Automotive

Chunky little XC40 rounds out Volvo SUV stable

Chunky little XC40 rounds out Volvo SUV stable
The new Volvo XC40
The new Volvo XC40 
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Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
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Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
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Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
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Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
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Volvo has outfitted the XC40 with its full City Safety suite
The Volvo XC40 takes a hit in the name of safety
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The Volvo XC40 takes a hit in the name of safety
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The Volvo XC40 takes a hit in the name of safety
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The Volvo XC40 takes a hit in the name of safety
The Volvo XC40 takes a hit in the name of safety
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The Volvo XC40 takes a hit in the name of safety
A look at the airbags in the Volvo XC40
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A look at the airbags in the Volvo XC40 
Volvo is pushing a novel new way of buying the XC40
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Volvo is pushing a novel new way of buying the XC40 
Volvo wants people to buy into its new subscription model
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Volvo wants people to buy into its new subscription model 
Volvo has made a big deal of the storage spaces in the new XC40
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Volvo has made a big deal of the storage spaces in the new XC40
The nine-inch touchscreen display in the Volvo XC40
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The nine-inch touchscreen display in the Volvo XC40
Red leather is an eye-catching option in the XC40
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Red leather is an eye-catching option in the XC40
The XC40's interior looks like a shrunken version of the cabin in the XC60
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The XC40's interior looks like a shrunken version of the cabin in the XC60
The cabin of the XC40 is designed to feel big and luxurious
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The cabin of the XC40 is designed to feel big and luxurious 
Beige is an interior option in the XC40
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Beige is an interior option in the XC40
We love the look of this red-and-black XC40 interior
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We love the look of this red-and-black XC40 interior 
There's storage galore in the XC40
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There's storage galore in the XC40
The air vent controls on the XC40 look like jewellery
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The air vent controls on the XC40 look like jewellery 
Behind the wheel of the Volvo XC40
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Behind the wheel of the Volvo XC40
The design of the XC40 is well thought out, both inside and out
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The design of the XC40 is well thought out, both inside and out 
The front of the XC40 looks like a shrunken version of the XC60 nose
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The front of the XC40 looks like a shrunken version of the XC60 nose 
One of the wheel options on the XC40
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One of the wheel options on the XC40 
Details on the Volvo XC40
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Details on the Volvo XC40
Details on the Volvo XC40
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Details on the Volvo XC40
Details on the Volvo XC40
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Details on the Volvo XC40
The chunky shape of the Volvo XC40
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The chunky shape of the Volvo XC40 
The XC40 is available with a contrast roof
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The XC40 is available with a contrast roof 
The XC40 will be sold in conventional ways, or through a new subscription model
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The XC40 will be sold in conventional ways, or through a new subscription model 
The new Volvo XC40
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The new Volvo XC40 
The XC40 will be hitting the roads next year
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The XC40 will be hitting the roads next year
The rear lights on the XC40 could have been nicked from the XC60
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The rear lights on the XC40 could have been nicked from the XC60
This photo was, presumably, taken by a kind bird
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This photo was, presumably, taken by a kind bird 
A more conventional color scheme on the XC40
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A more conventional color scheme on the XC40
The XC40 is available in a range of contrast color combinations
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The XC40 is available in a range of contrast color combinations
The XC40 will be hitting the road early in 2018
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The XC40 will be hitting the road early in 2018
The XC40 is a chunky little SUV
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The XC40 is a chunky little SUV 
The XC40 hits the road
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The XC40 hits the road 
The new Volvo XC40
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The new Volvo XC40
The new Volvo XC40
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The new Volvo XC40
The new Volvo XC40
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The new Volvo XC40
Another XC40 is sacrificed to the Swedish gods of road safety
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Another XC40 is sacrificed to the Swedish gods of road safety
Another XC40 is sacrificed to the Swedish gods of road safety
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Another XC40 is sacrificed to the Swedish gods of road safety
Another XC40 is sacrificed to the Swedish gods of road safety
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Another XC40 is sacrificed to the Swedish gods of road safety
View gallery - 45 images

Volvo has rounded out its SUV lineup with the chunky, compact XC40 SUV. It might look like a scaled-down version of the XC60 and XC90, but Volvo's smallest four-wheel drive has some big ideas of its own, including a novel new way to spec, buy and pay for the car.

The diminutive XC40 is still built around the same ideals as the rest of the Volvo range. That means it's fully loaded with active and passive safety features as standard. This includes the full City Safety suite, which includes auto-emergency braking, an active steering function to mitigate head-on collisions, while the body benefits from a smart mix of materials if you do end up crashing.

From the outside, you could be forgiven for thinking the XC40 is just an XC60 hit with a shrink ray. It has the same square-jawed proportions, along with similar detailing in both the head- and brake-lights. But as a part of its quest to lure younger buyers, Volvo has added a huge range of customization options to the mix, including brighter colors and a contrast roof. We'd argue the finished product is more handsome than the similar-size Audi Q2 or Mini Countryman, but style has never been our strong suit.

The XC40 is a chunky little SUV
The XC40 is a chunky little SUV 

The interior of the XC40 is just as customizable. The leather seats can be had in red, blue, black or beige, while the air vents and trim pieces all look like expensive jewellery. Volvo has made a big deal of the storage options scattered around the cabin. From smartphone storage slots to bag hooks, there should be space for all the paraphernalia that most inner-city drivers lug around daily. A nine-inch, vertically-oriented touchscreen is standard across the range.

Along with the range of colors and trim choices, Volvo is targeting younger buyers with a the Care by Volvo payment model. By bundling all the payments associated with owning a car – lease, servicing, insurance and (in some cases) fuelling and cleaning – into a mobile phone-style 24 month contract. When the contract ends, owner/subscribers can drive off in a new car.

Care by Volvo is also designed to make it easier to share the car among family and friends, by allowing a smartphone app to act in place of the key. Anyone who's invited to share the car by an owner can make bookings through the Volvo app, and doesn't need a key to get in and start driving. Instead, their phone provides access. It sounds very similar to the model outlined by Lynk & Co which, like Volvo, is owned by Geely.

The XC40's interior looks like a shrunken version of the cabin in the XC60
The XC40's interior looks like a shrunken version of the cabin in the XC60

The engines on offer in the XC40 will vary from region-to-region, but expect to see a range of compact four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, along with a hybrid option. In the UK, buyers will be able to choose from engines with outputs ranging from 150 to 250 hp (112 to 186 kW). Both two- and four-wheel drive options will be available, with "other powertrains" to be offered later in the car's life.

In the UK, pricing for the XC40 will start at £27,905 (US$37,880). Order books are open, with deliveries set to start early in 2018.

Source: Volvo

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1 comment
1 comment
DavidRogerBrown
$38,000 base & aimed for young people? Smart phone start? That sounds like a "steal hack" waiting to happen. Looks pretty sharp. Allot of electronics & computers to go bad in the future. And they will.