Review – Volvo EX30 (2024) also has naughty edge

Volvo EX30 and EX40 do not bite each other

Volvo’s ambition is to achieve the number one position in the Dutch sales charts with the Volvo EX30. With the Volvo EX30, the brand takes the next step toward full electrification, which it began with the Volvo XC40. Volvo also expects the XC40 – now called the Volvo EX40, by the way – to remain unabatedly popular. Partly because of the extra space and range. The Volvo EX30 is Volvo’s most compact premium SUV. You also notice that “compact” edge in the interior space. It is somewhat disappointing, especially in the back seat. In that sense, the EX40 is definitely the more spacious car.

Because the demand for the EX30 is so high, Volvo Cars recently decided to start building the new all-electric EX30 at its factory in Ghent, Belgium, starting in 2025, thus expanding production capacity for the EX30.

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Dimensions

The Volvo EX30 has a height of 1,549 mm, a width of 1,836 mm and a length of 4,233 mm. The wheelbase is 2.65 meters. Luggage space is 318 liters. Fold down the rear seatbacks for a maximum capacity of 904 liters, including an under-floor compartment of 61 liters. The base version of the Volvo EX30 can tow 1,000 kilograms of braked weight, while the extended range single engine and twin engine performance versions can tow 1,600 kilograms of braked weight. There are four versions of the Volvo EX30 that are eligible for the SEPP subsidy, marked with an * in the chart below.

Technical Specifications Volvo EX30

Prices and rates Volvo EX30

The Volvo EX30 can be ordered in the Netherlands from 36,795 euros. Private Lease rates start at 519 euros per month (60 months/ 10,000km). Care by Volvo, the flexible car subscription, is available from 539 euros per month (48 months/ 10,000 km). The business lease rate starts at 499 euros (ex. VAT per month/ 72 months).

Standard equipment

The Volvo EX30 comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, 1-zone climate control, Google navigation, Vapour Grey metallic paint, High Performance audio and a rear Park Assist camera. Safety equipment includes standard Safe Space technology, Adaptive Cruise Control and BLIS blind spot detection.

The interior

The interior of the Volvo EX30 looks quite minimalist. Moreover, you can easily notice that there is an “eco” edge to the materials. Fishing nets, PET bottles, organic plastics, you can find it all in the interior. Volvo has also looked smartly at costs. The soundbar under the windshield, for example, makes a huge difference in cost, as Volvo can save money on wiring and copper. That depresses the price.

The layout of the dashboard – with a large touchscreen in the center – is also much cheaper to produce. Volvo can now build a left- or right-hand drive car without too many modifications. The goal was to keep costs as low as possible. Hence the EX30 also does not have a conventional daahboard box on the passenger’s side, but a kind of drawer under the display. Placing the glove box in the center eliminates the need for a knee airbag. Also saves costs. The workmanship is of good quality and the seats of the Volvo EX30 sit superbly. That is definitely one of the best features of this Swede.

Ease of operation could be better

We are less pleased with the ease of operation. The learning curve of the infotainment system is quite large, but with some time, it is fine to live with. The buttons on the steering wheel are barely understandable. But Volvo has already fixed that for the 2025 model year. The steering wheel features more clearly designed buttons for an enhanced user experience. There are more product adjustments. Starting with MY25, the car is equipped with a humidity sensor, allowing more efficient use of air conditioning. Finally, the EX30 badge moved from the C-pillar to the tailgate. So you’ll pick out the first ones soon.

Mood lighting

For the Volvo EX30, you can also choose from five different themes for the ambient lighting. Each theme is inspired by a different Scandinavian landscape and subtly shifts color, giving the interior a sense of calm. Choose from warm sunlight, a sunset on Sweden’s west coast, the world-famous northern lights, the golden summer sky of Swedish midsummer or the bright mood of a city sunset. To be perfectly honest, we expected more from that mood lighting. The differences between the themes are minimal.

Which battery do you choose?

What is remarkable about the Volvo EX30 is that Volvo provides different battery types. “For riders who spend most of their time in the city or tend to travel shorter distances between charges, Volvo offers a single engine and LFP battery option. The standard 51 kWh LFP battery, which uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry, is more cost effective and uses fewer resources, meaning it is the best option if one does not need maximum range,” Volvo said.

Volvo continues: “If you want more range, you choose the Single Motor Extended Range variant with a 69 kWh NMC Extended Range battery. The NMC battery contains lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt and produces its energy more efficiently than the LFP variant. This single-motor, extended range option gives a range of up to 480 km between charges.”

The absolute best version is the Twin Motor Performance variant in which the NMC battery is coupled with two electric motors. This all-wheel-drive variant of the Volvo EX30 delivers 315 kW (428 hp), with 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.6 seconds. And yes folks: that officially makes the EX30 the Volvo’s accelerating Volvo ever!

fast charging

The Twin Motor variant with the largest battery has a fast-charging capacity of up to 153 kW, while the standard version has a capacity of 134 kW. That means the battery can be charged from 10 to 80% in just over 25 minutes.

Driving the Volvo EX30

The AWD version of the Volvo EX30 is definitely the more fun car to drive, especially in slippery conditions. Because as mentioned, in this review we drive the EX30 not only on asphalt but also on snow and ice. With all-wheel drive and over 400 horsepower, this allows you to pull quite a few pranks to excite the kid in you. But it is done in a safe way. In fact, Volvo does not allow the ESP system to be completely disabled.

You can choose ESP off, but even then the system is not off. It’s just not allowed by Volvo. At a certain slip angle, the system simply kicks in. So it’s okay to play a little, but you can’t go too crazy with Volvo. The balance in the EX30 is excellent and the steering feel is also good. As a driver, this gives you a strong sense of control, even in particularly slippery conditions. With some clever throttle punches and certain steering actions, it turns out that the EX30 still has quite a naughty edge. You can achieve quite a few “power drifts,” if you have some room for it.

We also drove the rear-wheel-drive car on ice. This is fine, ESP does a good job. And even with this variation, the balance is good. But it soon becomes apparent that the AWD version is by far the more fun car. For normal use, the 2WD version is an excellent choice, especially if you want to squeeze the maximum mileage out of the battery pack. Above all, this compact Volvo feels safe. So in that sense, this model fits perfectly with Volvo’s brand values.

Volvo EX30 Cross Country

During 2034, the Volvo EX30 will also become available as a Cross Country variant. Order books for this special version of the compact electric SUV will open in 2024 and production is expected to start later that year. The Volvo EX30 Cross Country builds on Volvo’s long Cross Country history. Well-known examples are the V60 and V90 Cross Country. It comes with extra ground clearance, 19-inch black wheels and the option of 18-inch wheels with custom tires, among other features. The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is recognizable by the skidplates on the front, rear and sides, the special black panels on the front bumper and tailgate and the Cross Country logo. The small Swedish flag on the hood completes the look.