FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Ride Report: 2024 Volvo XC40 B5 AWD

Nov 6, 2023 | 4:53 pm

#1

huskyflyer

Join Date: Dec 2022

Posts: 455

Ride Report: 2024 Volvo XC40 B5 AWD

Car Class: Standard Elite SUV (Same class as the Mercedes GLA, BMW X1, Caddy XT 4)

I took this car from ES.

This car was the base trim (Core)

Introduction

I was a bit reluctant to take this car at first because there was a Caddy CT4 on the aisle. However, I wanted to give the XC40 a try since I have driven many CTs in the past. This SUV did not disappoint, and it seems like EHI is buying a lot of Volvos lately.

Exterior

I will let the photos do the talking. The SUV styling gives off EV vibes, but is a mild hybrid powertrain. The car comes across as both cute and rugged at the same time. I thought body roll would be terrible based on the proportion, but the car handles quite well

Interior

I will let the photos do the talking. Overall, interior quality is below the Volvo S60 I rented just a few weeks earlier as I noticed a lot more hard plastics around the panels. However, there is a felt like material stuck on some of the hard plastic on the door panels.

The interior is dominated by a large touch screen, and this screen controls almost everything, including A/C and heated seats. The downside is that there is no controller/dial on the central console, and that makes controlling some of the functions a challenge while driving, especially as some of the buttons are not that big/easy to press while driving.

The seats were very comfortable - they felt soft and plush. I felt that the seats were more comfortable than the S60. However, there are less adjustments for the seats on the XC40 compared to the S60. In fact, the passenger seat is not even powered (except the lumbar support was powered on the passenger side).

The heated steering wheel and heated seats are some of the most powerful ones I have ever used - not a surprise considering this car is from Scandanivia

Drive

The engine is a 2.0L mild hybrid. Unlike the BMW mild hybrid, the engine is really quiet during start up. In addition, the engine is very quiet while driving probably because it relies more on the battery at lower RPMs compared to BMWs. However, acceleration is really quick off the line. However, there is a noticeable turbo lag at highway speeds. For example, when traveling at around 60MPH and you want to pass a car on the freeway, there is a 1-2 seconds turbo lag before the car reacts with power. However, once that power comes through, the car has a lot of power under its hood and you never feel underpowered.

The handling was very confident despite the body proportions. The steering was confident; however, it was on the light end (even in the firm mode). What I liked about the steering wheel was that even at high speeds you had feedback from the steering wheel on where the wheels were pointed too (whereas on some cars like the BMW's power steering system you do not always know what your wheels are doing)

The drive was very comfortable as both the suspension and seats were plush. Although I am a huge BMW fan, I think this car is more comfortable than a BMW X1/X3.

What impressed me most was how confident this car handled in heavy rain. I drove this car through a heavy rain and not once did I feel that the car was losing grip to the road. Instead, the car felt like it could confidently handle the rain and wet road surface with ease.

Technology

This car was the base Core trim. However, tech was still very good, especially for an entry-level European premium car that are not known to be generous with standard tech features.

This car came with Google Maps GPS as standard, and this GPS was integrated into the fully digital driver's instrument panel (this feature is standard on the Core trim).

This car did not have adaptive cruise control.

Apple CarPlay was wired (not wireless). An annoying quirk was that if you use the built-in Google Maps system, you were able to see the map on the driver's gauge panel; however, the driver's gauge panel is not synced to Google Maps through Apple Car Play. The built-in Google Maps has data, and it is free to use (as the renter).

The sound system was also really good, and apparently the subwoofers are in the hood.

Fuel Economy

80% Highway and 20% City I got 9.3L per 100 km or 25.2 MPG.

Overall, I would say the fuel economy was quite good, but I do not think it is class leading, especially given its size and power. I have achieved the same (if not better) fuel economy on the much larger BMW X3.

Final Summary

l would not hesitate renting this car again if it was on ES. It is a really good all-rounder that offers a very comfortable and safe ride. I think this is a perfect car for a relaxing drive or to take a (small) family road trip.

After having driven a Volvo S60 and Volvo XC40, there is something unique or different about a Volvo as driving it gives you a certain charm or feeling you do not get in the German premium brands. I think part of it is that the interior and tech is laid out in a really simple/clean way as there are not a lot of buttons or menu screens. However, there is also something different about the driving feel as it strikes an odd mix of being comfortable and sporty, and it is a mix that you do not really find in the German cars - it's hard to describe the feeling. Although it is different from the German premium brands, it is very much up there with the German premium brands in terms of comfort and driving dynamics.