Volvo XC40 Recharge

Like the exterior design, Volvo has followed the way of simplicity and elegance for the interior layout of the XC40 Recharge. The cabin of the Volvo XC40 Recharge is available in different types of upholsteries for different variants – Charcoal Arianne leather with urban grid aluminium inserts for R-Design Expression, Charcoal Agnes leather Nubuck and Cutting Edge décor for R-Design and Charcoal Arianne leather and Driftwood Décor and Amber Arianne leather and Driftwood Décor for Inscription variant.

The elegance in the design of the cabin of the Volvo XC40 Recharge is clear in the look of the three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel and 12.3-inch full-TFT instrument console behind it and the 9-inch portrait-style infotainment system, with the latter inspiring the infotainment systems of many other new-generation cars from other carmakers. The infotainment system has gloss black surrounds, while the corners of the dashboard and centre console get vertical AC vents.

Volvo has equipped the XC40 Recharge with some top-of-the-line features such as dual-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, Sensus connect with voice command function, 13-speaker sound system with 600W amplifier and air-ventilated woofer and sub-woofer, clean zone air quality system, powered front seats with memory function for driver’s seat.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge is easily one of the most sophisticated looking compact luxury SUVs, the design of which is simple and timeless, yet premium from every angle. The upright stance and angular lines and edges make give it an impressive stance.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge has an edgy looking front fascia, in the middle of which sits a vertical grille with tapered lower edges and the trademark Volvo logo with a slanted chrome slat running across it. On the sides of the grille, there are trapezoidal sweptback headlamps, which are full-LED units and come integrated with Thor’s hammer daytime running LEDs. The lower part of the front bumper looks simple with trapezoidal housings for the small fog lamps, but its protruding design, along with the smooth haunches on the bonnet gives it a muscular appeal.

The side profile of the Volvo XC40 Recharge makes it look taut and upright, thanks to the high ground clearance and the raised hood. The angular C-pillar, machined alloy wheels and door-mounted rearview mirrors add evident sportiness to its visual appeal, while the slim roof rails and slim body cladding give it the flavour of an SUV. The port for charging the battery of the plug-in hybrid system is placed on the left front fender.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge looks simple but has loads of character when viewed from the front, with the pillar mounted Christmas tree-like L-shaped LED tail lamps and a clean design for the boot lid with Volvo lettering spread across its width. Much of the rear bumper is covered with tough-looking body cladding to give it the rugged persona of an SUV.

The suspension setup of the Volvo XC40 Recharge with Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear might not be as unconventional as the powertrain of the engine. But it manages to match with the symphony of the engine by delivering precise reflexes in the driving dynamics. Despite the high ground clearance, the Volvo XC40 Recharge has a well-controlled body roll.

Under the hood of the Volvo XC40 Recharge sits a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is a combination of a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, an electric motor and a 10.7 kWh lithium-ion battery. While the engine produces 180 PS of power and 265 Nm of torque, the electric motor churns out 82 PS of power and 160 Nm of torque. In the combined form, the powertrain makes 262 PS of power and 425 Nm of torque. The Volvo XC40 Recharge is capable of touching a top speed of 180 kmph and a 0-100 kmph sprint time of 7.3 seconds. The powertrain is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

It is where the Volvo XC40 Recharge trumps all the other compact luxury SUVs, as it gets a segment-best list of safety features, which includes City Safety - car, pedestrian, cyclist, and large animal detection with full auto brake, Collision Avoidance & Mitigation Support with Auto Brake - front, rear & intersection, Blind Spot Information System, Cross-Traffic Alert with auto brake, Lane Keeping Aid, active high beam for headlamps, seven airbags, ABS with EBD, Pilot Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Park Assist Pilot - Perpendicular & Parallel Parking, Park Assist Camera - 360 degree and front and rear parking sensors.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge might be priced a bit higher than the current crop of premium compact luxury SUVs, but its technologically-advanced powertrain and a much longer list of features truly justify that premium to every bit.