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Volvo Xc40 variants
Total price
Monthly payment
Figures are based on a 20% deposit

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £28,999. Borrowing £23,199 with a £5,800 deposit at a representative APR of 12.9%.

49 monthly payments
£407.45
Fixed interest rate
12.9%
Total amount payable
£38,130.51
Cost of credit
£9,131.51
Optional final payment
£12,773.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Volvo XC40 buying guide

What Volvo XC40 trim levels are there?

The entry-level trim for the XC40 is called Momentum. While it’s the start of the XC40 range, you still get lots of goodies including an infotainment systems with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth, rear parking sensors and camera, lane-keep assistance, and forward collision mitigation.

R-Design is the mid-range option and is Volvo’s ‘sporty’ trim level, comparable to Mercedes AMG Line and Audi S Line. This means you get larger alloy wheels, a sportier body kit and more black-coloured trim pieces to help these models stand out.

Inscription is the range-topping trim level for the XC40 and includes all the extras from the previous trims. You get even posher seats, trimmed in even nicer leather to underscore exactly how luxurious this trim is.

Volvo XC40 interior and technology

The XC40 features Volvo’s latest interior design style. That means clean, minimal surfaces, with most of the car’s features controlled by the large, portrait-orientated touchscreen in the dashboard. The screen is very easy to use and, while it’s disappointing Volvo omitted the traditional physical climate controls, the temperature and fan speed is persistent on the infotainment screen, making it relatively easy to change on the fly.

Rear seat space is decent if you’ve just two adults back there, with lots of head and knee room. However, adding a third across the back row will lead to elbows bumping, so isn’t advised for longer journeys. The boot is a good size, too, able to take a week’s worth of family holiday luggage without breaking a sweat.

Volvo XC40 engine range explained

Volvo XC40 T3 petrol

The XC40 engine range kicks off with the T3 petrol engine. This is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit that, despite its small size, puts out a respectable 163hp, helping the XC40 hit 62mph from rest in less than 10 seconds. This engine gets a choice of manual or automatic gearbox.

Volvo XC40 T4 petrol

If you fancy a smooth petrol engine in your XC40, but want a little more ‘oomph’ than the T3, the 190hp T4 might be a better choice. The extra muscle, courtesy of a larger 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, drops the 0-62mph time to 8.5 seconds. This engine comes with an automatic gearbox as standard and gets the option of four-wheel drive.

Volvo XC40 B4P petrol

Volvo has begun offering a slightly updated version of the T4 engine with a beefed up alternator called the B4P, which allows for very limited mild hybrid operation. There’s not much of a performance boost to be had, but fuel efficiency and emissions are both marginally improved.

Volvo XC40 D3 diesel

While most XC40s come with petrol engines, there are still diesel options available for buyers that require it. The D3 engine is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit that generates 150hp, returning respectable performance while averaging around 59mpg.

Volvo XC40 Recharge EV

The XC40 Recharge, as the name suggests, is the pure electric option available for Volvo’s smallest SUV. This model comes with a 78kWh battery pack, which translates to a range as high as 249 miles if you drive carefully. Thanks to the beefy twin-motor setup, this model comes with a mighty 408hp, allowing it to accelerate to 62mph from a standstill in a sports-car-worrying 4.9 seconds.

Your Volvo XC40 questions answered

The XC40 only comes in one version – a five-door SUV large enough for small families. There is also the option of a coupe version called the C40, which is only available as an EV – this has a lower, sportier roofline than standard XC40 models.

The XC40 is around 4.4 metres long. This means it’s almost exactly the same size as the Mercedes GLA and Audi Q3 – its main rivals. There’s enough room for four adults inside to get comfortable, with five able to fit for shorter journeys. The boot is large enough for two big suitcases, or more if you get creative with your packing.

Most XC40 models are offered with either a petrol or hybrid engine, and all offer a good blend of power and efficiency. There are also diesel engine choices if you regularly take on long journeys, or a fully electric version if you mainly drive in city and suburban areas.

If you like the look of the XC40, you'll almost certainly like it from behind the wheel, too. It's a great little premium SUV that's just about large enough for family duties. The car's styling and design are really strong, with a clean, angular look that stands out from the conservative German alternatives.

Plus, it's good to drive too, with light, accurate controls, well-managed body movements, and potent engines – especially among the plug-in-hybrid options.

It's not perfect, of course. It's quite expensive like most of the premium SUVs it competes with, and we're not completely sold on adjusting the climate control through the touchscreen, plus sportier rivals are a little more fun to drive. However, the Volvo's comfort, tech and styling will be more than enough to silence most buyers' criticisms.

Most of the XC40's colour choices are fairly muted. There's the lighter Cloud Blue and darker Fjord Blue, along with Sage Green, which is a fairly understated shade, and Fusion Red – probably the loudest colour in the lineup.

Besides those, there's the conventional selection of black, grey, silver, and white, along with a silvery-gold champagne colour called Bright Dusk.

Four-wheel drive – badged AWD – is available as an option on the XC40, although most models on the market stick with front-wheel drive.

If you don't want to hunt around or pay extra for an AWD version, you can fit winter tyres to your front-wheel-drive XC40, which will dramatically improve grip and traction in cold, slippery conditions.

Volvo is a premium brand competing with the likes of BMW and Audi. As a result both parts and servicing costs are going to be a little higher than average, so make sure you budget a little more for keeping your XC40 in tip-top condition.

Reliability surveys rank both Volvo as a brand and the XC40 as a model about average for reliability. They're not fault free, but there are no widespread reports of common issues affecting this model.

That's about par for the course among premium models, which all tend to return middling reliability scores. This is often because they include more on-board features than cheaper cars, which means more potential things that can go wrong.

You can protect yourself from unexpected repair costs by adding an extended warranty to your XC40. This kicks in once the manufacturer's coverage ends and covers you for any mechanical or electrical repairs needed.