REVIEW | Why the Volvo XC40 Recharge is a joule of an EV

At the end of last year I got to have a go in the Volvo C40 Recharge: an electric crossover SUV merging dapper, coupé-inspired styling with incredible acceleration.

It proved a cracking all-round package and perhaps one of the most convincing electric vehicles (EVs) I had piloted in a long time. Mainly because it offers a useful everyday range, a relatively attainable price tag, if you have the financial means, and styling that doesn't overstate that it is powered by joules instead of liquefied dinosaur bones. 

Recently my carport was graced with its slightly more practical sister: the XC40 Recharge. Ostensively the same car built on the same underpinnings, the main difference between these two electric Swedes can be found moving from the B-pillar backwards. Whereas the roofline of the C40 Recharge drops away dramatically in the name of style, the XC40 Recharge adopts the upright profile the world associates with sensible SUVs. 

Though somewhat less striking to look at, the upshot of this design is a useful amount of extra boot space: 452l vs 404l. Fold the rear seats flat and this increases to 1,295l. Enhanced cargo capacity is paired with noticeably better rear headroom. In the back of the heavily raked C40 Recharge the top of my head was brushing the ceiling when sitting up straight. Not so in the XC40 Recharge. Its conventionally shaped tailgate, home to a larger windscreen, also provides superior rearward visibility, making you far less reliant on the vehicle's excellent 360º park camera. 

Apart from this and a sunshade complementing the expansive panoramic glass roof (a questionable omission in the case of the C40 Recharge) there's little else differentiating these two Volvo models on the inside. A monument to Scandinavian minimalism, the dashboard features the same intriguing centre insert decorated with a topographical map of Sweden’s Abisko National Park. Cool to look at during daylight hours, it comes alive at night courtesy of LED backlighting casting an almost holographic glow.

Switchgear, in the modern Volvo tradition, is kept to a bare minimum, which means you have to call on the nine-inch, portrait format touchscreen infotainment system to dial in everything from vehicle and audio settings to fan speed and temperature adjustments.

Call me a technopeasant but I dislike this system immensely (we've never seen eye to eye) and find it frustratingly finicky to use even at the best of times. I also detest how once-simple tasks such as making the AC blow hotter/colder/harder/softer require taking your eyes from the road to focus on prodding and swiping a screen. Stupid.

Sustainability is the name of the game in cabin materials, with Volvo using partially recycled fabrics, carpets and upholstery. Build quality appeared tip-top with no annoying rattles or buzzes during my weeklong test tenure.

Niceties? In flagship Ultimate guise there's an impressive amount of gizmos on offer such as a digital 12-inch instrument cluster, Harman Kardon Premium sound system with 13 speakers, four USB ports, hands-free powered tailgate and adaptive cruise control. The rear seats are heated while the front seats — also heated — offer power adjustment. Accompanied by a multifunction steering wheel offering rake/reach adjustment, this makes it easy to find your driving position. Though the seats are comfy, I found they didn't offer quite as much lateral support as the ones in the C40 Recharge. This was especially evident under hard cornering when my lanky frame was sent a-rolling. 

In typical EV fashion the XC40 Recharge drives quietly and serenely. The lack of engine noise, with impressive levels of NVH insulation, make it a relaxing vehicle to pedal around in; be that trawling through the suburbs or sitting at the legal limit on the highway. However, this chilled-out demeanour is offset by ferocious acceleration. Bury the throttle pedal to the floor and Sweden's unassuming mum-mobile starts reeling in the horizon line like a bona fide supercar. Volvo claims a 0-100 km/h time of 4.8 seconds and I have to say this feels bang on target. 

Tapping into this performance does have a negative effect on the car's driving range though, so if you're looking to maximise the output of the 82kWh battery pack I'd advise against it. With a bit of restraint I managed to average 20.3kWh/100km over 248km, which is a fairly respectable figure — especially considering almost all these kilometres were clocked on the highways to and from Zwartkops Raceway (I live near Auckland Park).

During my C40 Recharge test I struggled to find a decent public charging facility to keep the battery topped up. This time I had no such issues as I discovered the Mercedes-EQ branded 75kW fast-charger at Rosebank's ultra-swanky Pantry deli/grocery. The night before my first trip to Zwartkops I topped the battery up to 94% as it was at 75%. On the return trip the battery level dropped to 60% so I decided to again stop for a full recharge before heading home. The next day I made the same trip and returned with enough battery bars to see out the rest of my tenure behind the wheel.

The handling of the 2,188kg XC40 Recharge closely mirrors that of its C40 sibling, which means it changes direction fairly well for an EV. While no sports car, it copes with lateral loads better than something like an Audi e-tron 55 Quattro. Well, up to a point. Get too carried away through the twisty bits or under braking and that hefty kerb weight will stifle progress as there is no escaping the laws of physics. 

Factor in overly light electric power steering largely devoid of any real road feedback and you soon learn to adopt a slow-in, fast-out approach to cornering; the latter aided by vast reserves of all-wheel drive traction courtesy of the twin motor set-up.

Fitted with five-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels shod with 255/40 Pirelli tyres, the ride is on the firm side and can feel a trifle brittle and jiggly on sketchier road surfaces, of which there are many in Johannesburg. That said, the XC40 Recharge does a fine job at keeping its weight suspended and well-damped sans bone-jarring histrionics.

So which of the two would I pick? While the Volvo C40 Recharge will garner more envious onlookers at the Pantry forecourt, my vote goes for the XC40 Recharge as you are getting the same blistering performance matched to a more usable interior (practicality — is this not what we purchase SUVs for in the first place?). Another added benefit is the cost factor, with the XC40 Recharge Ultimate R26,000 less than the C40 Recharge equivalent. And if you're willing to sacrifice some speed, range and features you can save a further R216,000 by purchasing the single motor Plus model retailing for R1,108,000. 

Fast Facts: 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Motor

Engine: 2x electric motors driven by an 82kWh battery pack

Power: 300kW

Torque: 670Nm

0-100km/h: 4.8 seconds (claimed) 

Top speed: 180km/h (limited) 

Fuel: 20.3kWh/100km (achieved) 

Price: R1,298,000 as tested