2025 Volvo XC40 Review: A Stylish and Smart SUV Update

Despite Volvo It's reducing its global electric vehicle (EV) ambitions, but it's still expanding domestically with the aim of becoming an entirely electric marque by 2026.

Note: This represents an updated edition of a review initially posted in February 2024. For MY25, there have been no alterations in price or specifications, except for the renaming of the Ultimate B4 trim level to Ultra B4.

We have revised crucial elements like pricing and specs using the latest data at hand. Feel free to check out the initial edition of this review for comparison. here .

As part of the procedure, Volvo has removed the more potent B5 mild-hybrid petrol engine from the lineup. XC40 range.

Rather than offering multiple options, the Swedish-Chinese automaker currently provides just the B4 mild-hybrid petrol engine for their entire lineup of gasoline-driven vehicles. Additionally, the electric variants of this model are now designated as the EX40 instead of being referred to as the XC40 Recharge.

During this test, here is the information. Volvo XC40 Ultra B4 Shadow . This model was previously referred to as the Ultimate B5 Dark when it had the more powerful B5 mild-hybrid petrol engine.

Is this premium variant within the main Volvo XC40 lineup remain persuasive despite featuring a milder hybrid petrol engine? Continue reading to discover more.

What is the price of the Volvo XC40?

Even though the electric variants of this vehicle are now referred to as the EX40, the mild-hybrid editions continue to use the XC40 designation.

To view how the Volvo XC40 compares with similar vehicles, take a look at our comparison guide. comparison tool

How does the interior of the Volvo XC40 feel?

Approaching the Volvo XC40 Ultra B4 Dark, it can be somewhat challenging to spot the differences compared to its predecessor, the defunct Ultimate B5 Dark. However, most of these distinctions lie beneath the hood.

Sliding into the XC40 offers an desirable high-up driving posture, similar to many crossover vehicles, which enables you to enjoy excellent all-around sightlines and also gives you a sense of control.

Our reviewer had access to the model featuring leather-trimmed charcoal upholstery, an optional upgrade at no extra cost. Additionally, this version includes driftwood accent trim panels, a charcoal custom-designed steering wheel, along with a crystal gear shifter provided by Orrefors.

Even though the XC40’s seats feature leather accents, they seem to incorporate quite a lot of synthetic leather. Additionally, there was a slight plastic-like odor present throughout most of my time with the car. This isn’t an aroma typically associated with luxury vehicles.

The front seats come with electric adjustments and heating functions. This is particularly useful during chilly Melbourne mornings; however, it’s surprising that ventilation options aren’t available at all.

The driver's seat offers ample thigh support, enhanced by an adjustable extension feature. Sitting there reminded me of being in a La-Z-Boy recliner.

Even so, the driver’s seat feels somewhat flat and firm, making long drives a tad uncomfortable. Additionally, it lacks proper side support, causing me to feel unstable when cornering.

In front of the driver lies a steering wheel covered with faux leather that feels far from luxurious compared to one made of genuine leather. Despite this, the steering wheel remains a comfortable size and features an outside edge that isn't overly bulky.

The arrangement of all the controls on the steering wheel is intuitive, with distinct symbols that ensure they're simple to comprehend. Additionally, these buttons offer a pleasing tactile response when pressed.

This applies equally to the indicator and windshield wiper stalks located behind the steering wheel. While both provide a pleasing click when operated, they feature numerous symbols and functionalities that may initially seem somewhat baffling.

The vehicle comes equipped with a standard 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster that offers clarity and high resolution. However, the design remains predominantly dark and somewhat lacks vibrancy. While I recognize Volvo’s intent towards minimalistic styling, one can achieve a similar aesthetic using just two analog gauges along with a more compact digital display.

Among the limited adjustments available for the digital instrument cluster, you can toggle the satellite navigation map on or off. Additionally, you have the option to display your travel stats. Beyond these options, not much else can be modified.

The vehicle comes equipped with a standard 9.0-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen infotainment system that includes Google integration. This setup offers features such as the Google Assistant, Google Maps, and access to the Google Play Store.

The associated Polestar 2 features an infotainment system with Google integrated, although its display is significantly bigger (11.2 inches versus 9.0 inches). In contrast, the XC40’s touchscreen appears somewhat outdated.

The touchscreen, similar to the digital instrument cluster, boasts high resolution. It seems to possess ample computing capability as well, leading to swift boot-up times during start-up and rapid loading of new screens.

Since the touchscreen is vertically oriented, it resembles an iPad attached to the dashboard. Additionally, the built-in Google interface is very user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Most of the time, I didn't bother connecting my phone via smartphone mirroring because all the features I typically use—such as Google Maps and Spotify—were either integrated into the system or could be found on the Google Play Store.

When discussing smartphone mirroring, the Volvo XC40 includes wired Apple CarPlay as a standard feature exclusively.

Similar to most wired smartphone mirroring setups with my iPhone 15 Pro Max, I did not encounter any interruptions at all.

A drawback is that all the climate control features, such as controlling the heated seats and steering wheel, are accessed via the touchscreen. While you can utilize the Google Assistant, often I would rather have dedicated physical buttons or knobs for these controls.

The XC40 doesn't have numerous physical buttons or knobs inside. Primarily, you'll find a sizable volume dial featuring play and pause controls, an infotainment system home button, along with minor buttons for activating hazards and window heaters.

As you look around the cabin, you'll notice several Scandinavian-inspired and high-quality finishes such as the upright air vents, wood-embellished dashboard inserts, metal accents on the steering wheel, crystalline gear shift knob, and lined felt storage compartments in the doors.

On the other hand though, many tough plastics along with piano-black finishes are spread throughout the interior. These surfaces tend to collect dirt and grime rapidly and can easily get scratched during cleaning attempts.

Our reviewer had access to an additional glass panoramic sunroof option, which enhances the sense of openness and brightness within the cabin.

Even though the back doors are quite spacious, the entryway itself is not. This made me twist my legs each time I tried to enter or exit the vehicle.

When you move to the second row, there's ample room for your legs, head, and shoulders. Interestingly enough, the seating here feels softer and more comfortable compared to the front rows.

However, there is a significant transmission bump in the second row that makes the central seating position feel somewhat confined.

Second-row amenities include heated outboard seats, USB ports, centre console-mounted rear air vents, as well as a fold-down rear centre armrest with cupholders.

Moving around the back of the XC40 there’s a power tailgate that opens and closely swiftly and quietly. Once the tailgate is open there’s plenty of usable boot space on offer. Volvo quotes an official boot capacity figure of 460 litres.

There are plenty of bag hooks in the trunk, along with a 12V outlet and a useful light on the rear door. This light is particularly helpful when you're loading things into the trunk during the evening hours.

In this final point for the section, I want to highlight one of my favorite aspects of the XC40. You can raise the load compartment floor to form a barrier complete with hook attachments. As such, your belongings stay more secure and stable when driving.

To view how the Volvo XC40 compares with similar models, take a look at our comparison guide. comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The complete Volvo XC40 lineup now features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine enhanced with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology.

To view how the Volvo XC40 compares with similar models, take a look at our comparison guide. comparison tool

What is the driving experience like with the Volvo XC40?

Initiating the Volvo XC40 Ultra B4 Dark is as simple as pushing the start button located between the digital instrument panel and the touchscreen entertainment system.

Once you hit the start button, the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine activates smoothly and silently, largely due to the assistance of the 48V mild-hybrid system featuring a starter-generator.

Starting off can occasionally feel somewhat abrupt since the handbrake doesn’t release automatically when you switch to either reverse or drive. The handbrake will only disengage once you exceed a particular speed or manually deactivate it yourself.

When you finally set off, don’t anticipate the XC40’s B4 mild-hybrid petrol engine will impress your senses with its performance. Despite boasting figures of 145kW and 300Nm which seem quite sufficient on paper, coupled with the vehicle’s hefty 1.7-tonne kerb weight, this setup leads to sluggish acceleration.

When the traffic lights turn green, many vehicles will speed ahead faster than you do. You might find that even smaller cars with lower horsepower and torque accelerate past you effortlessly. It may seem as though they're leaving you behind unless you step harder on the accelerator. Despite this, it often still seems like others are pulling away from you. just enough on tap.

When you accelerate from a stop, the first two gears allow the engine to rev up to about 3000 rpm quite smoothly. However, this can be somewhat abrupt since the maximum torque is reached at only 1500 rpm.

The eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox handles things well and seems somewhat more intuitive than a dual-clutch setup when driving slowly. However, occasionally it might give you the sensation of being pulled taut like a rubber band.

Conversely, when you ease off the accelerator, the brake pedal offers significant movement in the initial part of its range before abruptly becoming more responsive. This makes it challenging to gauge the precise amount of force needed for a gentle halt.

The steering on the XC40 is exceptionally lightweight, making it simple to maneuver at low speeds. Additionally, this crossover boasts a compact turning radius. It comes equipped with standard features such as front and rear parking sensors, folding side mirrors, along with a panoramic view camera system.

The second option provides a top-down perspective that might make it somewhat difficult to accurately judge your distance from barriers. The touchscreen includes symbols for switching among various viewpoints; however, this process can be a bit cumbersome.

Throughout the city, the XC40 Ultra B4 Dark’s suspension offers exceptional smoothness and comfort. Navigating potholes is effortless; however, it might perform even more smoothly with slightly smaller alloy wheels instead of the default 20-inch ones.

In regular day-to-day driving, the XC40 exhibits agile handling characteristics. While some degree of lean is noticeable—typical for SUVs—the vehicle seems eager to tackle corners at higher speeds.

That's why it's quite frustrating that the B4 mild-hybrid petrol engine fails to deliver as expected.

Increasing the velocity in the XC40 requires some patience and effort initially but it does happen over time. When prompted to pick up speed for highways, the engine tends to create quite a racket, which isn’t exactly an appealing noise.

As soon as you reach highway velocities, the engine keeps the revolutions minimal and the vehicle settles into a smooth rhythm. However, additional horsepower wouldn’t go amiss since during overtaking maneuvers, the car seems to lose momentum.

Regarding safety features, the XC40’s adaptive cruise control system tends to apply initial braking upon detecting a vehicle in front of you; however, it usually corrects this behavior over time.

The cruise control may gradually exceed the preset speed by as much as 5 km/h before initiating braking, which seems rather lax to me. Often, I caught myself applying the brakes manually to reduce my speed below the limit and subsequently readjusting the cruise control.

The XC40’s lane-keeping assistance becomes quite useful when driving on well-defined highways and freeways. However, on numerous roads, I noticed the system would frequently drift from side to side within the lane boundaries. This lack of steadiness did not instill much trust, so generally, I kept this feature deactivated while operating the vehicle.

Finally, the Pixel LED headlamps fitted to our test vehicle are impressive. With the low beams activated, they feature an intelligent cornering light function that lights up bends ahead. This significantly simplifies tasks like identifying a pedestrian who might step into the street from around a corner during night time driving.

The Pixel LED headlamps come with an adaptive high-beam feature, making country and outback drives considerably more manageable. There’s no need to manually dip your beams when another vehicle approaches; you can maintain focus on spotting potential hazards like animals crossing your route.

To see how the Volvo XC40 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

For this test, we have the XC40 Ultra B4 Dark, which represents the pinnacle of the main model range.

XC40 Plus B4 highlights:

• Power tailgate
• Automatic LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• 18-inch silver alloy wheels with a five-spoke design
• 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster
• Wireless phone charging
• 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Google built-in operating system
  • Google Automotive Services
  • Volvo Cars app
• DAB+ digital radio
• 8-speaker sound system
• Dual-zone climate control
• Air purifier
• Keyless entry and start
• Heated steering wheel
• Leatherette upholstery
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat featuring memory settings
• Heated front seats
• Heated outboard rear seats
• Manual seat cushion extension
• Power passenger seat
• Power-folding second-row headrests

XC40 Plus B4 Limited Edition:

• 19-inch matte graphite finish Y-spoked alloy wheels
• Surround-view camera
• Leather-accented upholstery

XC40 Ultra B4 Bright includes:

• Pixel LED headlights

XC40 Ultra B4 Dark includes:

• 20-inch matte-black dual-spoke alloy wheels
• Alcantara-accented upholstery

Options

A range of additional features can be found on the XC40 Ultra B4 Dark.

Lifestyle package : $3200

• Panoramic glass sunroof
• Privacy glass
• High-end Harman Kardon audio system

Single options:

• Panoramic glass sunroof ($2350)
• Premium Harman Kardon audio system ($1300)
• Tinted rear windows ($800)
• Leather-accented upholstery ($NCO)

To view how the Volvo XC40 compares with similar vehicles, take a look at our comparison guide. comparison tool

Is the Volvo XC40 considered safe?

The Volvo XC40 received a five-star ANCAP safety rating derived from 2018 Euro NCAP tests; however, this certification expired as of January 2025.

Standard safety features include:

• Front, side, curtain, and driver's knee airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Vulnerable road user detection
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control
  • Traffic jam assist
• Reversing camera
• Front, rear parking sensors

The Ultra B4 Bright comes with an added surround-view camera.

To view how the Volvo XC40 compares with similar vehicles, take a look at our comparison guide. comparison tool

What is the running cost of the Volvo XC40?

Volvo provides coverage across its lineup with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty .

To view how the Volvo XC40 compares with similar models, take a look at our comparison guide. comparison tool

CarExpert's Perspective on the Volvo XC40

The Volvo XC40 has been around for some time now but continues to stay relevant with the brand’s focus shifting towards electrification. However, the lineup of gasoline-powered models seems somewhat neglected.

It’s somewhat disheartening that Volvo has removed the more potent B5 mild-hybrid petrol engine from the XC40 lineup. While the B4 mild-hybrid petrol engine suffices, you must really push it to achieve a swift motion with this hefty SUV.

Even though it’s $2000 less expensive, the XC40 Ultimate B4 Dark seems to have lost its distinctive appeal. In the past, with the B5 mild-hybrid engine, it was the preferred choice for people looking for extra power and torque.

I understand why Volvo chose this route since they aim to enhance their electric EX40 models. If you desire greater power, you'll have to upgrade to either the electric single-motor rear-wheel-drive version with 175 kW / 420 Nm torque or opt for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive model offering 300 kW / 660 Nm of torque.

These two EX40 versions are significantly pricier compared to the petrol-driven Ultra B4 Dark model we're testing.

If you're not ready to switch to an electric model and prefer sticking with gasoline, you might want to consider the more budget-friendly XC40 Ultra B4 Bright or Plus B4 rather than opting for the top-of-the-line Ultra B4 Dark.

You won't miss out on many features because most of them included in our test car are also present in these cheaper petrol versions of the XC40.

If you're thinking about purchasing a Volvo XC40, contact one of CarExpert’s reliable dealers through their site here.

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