Residing Up To The Hype

When the Volvo EX30 launched it was, based on many of the web, the Second Coming. Small, fairly, inexpensive, electrical and dripping with Volvo cool, it was pegged to be the pondering drivers’ various to a Muskmobile. Now the hubbub has died down, the subsequent best factor has been, gone, been, and gone once more. It’s time to see how effectively it stacks up now that the brand new automobile scent is gone. 

The excellent news—a lot to the chagrin of American readers, whose EX30 hype bought derailed by tariffs—is that sure, the EX30 nonetheless lives as much as all of the hype it had when it launched. A small, handsome, electrical Volvo with all of the toys looks as if a profitable mixture, and it virtually is, however there are additionally a couple of somewhat odd flaws, and, effectively, an odd ground. And too many menus to kind by generally. 

And some different, ahem, quirks {that a} potential proprietor ought to find out about. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

(Full Disclosure: Volvo UK loaned me an EX30 for a couple of days for testing.) 

It’s a small household SUV, which doesn’t solely imply miniature households can drive them, however its footprint is sufficiently small to slot in built-up European cities AND can take 5 individuals and all their stuff do you have to want it to. Its design language is shared with its a lot larger brother, the EX90, which suggests there are few sharp angles, and in white it seems to be slightly like a gently used bar of cleaning soap. Good for aerodynamics, however when you’re searching for one thing that expresses road-owning aggression you’re finest casing your eye elsewhere.

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

The EX30 wasn’t speculated to be the primary purpose-built electrical SUV from Volvo—that was the EX90—however varied growth hiccups meant it the little automobile got here first. Primarily based on Geely’s SEA platform, shared with the Sensible 1 and Zeekr X, it might include batteries starting from 51kWh to 69kWh, and in each RWD and AWD. There’s an EX30 to swimsuit all audiences, and a few budgets. On the latter level, within the UK it kicks off at £32,850 ($42,435 at present conversion charges) and heads as much as a lofty £44,350 ($57,300.) 

My tester was a Single Motor Prolonged Vary Extremely that got here in at £42,205 ($54,520). Efficiency ranges from 268bhp (single motor) to 422bhp (twin motor), and because it’s a Volvo prime speeds are restricted to 112mph.

Early vehicles got here with varied ‘TBC’ options like Apple CarPlay and doorways that will unlock by way of an app, they usually’ve now, fortunately, been added for ease of comfort. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Driving Expertise

Round city, the EX30 is a superb field to drift round in. With the Single Motor Prolonged Vary powertrain fitted it’s no slouch off the road. Its steering is clean and provides some suggestions, although you in all probability received’t care in regards to the really feel of the tarmac beneath you right here—extra that it’ll get you to work with out incident. Switching it to at least one pedal mode means you could be pleasingly lazy, because it does a wonderful job of slowing the automobile to a halt as you gently coast in direction of the subsequent set of lights. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Taking it on the freeway is way the identical. You’ll silently, effortlessly breeze to your required pace and it’ll sit there stable as a rock. It’s fairly slab-sided, and the UK’s highways could be somewhat open, so that you’d anticipate it to maneuver round a contact when the wind begins blowing, however its chunky 4,079-pound heft ensured it felt stable even throughout essentially the most autumn up of gusts. Giving it a bootful to overhaul somebody dawdling within the center lane it picks up with gusto, although it by no means feels aggressive. Loads of vehicles on the market have a ‘watch this’ mode to impress passengers, however it is a Volvo, which suggests its efficiency is there, positive, however gently muted to maintain issues wise. That stated, 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds doesn’t sound too light, does it? 

Now, you’d anticipate a wise household Volvo for wise Volvo households can be slightly room temperature on twisty roads, but it surely’s surprisingly entertaining. It flows easily from bend to bend. Its steering, although not overflowing with suggestions, does allow you to play with the automobile sufficient to get a way that you simply’re working to your supper. The EX30’s efficiency will slip you from apex to apex fortunately. You wouldn’t be blamed for taking it out for a blast for the sake of it. As a automobile to get in and drive, it’s ace. You’ll additionally get out on the finish feeling relaxed and drama-free. A minimum of from the recent seat. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Passengers have a distinct expertise. The ground is excessive. To make it SUV-ish it needs to be, and to place a chunky battery in there as effectively, one thing’s bought to present. The driving force, until they’re extremely tall, received’t discover. Everybody else will. Entrance or the again it makes no distinction, taller passengers will journey with their knees by their ears, and that’s not conducive to happiness after an hour or so within the automobile. They could additionally discover the journey slightly stiff although from behind the ‘wheel it felt effective.

Vary

Volvo guarantees a lot from the EX30 lineup. The entry-level Single Motor automobile comes with a 51 kWh battery that’ll get you 209 miles on a cost, and the mid-range Single Motor Prolonged Vary automobile is fitted with a 69 kWh battery and might go as much as 295 miles on a tank. The highest-spec Twin Motor Efficiency will get the identical 69 kWh battery because the long-range automobile, however throws an additional motor and extra energy on the street, so will get 210 miles earlier than needing a recharge.

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Throughout my week with the Single Motor Prolonged Vary setup, it managed a mean of slightly over 3.5 miles per kWh (a contact down on the official 3.7mi/kWh determine) over a mixture of roads everywhere in the UK, and whereas driving (broadly) sensibly. A bit of little bit of math provides a real-world vary of 242 miles from its 69 kWh battery. A observe right here goes to the automobile’s software program: it wasn’t overly optimistic on vary, nor was it too far out when it got here to how a lot vary the automobile used on a journey. 

Charging

Volvo quotes the quick cost time of the EX30 Single Motor Prolonged Vary RWD Extremely as 28 minutes from 10-80% SOC at as much as 157kW. With its 69 kWh battery (64 kWh usable), Volvo says a full cost on an 11 kW plug will take round 11.5 hours.

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Taking it to a Shell Recharge station in London’s Fulham on a sleepy afternoon, the automobile kicked off at simply over 30%, and drew a gradual 115 kW, hovering round these till it hit 80% SOC when it dropped to twenty kW. This occurred in about 25 minutes, I’d wager. Factor shot up faster than I may drink my espresso. Which was each annoying, and helpful.

Inside

The skin of the EX30 is somewhat effective, however the inside is… up for debate. Its excessive ground makes for uncomfortable taller passengers, and its suspension could be on the jiggly facet for them too. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

There’s a mixture of sensible design decisions and apparent cost-cutting in there, and that may be a ache. the obvious are the window switches up entrance; there are two that primarily work the entrance home windows, and to make use of the rears you need to press a button to swap their operate. The selection is smart. More often than not you’ll solely ever want to make use of them for the entrance, however once you do have to open up the again, the additional course of is an unwelcome faff. With regards to faff: there’s no speedo above the steering wheel, so as an alternative, you see your pace on the automobile’s central touchscreen. The display screen is the visible focus of the cabin, and whereas it’s nice for drivers it’s very massive and really shiny, and that irritated some passengers. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

The trim fitted to my take a look at automobile was a nice gray with black and white speckles. I loved it immensely till a good friend identified that it regarded just like the form of worktop present in posh kitchens. They went on to say the entire inside regarded a bit kitchen-y. When you’re into Scandi culinary design, you’re in for a deal with. 

There’s no HUD within the EX30, but it surely did put a useful reminder that it has a partnership with Harmon Kardon in there. There’s a giant ‘ol soundbar that stretches just about the width of the automobile nestled proper up in opposition to the windshield with a tiny emblem on it—a emblem that displays within the display screen and is usually distracting. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

The door handles, these very fairly massive steel hoops, aren’t the simplest to make use of when you’re not used to them. The glove field is within the heart of the sprint, too. Why software your manufacturing unit to construct a left and right-hand model of the middle console when you’ll be able to put the storage slab within the center? The very fact it might solely be opened by way of the contact display screen is an unimaginable annoyance. 

Tech Options

Volvo’s seen match to lob most of its toys on the EX30 from the off. Within the UK, there are three trim ranges to select from: Core, Plus, and Extremely. The underside rung, Core, nonetheless nets you an enormous quantity of ordinary gear. All the lively security toys you’d anticipate finding on a Volvo are current and proper, in addition to a 12.3-inch Google-powered contact display screen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a really useful voice command system. Plus provides issues like an influence tailgate and “inside illumination, excessive stage,” whereas Extremely will add park pilot help, a 3D digital camera, and extra. The distinction in spec is simply shy of $13,000.

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Single Motor is customary on each the Core and Plus fashions, and Plus-fans can spec a Single Motor Prolonged Vary or Twin Motor arrange for additional value. Extremely vehicles include Single Motor Prolonged Vary package as customary, with Twin Motors as a value possibility. 

Infotainment and UX

Getting across the EX30’s touchscreen is a sport of two halves. Typically, it’s intuitive, simple, and slick. Different occasions, it’s past irritating and, when you’re not on the ball, places the dozy prone to having a crash. 

Let’s kick off with the great. The Google software program it’s primarily based on is stellar. Native Google Maps means you don’t have to concern your self with studying and being irritated by buggy in-house tech. You’ll be able to ask it to take you to a cost level both utilizing the contact display screen or utilizing your voice and it’ll present you the place it’s, which form of chargers are there, and what number of are free. When you’ve chosen your most well-liked cost level it’ll precondition the battery for you as effectively. It’s wonderful. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

The voice controls are 99% bang on each time, so that you don’t want to fret about issues like altering the radio station or bothering with discovering the aircon controls whilst you’re on the transfer. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come as a part of the system. Being an Apple man I discovered CarPlay labored identical to CarPlay ought to: flawlessly, and wirelessly after an preliminary wired connection. 

Volvo’s EX30 app works effectively sufficient and is tremendous simple to arrange, although locking and unlocking the doorways took slightly longer than I’d be comfy with – that stated, opening them bodily is at all times an possibility when you’ve bought the important thing on you, so… it’s not the top of the world. You may also control your SOC from afar too. 

And now, buddies, time for the dangerous bit. Making vehicles is dear. Particularly electrical vehicles, as a result of batteries make up quite a lot of the price that would both go to revenue or to creating bodily levers for issues like glove containers and rear window switches. This has led to some aggressive cost-cutting throughout the board at just about each producer. Typically it’s slick, generally it isn’t. Right here… it isn’t. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Altering issues just like the radio, settings, and even adjusting the wing mirrors require you to dig by a menu to search out what you need. It may be a faucet away, possibly two, possibly extra. Fixing your facet mirrors is essentially the most infuriating of the lot – when you’ve dug by the menu to inform the automobile which you need to alter, you then have to make use of the directional pads on the steering wheel to maneuver them round. Sure, screens imply fewer wires, switches, potential factors of failure, and fewer cash spent. It additionally means you need to poke your means by a number of menus to get something performed. 

With time, and maybe a bit extra persistence than I’ve in reserve, it’ll in all probability be doable to get round many of the display screen’s quirks, however there’s one that’s virtually unforgivable: the parking sensors. Being a Volvo, its job is to maintain you and yours protected and away from an accident. Each time I drove someplace vaguely near one thing that may, if I traveled a yawning chasm at nice pace with out discover, harm the automobile, a head-down view of the automobile with the offending space exhibiting how shut one thing is/may very well be popped up on the display screen, masking no matter it was I used to be taking a look at. The automobile’s concern was candy, however typically I actively wanted to see what was on the display screen—and there was no apparent method to get the sodding image of a automobile predicting catastrophe to go away. 

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

The display screen means effectively, however its good intentions make me need to ship it to hell. Simply give us rattling buttons again, Volvo. 

Verdict

To drive, the EX30 is nice, clear enjoyable. It’s simple to get round in, clean, quiet, and a giggle if you would like it to be, however passengers could not get pleasure from it fairly as a lot as you do. And, after all, the second you work together with its contact display screen you’ll seemingly invent some new swear phrases. It does look nice although, and it’s sufficiently small to make Europeans comfortable sufficient with out saying “Ooh, vehicles are getting large lately, aren’t they?”

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2024 Volvo EX30 UK Drive Evaluation

Volvo, with its shared platform, and smears of Scandinavian cool has made a cracking EV. It goes far, feels nice, and doesn’t make you would like it was a hybrid as an alternative. It’s additionally a very viable various to a Mannequin Y. 

The automobile du jour hype could have pale, however the EX30 deserves almost all the reward it bought when it first launched. It feels and appears good, and when you’ve both gotten used to (or begrudgingly accepted) the central display screen’s many foibles you’ll virtually definitely fall for its charms. 

Alex Goy is a contract journalist primarily based in London. He likes British sports activities vehicles, tea, and the sensation of the gentle peril that solely proudly owning a British sports activities automobile can deliver to your day.