It’s a great looking car Paul. If it wasn’t for the over the top servicing costs we would be driving around in one! My wife won and we bought a pair of CX Mazdas. Almost very happy. Hint: to remove smudges from screens and keep them at bay, polish the screen with an automotive glaze used on paint.
I think Volvo's decision to go with the level 1 charger was a mistake considering the standard is to use level 2. I'd like to know why they went with the slower, less efficient charging option.
Great review. You just forgot a couple of very minor features: There’s a small holder for your phone, between the gear shift and the wireless charger. You’ll see it if you flip back the small silver panel. Also, there a hook that can be flipped from the inside of the glove compartment to hold pocketbooks, grocery bags, etc. Just a couple of cutesy features that I really like.
Great review. I've test drove XC40 T5 PHEV R Design last weekend. Lovely car! Perfect size, comfortable, plenty of power. At the moment I'm trying to decide between XC40 and RAV4. Toyota is equally well built but a bit less expensive.
Are you located here in Australia Piotr? I ask because here in Oz, the RAV4 is NOT available as a plug in hybrid, only as a standard hybrid - meaning that you could not directly cross shop the 2 vehicles as far as drivetrains go.
I share your concern about the harshness from oversized wheels. Adaptive dampers (expensive compensating mechanism) do recover some ride quality from having stupidly big wheels, BUT you should mention that VOLVO (Australia) allow you to downsize the wheels at purchase to make the car handle and ride better on our lousy country roads.
I'm afraid I need to correct myself here... Turns out it's Nubuck textile, a synthetic version of Nubuck leather. So closer to Alcantara, but less expensive to manufacture.
Test drove a Rav4 Hybrid over the weekend, and there I found myself pushing on the dash to feel how soft it was. Your review methods are rubbing off on me
XC40 looks and feels great; I like PHEVs a lot, but FWD is a bummer (I guess it's because of batteries). If AWD is important feature (for me yes), I'd go for RAV4 Prime/PHV
Thanks mate! Will have some Honda content coming soon. It’s hard to keep up in Australia. We have over 60 manufacturers to cover, so we try and squeeze in as much as we can.
@@CarExpertAus Appreciate your work man. And Honda doesn't even get a top billing in Carsales search criteria. I guess they're a niche brand here, so I get it.
Awesome reviews mate, been trying to watch all your videos. Was thinking if you do review SUV segment, is it possible to do a back seat with child seat front and rear seating position as a comparison. Also stroller at the back of the trunk as a reference.
Paul, always have been watching your reviews and love them. I can’t decide among XC40 full EV, Tesla 3 or Y and Polestar 2! Any suggestions considering cost of ownership and reliability? Also, will you consider doing a comparative review of EVs?
Hey Paul, any suggestion between Mercedes GLB 200 vs Volvo XC40 hybrid in terms of long term use, maintenance, engine, durability, fuel economy etc. One big advantage in GLB that it offers 7 seats in small SUV.
Hello mate - good question. Both very different cars. The GLB is much bigger inside and is nice to drive. Fuel economy will be much better in the XC40, but running costs and servicing will be cheaper in the Benz with their capped price servicing program. I'd test drive them both back-to-back, but I highly enjoyed both cars to drive!
Small SUVs all need black plastic wheel arches to look rugged otherwise they will look very similar to small hatchbacks. Got to emphasise off road capability to sale even if only fwd and no extra ground clearance.
I've been waiting for the PHEW Volvo XC40 and was hoping it would be AWD. Thank you for doing this review, the fuel economy sounds amazing but I'm disappointed its not AWD. I'm hanging out for a smallish SUV, preferably a Volvo that can tow at least 2 tonnes, and can do some very very mild off roading so we can confidently go a little off the beaten track. Whats the towing capacity of the PHEV? oh and does the parcel shelf still fit under the false floor of the boot?
Agreed, it would be nice to have all-wheel drive. I believe the full EV version of the XC40 will be a twin-motor setup with all-wheel drive. In terms of towing for XC40 Recharge PHEV, the maximum braked towing capacity is 1800kg.
I will be driving 80km each way to work. Mostly fwd but there are parts of the fwy (CityLink, Calder) where traffic comes to a stop. The question is, does the Recharge make sense for mostly hwy driving or am I better off with the petrol-only model?
I like it! Looks good and nice interior. Quite surprised by the sound too. Oh, something tells me you like Fisherman's Friend considering they are always in the centre console :p
Unfortunately you have a similar maintenance list to a regular ICE car because it has a petrol engine in addition to the electric motor. The torque on tap is also nowhere near as hard as the Tesla, it feels much softer :-D
Update, looks like customer cars have type 2. Great car, but would buy, same old FWD traction issues and brake pedal would kill me. The Recharge pure electric is a much better car.
@@CarExpertAus Here, I found it =) it's in the last sentence paultan.org/2015/10/27/volvo-details-new-1-5-litre-three-cyl-t5-twin-engine-seven-speed-dct-for-future-xc40-suv-v40-hatch/
Nice review mate as i have not seen the plug in version in america yet. I just did a review on the upcoming all electric XC-40 that should be arriving in America this fall. I am still disappointed as I was hoping the plug in version would at least have a electric range of 35-40 miles or 64 kilometers.
Volvo has great paint. Something about the newer Volvos paint compared to others they just look so much better but I think it may be the cars material. The Toyotas just look like painted plastic. Volvo uses over 10 different types of steel and iron on their cars
Good review Paul as always. I always find it amazing with car manufacturers who have wired apple car play and wireless charging at the same time. If the phone is already connected with the cable it is going to get charged anyway. Why add a wireless charger which is technically of no use? Same for android auto too
I for one don't always plug the phone in for Android Auto as the car has built-in GPS and Spotify, so that's music and podcast taken care of. The wireless pad definitely gets it's fair use each day.
What is the sudden death of XC-40 PHEV in Australia? Volvo web site does not sell or show them any more. It is quite an unreliable brand for those who bought XC-40 PHEV months ago....
Looks great, wonder if they’ll introduce an AWD version. I don’t get the paint pricing these days for most brands, in the old days it was only metallic paint that cost extra otherwise all colours cost the same...
Great Review, 2 Questions, i wont be doing a lot of city driving, but a lot of country driving, maybe 200 km plus each day. what fuel economy would i expect on a 200 km drive ? Secondly, if i pull in at a "motel " or similar for the night, i guess ill need a long extension cord to run from the room to the car, i see no other options? thanks.
Further to that , the quoted "Volvo Website " is 2.2 L/100 km this figure is only possible if you drive 100 km, the first part pure electric only, then the balance on petrol if you want to achieve the same economy for the next 100 km you would need to stop your journey st 100 km and wait, wait, wait, till it recharged this quote figure from Volvo is pure deception
@@procolprocol Yes, its deception, but its not Volvo's fault, the goverment test is setup this way. PHEVs fuel economy labels should state EV range, and fuel economy with the battery is empty (Operating in pure hybrid mode).
No AWD or head-up = deal breaker. That said, it looks good and suits suburban use. But what about service costs? I had an XC60 and found it a ripoff at Volvo.
Great points on HUD, with regards to servicing, Volvo now does a 5 year warranty in Australia and caps servicing costs at around $1500 over three years (around $500 per service).
Hey, i just bought a volvo XC40 and it's about to be delivered in mai 2021. You can add a rubbercarpet as an option sou that might be easier to clean in case you want to take your Dog around.
Hi, Would you please explain more about the Hybrid Mode, including the T8 on XC90? Is this true that the car will decide and change between the gasoline engine and electronic engine in this mode? And does the car only run as FWD or RWD in this mode? If I use the AWD mode for the trip from Sydney to Canberra or any longer trip, does the electric engine have enough energy ? Also, does the car have a self-charge function? If so, in what mode will the self-charge function works? Thank you.
CarExpert in Belgien (I believe). I ordered a MJ 21 (will be delivered in a couple of weeks) and no adaptive dampers option available. According to the dealer (Volvo Hannover), it’s been removed
DC charging is really only required by full electric BEV’s Henrik. No need for it with a PHEV such this, given it only takes about 3 hours for a full recharge ( of 46 kms as stated in the video). I stand to be corrected, but to the best of my knowledge, there is NO PHEV on the market which accepts DC fast charging - for the very reason I have just mentioned.
Looks like you are pretty much squatting in the back seat. Never seen any car with such a low clearance between the seat and the floor. or is it just a line of sight.
It's 46km on EV mode. Keep in mind it's a PHEV and these are designed for people that travel short distances - they work fine for longer distances, but the concept is you charge point to point if you don't want the internal combustion engine kicking over.
I'm here for, "good day. I'm Paul. This is a (insert car name)". I like the delivery of the short, straight to the point intros 😅
Thanks, Rato! 😁
*Nice review . To me Volvo’s are just the nicest place to sit and drive, and relax* 😍👍
Couldn't agree more!
Bloody ugly to look at though and Volvo service charges are just an absolute rort.
I think the XC40 is not only one of the best looking SUV's but simply one of the best looking vehicles on the road.
I love this xc40s they look really good and they will definitely age well
I think so too!
It’s a great looking car Paul. If it wasn’t for the over the top servicing costs we would be driving around in one! My wife won and we bought a pair of CX Mazdas. Almost very happy. Hint: to remove smudges from screens and keep them at bay, polish the screen with an automotive glaze used on paint.
Best review of the XC40 PHEV I've seen so far. Good job.
I think Volvo's decision to go with the level 1 charger was a mistake considering the standard is to use level 2. I'd like to know why they went with the slower, less efficient charging option.
Great review. You just forgot a couple of very minor features: There’s a small holder for your phone, between the gear shift and the wireless charger. You’ll see it if you flip back the small silver panel. Also, there a hook that can be flipped from the inside of the glove compartment to hold pocketbooks, grocery bags, etc. Just a couple of cutesy features that I really like.
Great review.
I've test drove XC40 T5 PHEV R Design last weekend. Lovely car! Perfect size, comfortable, plenty of power. At the moment I'm trying to decide between XC40 and RAV4. Toyota is equally well built but a bit less expensive.
Are you located here in Australia Piotr? I ask because here in Oz, the RAV4 is NOT available as a plug in hybrid, only as a standard hybrid - meaning that you could not directly cross shop the 2 vehicles as far as drivetrains go.
I share your concern about the harshness from oversized wheels. Adaptive dampers (expensive compensating mechanism) do recover some ride quality from having stupidly big wheels, BUT you should mention that VOLVO (Australia) allow you to downsize the wheels at purchase to make the car handle and ride better on our lousy country roads.
Just a small correction. The seats are made of Nubuck leather, not Alcantara, which is a textile. Nubuck is a more durable version of Suede.
I'm afraid I need to correct myself here... Turns out it's Nubuck textile, a synthetic version of Nubuck leather. So closer to Alcantara, but less expensive to manufacture.
Test drove a Rav4 Hybrid over the weekend, and there I found myself pushing on the dash to feel how soft it was. Your review methods are rubbing off on me
😅😄
XC40 looks and feels great; I like PHEVs a lot, but FWD is a bummer (I guess it's because of batteries). If AWD is important feature (for me yes), I'd go for RAV4 Prime/PHV
Or the full electric xc 40.
Unfortunately the RAV4 Prime (plug in hybrid) is not available in Australia
Excellent review. Just the audio system in this car is surround sound which is 13 speakers instead of 8.
Great review Paul. I have always liked these and makes me want one even more
They're great fun to drive!
Can't wait for the volvo xc40 recharge BEV review
Us too! We're looking forward to the full EV version.
Best car reviewer going around atm! Thanks for all the Volvo content, my favourite car maker. But I'm also a Honda fan, and not a single vid yet?
Thanks mate! Will have some Honda content coming soon. It’s hard to keep up in Australia. We have over 60 manufacturers to cover, so we try and squeeze in as much as we can.
@@CarExpertAus Appreciate your work man. And Honda doesn't even get a top billing in Carsales search criteria. I guess they're a niche brand here, so I get it.
The plastic cladding on the wheel arches are a practical thing at least in Australia. Keep the paintwork safe from stone chips on our crap roads!
I think it’s a great looking little SUV and i’d be delighted to drive one
Also great review as always Paul! 👍🏼
Thanks! 👍
I really like Volvo cars, they look awesome and are just a little bit different...
Agreed! It's not just like every other SUV out there.
Keep up to great work on the videos
Thanks, will do!
Awesome reviews mate, been trying to watch all your videos. Was thinking if you do review SUV segment, is it possible to do a back seat with child seat front and rear seating position as a comparison. Also stroller at the back of the trunk as a reference.
Paul, always have been watching your reviews and love them. I can’t decide among XC40 full EV, Tesla 3 or Y and Polestar 2! Any suggestions considering cost of ownership and reliability? Also, will you consider doing a comparative review of EVs?
I was gonna say, the XC40 Recharge isn't a PHEV. But apparently, we just don't get the hybrid version in the states, only the EV.
Great review again Paul one very nice SUV.
Thanks 👍
Hi Paul
Can you review the XC40 Inscription T4 2021 model pleaseeee?
PHEV's make more sense in Australia due to the lack of infrastructure and the longer distances.
Hey Paul, any suggestion between Mercedes GLB 200 vs Volvo XC40 hybrid in terms of long term use, maintenance, engine, durability, fuel economy etc. One big advantage in GLB that it offers 7 seats in small SUV.
Hello mate - good question. Both very different cars. The GLB is much bigger inside and is nice to drive. Fuel economy will be much better in the XC40, but running costs and servicing will be cheaper in the Benz with their capped price servicing program. I'd test drive them both back-to-back, but I highly enjoyed both cars to drive!
Small SUVs all need black plastic wheel arches to look rugged otherwise they will look very similar to small hatchbacks. Got to emphasise off road capability to sale even if only fwd and no extra ground clearance.
agree, I have a cx3, but am in denial that its pretty much a Mazda 2 with plastic wheel arches.
Strangely the plug is Type 2 in those sold in Italy
I've been waiting for the PHEW Volvo XC40 and was hoping it would be AWD. Thank you for doing this review, the fuel economy sounds amazing but I'm disappointed its not AWD. I'm hanging out for a smallish SUV, preferably a Volvo that can tow at least 2 tonnes, and can do some very very mild off roading so we can confidently go a little off the beaten track. Whats the towing capacity of the PHEV?
oh and does the parcel shelf still fit under the false floor of the boot?
Agreed, it would be nice to have all-wheel drive. I believe the full EV version of the XC40 will be a twin-motor setup with all-wheel drive. In terms of towing for XC40 Recharge PHEV, the maximum braked towing capacity is 1800kg.
@@CarExpertAus Thanks for that.
Hopefully the full EV XC40 will be all wheel drive and be able to tow 2 tones.
oh you didn't mention the parcel shelf.
@@Hlysander all wheel drive with 408 hp, 1500 kg towing capacity + full android automotive user interface
@@mattipoeka1 sorry what do you mean?
Excellent reviews, mate! :)
Thanks, Akira!
I just ordered one!!!!
I will be driving 80km each way to work. Mostly fwd but there are parts of the fwy (CityLink, Calder) where traffic comes to a stop. The question is, does the Recharge make sense for mostly hwy driving or am I better off with the petrol-only model?
I like it! Looks good and nice interior. Quite surprised by the sound too. Oh, something tells me you like Fisherman's Friend considering they are always in the centre console :p
I want to know do you have the same maintenance as a regular car or a Tesla? Does it have the torque like a Tesla?
Well it is a PHEV so it has a damn internal combustion engine in it. Maintenance will be closer to a regular car.
@@Simon-dm8zv Thanks.
Unfortunately you have a similar maintenance list to a regular ICE car because it has a petrol engine in addition to the electric motor. The torque on tap is also nowhere near as hard as the Tesla, it feels much softer :-D
Why has this thing got a Type 1 socket? Its supposed to have a type 2 in Australia. I hope this is a pre-production car.
Update, looks like customer cars have type 2. Great car, but would buy, same old FWD traction issues and brake pedal would kill me. The Recharge pure electric is a much better car.
Great review, do you have one for XC 40 non electric?
Thanks
Your camera man doing excellent job like you
Hey Paul
Can you pls do a review of XC40 2023 B5
Fun fact, the electric motor only works on one clutch (the one with gear 2, 4 and 6)
Really? That is so cool - I had no idea. Do you have a link to that information per chance?
@@CarExpertAus Here, I found it =) it's in the last sentence
paultan.org/2015/10/27/volvo-details-new-1-5-litre-three-cyl-t5-twin-engine-seven-speed-dct-for-future-xc40-suv-v40-hatch/
I reckon this is pretty good however why would you buy this when you could get a two year old mid range XC-60 for the same price.
Excellent review. When will you do the XC60?
Once a facelift lobs in Oz 😁
@@CarExpertAus Can you please do the XC60 T8 Polestar? oh and include a bit on towing please?
Nice review mate as i have not seen the plug in version in america yet. I just did a review on the upcoming all electric XC-40 that should be arriving in America this fall. I am still disappointed as I was hoping the plug in version would at least have a electric range of 35-40 miles or 64 kilometers.
Volvo has great paint. Something about the newer Volvos paint compared to others they just look so much better but I think it may be the cars material. The Toyotas just look like painted plastic. Volvo uses over 10 different types of steel and iron on their cars
Good point!
Good review Paul as always. I always find it amazing with car manufacturers who have wired apple car play and wireless charging at the same time. If the phone is already connected with the cable it is going to get charged anyway. Why add a wireless charger which is technically of no use? Same for android auto too
Agreed! It's a strange way to do things.
I for one don't always plug the phone in for Android Auto as the car has built-in GPS and Spotify, so that's music and podcast taken care of. The wireless pad definitely gets it's fair use each day.
What is the sudden death of XC-40 PHEV in Australia? Volvo web site does not sell or show them any more. It is quite an unreliable brand for those who bought XC-40 PHEV months ago....
Is there a rear or side cameras?
How about silency? so wind, road noisy in it?
Not sure how much I'd want/trust a DSG with a hybrid. Any other manufactures doing this?
VW
Looks great, wonder if they’ll introduce an AWD version. I don’t get the paint pricing these days for most brands, in the old days it was only metallic paint that cost extra otherwise all colours cost the same...
Volvo have previously used Getrag DCTs and Aislin Torque converter autos, but I believe this particular 7 sp DCT is an in house Volvo engineered one
It's a really impressive transmission! They've done a stellar job with it.
If they had AWD they will add 200kgs, so you will immediately loose that nice performance economy handling equation
Great Review, 2 Questions, i wont be doing a lot of city driving, but a lot of country driving, maybe 200 km plus each day. what fuel economy would i expect on a 200 km drive ?
Secondly, if i pull in at a "motel " or similar for the night, i guess ill need a long extension cord to run from the room to the car, i see no other options?
thanks.
Further to that , the quoted "Volvo Website " is 2.2 L/100 km
this figure is only possible if you drive 100 km, the first part pure electric only, then the balance on petrol
if you want to achieve the same economy for the next 100 km you would need to stop your journey st 100 km and wait, wait, wait, till it recharged
this quote figure from Volvo is pure deception
@@procolprocol Yes, its deception, but its not Volvo's fault, the goverment test is setup this way. PHEVs fuel economy labels should state EV range, and fuel economy with the battery is empty (Operating in pure hybrid mode).
Getting mine in two weeks
Enjoy the new wheels!
No AWD or head-up = deal breaker. That said, it looks good and suits suburban use. But what about service costs? I had an XC60 and found it a ripoff at Volvo.
Great points on HUD, with regards to servicing, Volvo now does a 5 year warranty in Australia and caps servicing costs at around $1500 over three years (around $500 per service).
The fake carpet is going to be hard to clean if you have dogs. I wish they’d use something smooth and easy to clean 👍🏻☺️
Hey, i just bought a volvo XC40 and it's about to be delivered in mai 2021. You can add a rubbercarpet as an option sou that might be easier to clean in case you want to take your Dog around.
I wish this hybrid comes to india
Hi, Would you please explain more about the Hybrid Mode, including the T8 on XC90?
Is this true that the car will decide and change between the gasoline engine and electronic engine in this mode? And does the car only run as FWD or RWD in this mode?
If I use the AWD mode for the trip from Sydney to Canberra or any longer trip, does the electric engine have enough energy
?
Also, does the car have a self-charge function? If so, in what mode will the self-charge function works?
Thank you.
Its a Nice and good looking car! 👍👌😊
Sure about the adaptive dampers? Not available in Germany....🤔
Yes :-D Volvo calls it the Four-C chassis control - where are German versions of the XC40 built?
CarExpert in Belgien (I believe). I ordered a MJ 21 (will be delivered in a couple of weeks) and no adaptive dampers option available. According to the dealer (Volvo Hannover), it’s been removed
Massive blind spot c pillars. What no dc charging? Is it the 80’ies
DC charging is really only required by full electric BEV’s Henrik. No need for it with a PHEV such this, given it only takes about 3 hours for a full recharge ( of 46 kms as stated in the video). I stand to be corrected, but to the best of my knowledge, there is NO PHEV on the market which accepts DC fast charging - for the very reason I have just mentioned.
By the way Henrik, are you related in any way to the German physicist Georg Ohm, after whom the unit of electrical resistance is named?
The production model does have a type 2 charger
@@Nicholas.T
Actually I don’t know. We’ve not been able to go back that far. Funny thing I have Master in Electronics 🤔🤣
Have you reviewed the XC 60 range ?
Not yet! We will hopefully be getting our hands on one soon.
Looks like you are pretty much squatting in the back seat. Never seen any car with such a low clearance between the seat and the floor. or is it just a line of sight.
check out the 3rd row seats on American SUVs like the Suburban. It’s literally just a bench on the floor. Your knees will touch your chest.
You couldn't look more uncomfortable in that back seat if you tried. Zero thigh support.
Marić bi Igoru triba dati povišicu. Spasija ga je s bocom.
Ha ha, hvala!
I don't like that rear pillar. It looks pointy, not classy.
What’s the battery range?
Like 26 miles only ... if its not 50 miles minimum it's nothing
It's 46km on EV mode. Keep in mind it's a PHEV and these are designed for people that travel short distances - they work fine for longer distances, but the concept is you charge point to point if you don't want the internal combustion engine kicking over.
CarExpert if you’re running on fuel are the batteries getting rechanged?
made in The Kingdom of Belgium; My home country
Türkiye’de 80 000 usd. 😢
Wonder why you didn't try just electric mode. ??
What do you mean?
Black cladding on suvs more of a trend
Yep, we're seeing it more and more often!
USA! USA! US... well, maybe next year
Fingers crossed! It would do well in the USA.
Huummm !!
FWD only makes no sense.
It's a shame! I was hoping for an electric motor at the rear. Full EV will be all-wheel drive.
Looks great for picking up the kids and shopping -- absolutely zero cool
Hybrids