Volvo XC40 owner test drives the XC40 Recharge: Pros & cons of the EV

I think it is a great car made available at a great price, until Tesla is launched.

BHPian evolvo recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Booked the sage green model in Hyd. Seems 30 units sold in Hyd so far.

Terrific pricing, especially considering the next EV from a luxe brand is 1 Cr +

Also, at 56 lacs ex-showroom, it is just 11 lacs more than its petrol version. On road, the difference is just ~8 lacs (51 vs 59).

Some pros

• Insane acceleration (big grins all around during test drives)
• Excellent braking (with great acceleration comes great braking needs!)
• Free 3 yr service and RSA, 3 yr warranty package, and 8 yr battery warranty
• Baby steps towards connected car features and OTA updates
• Killer price (10 lacs lower than anticipated)
• Did I say performance? oh boy, it is fast! Like a rocket… silent and fasaaaast!

Some cons

• Spare tyre does not have a slot and is loosely kept in the trunk occupying luggage space
• Rear bench is a bit upright with sub-par thigh support (only niggle I have in my current XC40)
• The online booking process was a bit cumbersome and the Volvo India app is useless
• No red color (the red offered for test drives was killer)
• No option of leather interiors or lighter beige option
• 320km real-world usage vs suggested 420km means this is strictly a city car (most highway chargers max at 25 KW, means many hrs of waiting times for adding meaningful range)

All in all, I think XC40 Recharge is a great car at a great price, until Tesla is launched.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.