That’s the neighbour test sorted. Harry loves it. And Harry knows his cars: he’s got a classic Fiat Spider and a really cool short wheelbase classic Defender. He’s the son of a maniac car nut who’s owned over 10 E-Types.
The car to which Harry has just given the thumbs up is the new Volvo C40. It’s the first model designed to be only available with an electric powertrain and is essentially a coupe version of the XC40 SUV, which is available with an internal combustion engine.
Like Harry I think it looks terrific. The full name of the car we’re testing is the C40 Recharge Twin Pro. It’s a 2022 car but, slightly inconveniently, the Pro trim level is no longer available. No problem, as Volvo assures me the specification is virtually identical to the 2023 model-year Ultimate, which is the top of the range version like the Pro.
The Twin part of the name denotes the fact it has twin electric motors, one driving each axle. Each motor is 201bhp so you’ve a total of 402bhp ready to be whirred into life under your right foot. All Volvos are limited to a top speed of 112mph and this model does 0-62mph in 4.7seconds. Pretty brisk, to put it mildly. I gave it a quick squirt to confirm its sprinting ability but then went back to a restrained driving style to conserve range.
That, by the way, is a maximum of 273 miles. Also available to order now are purely front wheel drive C40s badged as Recharge and with an entry-level trim called Core. One of these will set you back £44,800. Our car costs £58,900. Volvo also offers subscription package Care by Volvo – you don’t pay a deposit, you pay £669 (for this C40) per month, which includes everything, less electricity cost.
But what’s it like to drive? First positive note is no start button. You simply sit down, belt up, put your foot on the brake and select D. The dashboard comes alive and you’re ready to go.
If there’s a way to show range on the digital instrument panel I couldn’t find it. Percentage battery power remaining, no problem, but not range. This information is easy to find on the infotainment screen and its menus.
There’s another way though. Volvo uses Google Assistant voice recognition and it works. Try asking a Merc or BMW’s voice recognition system how much range was left and it would dial your auntie in Macclesfield’s mobile. The lady behind the screen in the Volvo immediately told me we had 170miles of range left.
Other good features include a 30 litre front boot where you can stash charging cables. We didn’t drive at night so didn’t get the full effect of the “topographical” trim (it means trim is textured) that is backlit at night. Patrick Moore would have loved it.
What’s not so good is the regenerative braking as you only get the option of a great amount or none. I like being able to vary the strength according to the driving environment. I still want regenerative braking in town, but not too much to make progress stuttery. Otherwise it’s good to drive. The ride could be more comfortable but there’s a lot of grip and not too much body roll. As you’d expect in a Volvo there’s a huge amount of safety tech offered but it’s pleasingly unobtrusive.
Seats are comfy, there’s more than adequate rear legroom and the coupe treatment hasn’t shut out all the light.
We’ll have a go in a cheaper two-wheel drive C40 soon. I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that these high performance electric SUVs are pointless and I suspect the 2wd model offers everything this one does (it’ll still do 0-62mph in 7.5seconds by the way) and have all the kerb appeal, for a lot less money.
The facts
Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Pro five-door SUV
Price: £58,900
Engine: Two electric motors, 78 kWh battery, 402bhp
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
Range: 273 miles
