2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge review: Should you buy it?
What's the story
Volvo plans to embrace electrification in a big way and already has a mild-hybrid product in India. However, the XC40 Recharge is the first electric car from the Swedish automaker in India. The XC40 Recharge will join the petrol version and become its flagship EV offering in the country. The India-specific version gets a twin motor lay-out as well. Here's our review.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Electric vehicle sales are poised to grow in India and the luxury segment will also play a big part in that. However, the current luxury electric segment is dominated by a set of niche players operating at a higher price segment. The XC40 Recharge would be positioned at a more attainable price point in India with its launch due in July this year.
Exteriors
The car gets bigger alloy wheels
Volvo will not offer this red color seen on our test car for the time being but there would be five other options. That said, the XC40 Recharge has some differences in exterior styling over the petrol version. The grille is different with being color matched with the exterior while the bumper is tweaked. Elsewhere, you get 19-inch alloy wheels and special badging.
Interiors
The interior gets a new infotainment system
The interiors of the XC40 Recharge largely remain the same albeit with the addition of the new Google-based infotainment system and a leather-free upholstery. The portrait-oriented touchscreen controls all of the major functions with only a few physical controls being on offer. Build quality is excellent with impressive attention to detail seen all over the cabin. Space remains the same as the petrol model.
Features
From Autonomous Level 2 safety features to connected car technology
The equipment list is quite impressive with a lot of features available as standard equipment. You get a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with OTA updates and Google services built-in. There is also a digital instrument cluster, a 360-degree-view camera, automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, connected car technology, and wireless charging. In terms of safety, you get Autonomous Level 2 driver assist features.
Performance
Performance is impressive with quick acceleration
Performance is impressive and the XC40 Recharge delivers brisk acceleration with no fuss. The twin electric motors produce a substantial 408hp/660Nm which gives it a level of performance seen with most sports cars. A 0-100km/h time of just 4.9 seconds enables it to be much quicker than the petrol version. We also found the regenerative braking to be highly effective.
Range
Expect a range of around 300-330km
The 78kWh battery pack delivers a claimed range of 418km while in the real world, expect around 300-330km. Like most electric cars, the XC40 Recharge is compliant with DC fast-charging which considerably reduces the charging time while a standard fast charger will complete one full charge in around 2.5 hours. High speed stability is excellent while the overall ride quality is a bit firm.
Our verdict
How much will it cost?
We expect the XC40 Recharge to have a starting price of around Rs. 65 lakh (ex-showroom). While that is a sizable increase over the petrol XC40, the level of performance and range makes it a great value proposition since nothing else is available at this price. The compact footprint along with the addictive performance makes this an EV worth considering in the luxury space.
Volvo XC40 Recharge
What works and what doesn't
