Volvo XC40 Recharge

Like its exterior, the interior of the Volvo XC40 Recharge is subtle too. The dashboard gets a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment screen that runs Google natively, allowing straight download of PlayStore apps. There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster borrowed from the fuel-powered XC40 Recharge, with a few tweaks. The tachometer is replaced by a dial that shows power consumption. The cabin is spacious and quality of the materials used is top class. The front seats come with multi-adjustability. The multifunction steering wheel has ergonomically placed buttons. The cabin gets a number of functional storage spaces.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge looks more like a boxy compact SUV, a design that’s widely followed in the automotive industry. The 2023 facelift version gets a new iteration of the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ daytime running lights (DRLs), more aggressively styled bumpers and a more minimalist closed-off grille. The grille in fact is almost non-existent. Instead, there’s a blanked-out panel with the Volvo logo. The large 19-inch wheels with fat tires lend the car a handsome stance. There’s a subtle Recharge badge at the back and on the C-pillar. The fuel lid reveals a charging port. The roofline drops a bit at the back. 

The Volvo XC40 Recharge has a spacious cabin. The driving position is comfortable and there’s enough space on the second row. While the seats are comfortable, getting into the rear seat is a bit of a squeeze because of the narrow door apertures. Once inside, there’s actually a generous amount of headroom and knee room for a compact SUV. Thigh support isn’t bad but could have been better, since the floor is high. The suspension is nicely balanced. While the ride quality isn’t overly plush, it’s still comfortable and manages to iron out bumps and potholes. Noise insulation inside the cabin is good. The automatic air-conditioning cools the cabin pretty fast. 

The Volvo XC40 Recharge is available in a single version in the Philippines. The car is equipped with a single permanent-magnet motor that produce 408PS/660Nm. The motor is powered by a liquid-cooled 75kWh lithium-ion battery. There’s an 11kW on-board charger. With the best-in-class torque, the car simply jumps into action. It hits triple digit speeds in no time. The Volvo XC40 Recharge returns a commendable highway performance. The car gets an off-road mode to optimise the powertrain for low traction surfaces. Driving on city streets need a bit more control.  

Volvo has packed the XC40 Recharge with safety features. Standard equipment include a radar enabled safety system, 360-degree camera, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, multiple airbags, lane departure control, adaptive cruise control, and even a semi-autonomous driving mode. Regenerative braking of the XC40 Recharge is very strong and activating the one-pedal driving mode stops the car whenever the foot is lifted from the accelerator. It needs some practice but is a very helpful feature while driving around town. The Pirelli Scorpion Zero All-Season tires have great traction and further helps in stopping the car instantly.

At a starting price of ₱3.99 Million, the Volvo XC40 Recharge is one of the most expensive all-electric compact SUVs in the Philippines. Travelling in the XC40 Recharge is a comfortable experience. Electric cars are more suited for city driving and the XC40 Recharge is an incredible car with great mileage (220 miles), premium cabin and a long list of safety equipment. These are still early days for all-electric cars but the Volvo XC40 Recharge promises to be of long-term value.