholstery, aluminium decor, fog lamps, a heat pump, heated rear seats, a heated sports steering wheel, enhanced ambient lighting, and keyless entry.

The grade also adds a hands-free function to the powered tailgate, power adjustment for the driver's seat, and a gloss black roof. Plus Pro gains a 360-degree camera, headlight cleaning, pixel LED headlights and tinted rear windows.

The range-topping Ultra acquires larger 20-inch black alloys, a Harman Kardon premium sound system, a panoramic roof, power-folding rear head restraints, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. There is also a Black Edition, which adds all-black detailing to the car and is available in all trims except the entry-level, but it's expensive.

There are four powertrains: two single-motor rear-wheel-drive setups – Standard Range producing 238PS and Extended Range producing 252PS – and two all-wheel-drive twin-motor setups, one with 408PS and the Performance model upping poke to 442PS.

What is the range of the Volvo EX40, and what are the battery options?

The Standard Range comes with a 70kWh battery (67kWh usable) capable of a 294-mile range on a full charge. That compares with 356 miles from the Extended Range model's larger 82kWh battery pack.

The Twin Motor also has the 82kWh battery, but the extra motor drops the claimed range to 332 miles – and slightly more, 326 miles, in the Performance version. Of course, expect less in practice, as real-world range depends on many factors, including driving style and ambient temperature.

What is the performance and driving experience like with the Volvo EX40?

We are driving the Single Motor with the Extended Range battery in range-topping Ultra trim. Zero to 62mph takes 7.3 seconds – perfectly acceptable for a car like this.

The Standard Range battery is lighter, but offers slightly less clout, so any weight advantage is negated by the power deficit, resulting in an identical 0-62mph time.

Although the Twin Motor version is quicker, taking just 4.8 seconds to do the same, it seems excessive in what’s meant to be a practical, family-friendly SUV, let alone the Performance version’s 4.6 seconds.

The Single Motor’s rear-wheel drive offers pleasingly brisk, grippy acceleration off the line, and should more than meet your needs. Handling-wise, it’s not bad, but it’s clearly intended to be a cruiser, rather than something that’ll put a smile on your face as you throw it around a bend.

Tackling twisty roads at speed results in quite a bit of body roll, and the steering doesn’t weight up much, feeling light regardless of your pace. It doesn’t offer much feedback through the wheel either, which dents your confidence when placing the car.

As handling isn’t a particular highlight, we’d expect the ride comfort to compensate, but while the EX40 isn't uncomfortable, the combustion-engined XC40 is noticeably more absorbing.

The added weight of the batteries results in a bouncier ride, meaning that at higher speeds – and especially on flawed road surfaces – the EX40 doesn't feel as well-planted as some opponents.

It certainly isn’t bad, though – few, if any, Volvos are ever uncomfortable, and there are certainly similarly priced competitors which aren’t as supple. Wind and road noise are acceptable, and one-pedal driving is possible, allowing you to stop without touching the brakes. When you do, the slowing force is predictable and consistent.

How fast can the Volvo EX40 charge?

Standard Range models charge at a maximum rate of 135kW, meaning a 10-80% top-up takes 26 minutes. 

The same takes 28 minutes with the larger battery. Its charging speed can reach 205kW.

What are the running costs and emissions for the Volvo EX40?

The running costs for the EX40 will be lower than those of an equivalent XC40, particularly given recent petrol price hikes. In terms of road tax, the first year costs £10, then 200 quid per year thereafter, subject to annual increases.

One thing worth noting is the Expensive Car Supplement – it would have added £ 440 a year to your road tax bill from years two to six inclusive, but it no longer applies to most EX40s.

It used to apply to any motor with a list price of £40,000 or more, but this was recently increased to £50,000 for EVs, so only the Ultra version we’re driving is above this new threshold.

This Volvo will be a good choice as a company car, too, coming in the bottom band for Benefit-in-Kind tax. Volvo is doing reasonably well in terms of reliability nowadays, with the EX40 ranking particularly high on the list.

What’s the interior and technology like with the Volvo EX40?

The interior of the EX40 looks okay, but given the major leaps forward in cabin design in recent years, we’d hoped for something with more ‘wow factor’.

It is not minimalistic by any means, though that’s not a bad thing – and there’s lots of silver trim surrounding every protruding surface, including the air vents, centre console, gear selector, and steering wheel spokes. Somehow, though, the cabin looks cluttered – the clean feel of more modern interior designs, even those that aren’t minimalist, is missing. 

The portrait-oriented infotainment screen is embedded in a large unit at the centre of the dashboard, flanked by equally tall air vents on each side – this, in itself, makes the central unit look much bigger than it needs to be. And despite its size, the touchscreen is only nine inches, which is small by today’s standards.

The cabin doesn’t look dreadful, but you can get more sophisticated looks from much cheaper, middling Chinese brands nowadays. Maybe we’re being harsh, though, as many manufacturers have gone too far the other way, removing every button and switch in sight. 

On the plus side, when you do use the touchscreen, the infotainment system is excellent. Volvo is one of several manufacturers using a Google-derived Android-based system, meaning things such as Google Maps and Google Assistant are native to the car.

The interface is nicely laid out, and the screen is responsive. Annoyingly, though, its small size means icons are small, too, making them hard to hit when on the move, though the voice control – Google Assistant – works well.

The digital driver's display behind the wheel is very nice, offering clear graphics that are easier to read on the move and providing key information, including remaining range. Although we're not keen on the overall interior design, one big plus is that the materials are noticeably higher quality than those of non-premium marques.

Even plastics don’t feel cut-price, and everything feels secure and solid, with no flimsy bits which look like they’d break off if you accidentally hit them. Really, it comes down to preferences – a nice-looking cabin which masks the cheapness, versus Volvo offering a quality product that arguably feels like it needs an update.

Is the Volvo EX40 practical, and how big is the boot?

Finding a comfortable driving position is simple in our EX40, as Plus and Ultra models get electrically adjustable seats. You have to do it manually in the entry-level Core model, but even then, you still get four-way power-adjustable lumbar support.

Although the EX40 isn’t the largest of SUVs, it has a fairly high seating position, which provides a good view of the road ahead, while Volvo has kept the front windscreen pillars as thin as possible, aiding your view at junctions.

It is a different story when it comes to rearward visibility, with aggressively tapering side windows adding to thick rear pillars. The taillights, which travel up the side of the rear windscreen towards the roof spoiler, further hamper visibility.

Thankfully, all models get front and rear parking sensors, though you’ll only get a reversing camera in the Plus model, with a 360-degree camera in the Plus Pro and our Ultra test car. There is plenty of space up front for a driver and passenger, with civilised headroom and legroom, while the cabin is wide enough to accommodate the elbows of two front occupants.

The roofline slope is modest, so there’s ample headroom in the back, while even the tallest of adults should have just about enough legroom. Headroom is marginally compromised in our Ultra model by the panoramic glass sunroof, which lower models don’t get, so if you regularly transport tall adults, it’s worth checking before leasing.

The EX40 isn’t as roomy as some contenders, but three adults in the back are still doable, and overall, the cabin is impressively sized compared with Volvo's larger SUVs Boot space measures 452 litres, expanding to 1,400 litres with the rear chairs folded down, and there’s no boot lip, making it easy to slide large items in or out.

The cargo area is a very usable shape, allowing full use of its capacity. Still, the rear bench doesn’t slide or recline, and only folds in a 60:40 configuration – less convenient than the 40:20:40 setup you’ll find in some premium foes. There is additional storage under the bonnet, but it's only really designed to stow charging cables.

The cabin is full of useful storage features, including large door bins at the front and back, a rubbish bin, and drawers under the front seats that slide forward and backwards for better accessibility.

How safe is the Volvo EX40?

The EX40 has yet to be tested by crash-testing experts Euro NCAP, though the combustion-engined XC40 was put through its paces and scored a five-star rating. However, that was in 2018, so the rating has expired and won’t reflect advances in safety tech over the past few years.

Still, safety is a big deal for Volvo – it's never had a car fail to score five stars, and the smaller EX30 managed 88% for adults, 85% for children, and 80% for safety assists when assessed in 2024.

As standard on the EX40, you get automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, driver distraction alert, intelligent speed assist, lane keeping aid, lane departure warning, oncoming lane mitigation, park assist, and road sign information.

All models also house a tyre pressure monitoring system. The Plus trim adds blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, oncoming-lane mitigation, and rear-collision warning, while Plus Pro adds Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system.

Can I choose optional extras with the Volvo EX40?

There is a lot to choose from – including nine body colours and four interior options, with three material choices on offer. A selection of 19 and 20-inch alloys is available, along with a Harman Kardon premium sound system, tinted rear windows, and a 360-degree camera.

The Driver Assist Package adds auto-dimming rear-view mirrors, Pilot Assist, and driver-awareness safety features. In contrast, the Climate Pack adds a heated steering wheel, an air purifier, and heated rear seats.

Some of these features are included as standard in higher models. Foldable towbars, protective steel plates, roof racks, bike holders, roof boxes, mud flaps, dash cams, and rubber mats are among the accessories on offer.

What are the rival cars to the Volvo EX40?

There is a bunch of competition, particularly at the premium end of the car leasing market, which Volvo justifiably occupies. The BMW iX1 and the Audi Q4 e-Tron are two of the main challengers, along with the Mercedes-Benz EQA, Lexus RZ and Tesla Model Y.

Genesis GV60If you hadn’t considered it, the deserves to be in the same conversation, especially with its opulent, striking interior, though it’s expensive. Other adversaries include the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV3, Polestar 2, Skoda Enyaq, and Smart #1.

You might be pleasantly surprised by how cheap the EX40 is to lease compared with many of these.

What’s the final verdict on the Volvo EX40?

The EX40 remains a very worthy contender but has its shortcomings.

The Volvo is practical for a small-ish SUV and offers a big boot. Still, it's unexciting to drive, the interior needs an update, and the Google infotainment system, though excellent, is over-fiddly due to a screen that’s too small.

But the build quality is sound as a pound, and Volvo has a great reliability record amongst premium marques. We would opt for our Single Motor Extended Range – the Twin Motor is overkill unless you really need all-wheel drive – while the larger battery increases range significantly without breaking the bank.

That said, we’d avoid our Ultra-trimmed model – it’s lovely but attracts the Expensive Car Supplement. A Skoda Enyaq and a Hyundai Ioniq 5 aren’t much cheaper at entry-level and, although we’d step up to the Plus model, you’re getting an awful lot for your money no matter which one you pick. Despite its few weaknesses, the EX40 is nice to look at and live with.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Volvo EX40

**Correct as of 18/06/2026 . Based on 12  months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12  monthly payments, or £5,765.04 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.

Every lease deal is a fixed monthly cost for the whole of your contract, apart from changes to government costs, e.g. VAT changes or road fund license cost changes and in certain specific cases where the funder changes the price. Electric range quoted is WLTP.

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