Make way for Volvo’s classy offering
Think about it. You’re in the process of building a small-sized SUV for what you hope will be premium clientele and one of the first things you have to do is have a look around and see what the opposition is doing in the segment.
OK so you’ve got the likes of the BMW X1, the Audi Q3, the Range Rover Evoque, and the Jaguar E-Pace, among others, to focus on. And then, in the non-premium segment (although the manufacturers understandably hate to be labelled thus) you’ve got the Ford Kuga, VW Tiguan, and the Mazda CX-3. Hmmmm.
That’s a big ask — or a series of big asks, if you like. Pitching a quality car in against that sort of opposition is a daunting task for anyone — even for a company with the premium chops that Volvo now has, but came so close to losing, but for the graciousness of Ford.
Thanks to Chinese involvement and cash, Volvo has not only proved the truism that with a little bit of luck, much endeavour, and a lot of natural flair, investment will pay off, but it has also shown it is possible to breathe new life into what appeared to be a failed automotive giant.
And — and I can tell you here without fear of contradiction or lawsuits — Volvo has achieved something truly special with the creation of this week’s tester, the XC40.
This is a hard market to crack, but Volvo is on a roll at present having scored huge successes with its other two SUVs, the large XC90 and the medium-sized XC60, so confidence is not an issue at the company HQ in Gothenburg. And it shows.
It might have been feared at the outset of the Volvo revival that the company was merely going to take up the mantle of failed Swedish rival Saab by making cars for bearded architects with a penchant for grey cashmere polo-neck sweaters.
But no, the company has not only retained its appeal to the tweedy country gentry but broadened its scope to the point where it is taking large amounts of customers from the German ‘big three’ of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, which is a very big deal.
The arrival of the XC40 underlines the company’s success in this critical ‘premium’ segment and highlights its ability to make cars which appeal to people not alone because of their design and engineering (both of which are top class), but also the manner in which they deliver oodles of technology, to-die-for interior architecture, and top-line comfort.
That the XC40 is the current European Car of the Year is pretty much proof positive that Volvo is hitting the many ambitious targets set for it by its Chinese owners and Swedish management.
For the purposes of our test in the car, we were initially pencilled in to try the top-of-the-range turbodiesel D4 R-Design AWD Geartronic version, which comes in with a sturdy price tag of over €63,000, but for some reason this car was needed at very short notice and instead we were provided with the lesser D4 Momentum AWD version, which costs less than €50,000.
To be honest I was a little surprised the company had only put the top spec R-Design version on the press fleet as I thought it might frighten punters away rather than lure them in, so it was actually a pleasant surprise to get to test the supposedly lower caste model.
And, in truth, there was little about the supposedly inferior (only in terms of spec and not mechanicals) car that would send you dashing to a rival manufacturer.
Rather, I felt, this XC40 would do very nicely indeed and would suggest to the Volvo press office that their faith in the product should have been resolute enough to give hacks cars which are nearer to the €38,000 entry level model.
But anyway, what’s it like to drive? Well, given the top-line dynamics of the two bigger Volvo SUVs, you should come to the XC40 with pretty big expectations — and I did, and I was not disappointed.
Generally in this segment, the competition is good rather than great, but the Volvo does ratchet things up quite a bit.
Built on a brand new platform, one which will support many other vehicles in years to come, the XC40 also boasts a sophisticated suspension system and while we are already familiar with the D4 190bhp twin turbo oil-burner, the combination of the two makes for a car which is extremely comfortable and has a decent bit of performance on offer when needed.
That performance sees a sub-eight-second 0-100km/h delivered, along with a top speed of 210kmh, a consumption rate of 5.0l/100km (56mpg) and an emission level of 131g/km, which equals an annual tax bill of €280.
Allied to an eight-speed auto transmission, this engine delivers across the range, in that it is extremely at ease around town and in the wider urban environment, but has the necessary legs to make light of long-distance highway driving.
B-roads are a doddle too by dint of the combination of a sprightly powerplant and very competent ride and handling traits, which help make the argument for the XC40 even more compelling.
The interior is a special place and if you are a fan of simple, effective, and beautiful designs — and again that does not solely apply to bearded, cashmere-clad architects — then you will be inspired by what’s on offer here.
Certainly some of the options can add greatly to the bottom line, but that will depend on how deep your pockets are.
Available passenger space is enough for four adults or two adults and three children, so it is a little tight.
The boot is on the small side with all the seats in place, so these are things people with families must consider.
The safety systems are many and varied, yet impressive and comforting and, as they are evolving technically, also becoming less intrusive and annoying.
The overall layout oozes class and stuff handed down from the bigger siblings, such as the portrait touchscreen, are fantastic to live with and use.
This, then, is a car which has surpassed its design brief and which can certainly rub shoulders with any of the premium brands with which it goes head to head. It is a class act and a further indication, if needed, that Volvo’s rebirth is a fully functioning and real thing and the cars the company is now making are up there with the best.
