Volvo was relatively early on the electric entry-level luxury crossover scene, and now its XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge battery-powered crossovers are getting some serious upgrades in range to keep up with the Joneses. The big news? Entry-level rear-wheel-drive models with larger battery packs and nearly 300 miles of range.
Yes, these new single-motor models each get a motor in the back, making them the first rear-wheel-drive Volvos in 25 years. It shouldn’t be terribly surprising that the Volvo C40 and XC40 Recharge are going rear-wheel-drive since their Polestar 2 platform-mate is doing the same, but it’s nice to see a sensible single-motor option appear wearing a Volvo badge. Regardless of whether you choose the swoopy-roofed C40 or traditional XC40 Recharge, power for single-motor models clocks in at a very respectable 248 horsepower, and battery pack sizing rings in at 82 kWh. Volvo says to expect 297 miles of range in the single-motor C40 Recharge and 293 miles of range in the XC40 Recharge.
Not only is this competitive range in the context of the greater electric crossover market, Volvo is also offering competitive charging speed in the hopes of getting owners back on the road in a jiffy. Although 200 kW DC fast charging isn’t quite as powerful as what Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis offer on the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, EV6, and GV60, it’s noticeably more power than what the Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Nissan Ariya can take.
If single-motor propulsion isn’t enough for your needs, the dual-motor models have also been given some upgrades. Instead of matched 201-horsepower motors front and rear, they get a 255-horsepower motor out back and a 148-horsepower motor up front for rear-biased all-wheel-drive. The outgoing dual-motor XC40 Recharge really tortured its front tires powering out of turns, so there’s a chance of neater corner exits with this new motor setup. Range for dual-motor models clocks in at 257 miles for the C40 Recharge and 254 miles for the XC40 Recharge, a 31-mile and 21-mile boost respectively over the outgoing models. It’s worth noting that the dual-motor models retain the familiar 78 kWh battery pack and 150 kW DC fast charging rate current XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge owners are used to.
Other than the powertrain updates and a new 19-inch wheel design, the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge roll into 2024 unchanged, which I reckon is a good thing. Now that Volvo’s Android Automotive-based infotainment system finally gained Apple CarPlay capability last year, these are the sort of smart, practical vehicles that don’t require huge updates. From massive door pockets that can swallow laptops to a bag hook that flips out of the glovebox door to a tiny waste receptacle in the center console, these crossovers are designed to fit perfectly with all of your day-to-day objects.
Of equal importance given the luxury aim of these crossovers, the interiors feel genuinely nice. There’s loads of plush, expensive, sound-absorbing carpeting up the central tunnel and on the door cards, all the buttons and knobs have a pleasing solidity and weight, and the repeating-rectangle metal dashboard trim adds tactility and brightness to an otherwise dark cabin. Needless to say, both these cars also get excellent seats with plenty of support and firmness in all the right places.
Pricing for the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge hasn’t been released yet, but it’s not unreasonable to assume that the new single-motor variants could be less expensive than the current dual-motor models since that’s how it works with the Polestar 2 platform-mate. Given a current starting price of $56,395 for the C40 Recharge and $54,645 for the XC40 Recharge, any downward movement in exchange for giving up an electric motor could put pressure on more mainstream EV crossovers. What’s more, Volvo generally does a good job of keeping its EVs in stock, so there’s a chance you might not have to wait months for an order to come in. These two revamped electric crossovers both look promising, but we’ll have to see where the cards fall when pricing is released.
(Photo credits: Volvo Cars)
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I’ve always liked the looks/features of the XC40 and XC40 Recharge, and though I’m not a fan of crossover “Coupes” even I have to admit the C40 is oddly cute. And I heartily approve of single-motor EVs being RWD of course. Plus, these Volvos have some decent actual COLORS to choose from. Which is very much appreciated. 🙂
However, the XC40 Recharge is just too expensive, and will probably remain so with the single motor/RWD version when pricing is announced. That’s JMHO… I know plenty of folks are happy to buy (or more likely, lease) a $50-60K car, but all that would do is give me agita.
I’ve owned a few Volvos, and like them more than just a little, and currently drive a first-gen 5-cyl FWD XC90 about which my only complaint is mediocre MPG. I’d be delighted to replace it with a base XC40 Recharge (the new RWD one I mean) and tool around in that as my daily driver for the next decade, but at what Volvo’s likely to charge for it, this isn’t likely. $40K I could rationalize for a base/no option XC40R, but more than that I’ll leave it for someone else’s driveway.
Thus/realistically, I’ll probably just keep driving my old XC90 and add a used BMW i3 to my collection instead (when I can find a deal on one) to satisfy that EV jonesing. Because, you know: Old XC90 + BMW i3 = XC40Recharge. 😉
Is Volvo safety still a class above the competition?
Who would have thought that it would take EV’s to start making RWD cars a major option again? At least it feels that way to me.
The XC40 is a fairly compelling option in its own right, and the Recharge model only adds to the appeal (for me). Hard pill to swallow though, even with the subscription/leasing option, and for $60K realizing that gets (for comparison) a nicely-equipped CX-90 (hybrid or ICE-powered) also with rear-based AWD but 3 rows, a prospective buyer has some good options available.
Sad that $60K is the new $35-40K, though, but that’s the modern world.
I myself am looking forward to when there’s an XC60 Recharge (EX60?) and a CX-70 to choose from, as I think they’d compare well against each other, and hopefully EV prices will scale down more in that time, especially with tesla lowering its prices.
“Volvo was relatively early on the electric entry-level luxury crossover scene,”
Yeah $55K – I definitely have been living under a rock for some time. LOL
Volvo keeps making them more compelling and competitive which is great to see. I think it shows, just like with Hyundai/Kia, that they are committed to the EV space and making rolling changes as they learn.
Expect to see a ton of these on lease, as just like Hyundai/Kia Volvo can use the leasing loophole to get credits on the cars.