What's the news?
Volvo has just revealed its first venture into the baby crossover market, the XC40. This five-seat compact SUV is based on the Volvo 40.1 concept that we saw back in 2016. The first model to be offered in Ireland will be the 194hp XC40 D4 with all-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox with prices starting from €47,450.
Exterior
As you'd expect, the new XC40 shares aspects of its design with the Volvo XC60, but has a distinctly more playful design that manages to be muscular and smooth, with plenty of black cladding to give it a more rugged feel. It features Volvo's signature 'Thor's Hammer' daytime running lights, a large upright grille and tall rear light clusters. The striking profile features a kicked-up rear door window line that cuts into the C-pillar, and deep groves along the lower parts of the doors.
The XC40 comes in four trim levels - entry-level Momentum and Momentum Pro and sporty R-Design and R-Design Pro - and each brings some unique exterior features.
As standard, entry-level Momentum models get LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels and the option of a contrast-coloured white roof and door mirrors, along with white and black alloy wheels.
R-Design versions get 18-inch diamond cut/matt black alloys and some sporty touches including a gloss black front grille and front and rear lower bumper sections, a black roof and door mirrors as well as dual integrated exhaust pipes.
Momentum Pro versions get active bending headlights with adaptive shadow technology that block out part of the headlight beam to avoid dazzling vehicles in front. R-Design Pro models get the active bending headlights and 20-inch alloy wheels.
Interior
The cabin is a scaled-down version of what's found in Volvo's '90' series cars and the new XC60. The dash is dominated by a nine-inch portrait touch screen infotainment system that works in tandem with voice-activation and has connectivity features such as satnav with real-time traffic information (RTTI) and lifetime map updates, as well as the use of web apps including Spotify, TuneIn, Google Local Search and Yelp. There is also a 12.3-inch TFT driver's information display. Dual-zone climate control and rear parking sensors also come as standard.
All models get Volvo's On Call smartphone app and emergency assistance package that allows owners to control various functions of the car remotely from a smartphone or smartwatch and can also automatically alert the emergency services if the car is involved in an accident - and use the car's built-in GPS to direct them to the location.
With the cabin of the XC40, Volvo is declaring a war on clutter and wants to make sure that everything is within arm's reach, but out of sight and tidied away. The interior of the XC40 therefore has loads of clever storage including a 'curry hook' for hanging bags by the glovebox, a removable waste bin, under-seat storage drawers, slots for coins and cards in the centre console and a special space for phones that has inductive charging.
Mechanicals
The XC40 is the first model to be built on Volvo's new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which the company shares with its Chinese parent company, Geely, and on which all future '40' series cars, including electric vehicles, will be built. Power comes from a choice of five 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Volvo Drive-E engines and the XC40 will be offered with front- and all-wheel drive with the choice of a manual or automatic transmission.
The three petrol models are a 156hp T3 with front-wheel drive and manual gearbox, and a 190hp T4 and 247hp T5 both with all-wheel drive and automatic gearboxes. The two diesel offerings are the 150 D3, which can be had in front- or all-wheel-drive forms with either a manual or automatic gearbox, and a 190hp D4 with all-wheel drive and automatic transmission.
The D4 diesel powertrain will be available from launch while the other versions join the range later in the year along with a 'Twin Engine' plug-in hybrid and fully electric version. The XC40 will also be the first Volvo available with the brand's new 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol engine.
There are plenty of standard safety features and driver aids on board including Cross Traffic Alert with brake support, City Safety (an automatic emergency braking system that detects pedestrians, cyclists and large animals) and Oncoming Lane Mitigation - which warns you if you move out of your lane into the path of an oncoming vehicle and provides steering assistance to guide you safely back into your lane.
Each XC40 can also be equipped with the optional, semi-autonomous drive Pilot Assist system. This assists with the steering at speeds up to 130km/h and takes care of the acceleration and braking. It keeps the car within lane markings and at the desired speed or distance from any vehicle in front.
Anything else?
Production of the new XC40 starts at Volvo's plant in Ghent, Belgium, in November and Irish customers can expect to take delivery in early 2018, hopefully in time for the '181' registration period.