160 |AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDEV
olvo’s XC40, the 2018 Wheels
Car of the Year, takes the
fi ght up to well-credentialled
competition including Audi’s Q3,
BMW’s X1/X2, Jaguar’s E-Pace
and the Mercedes GLA.
Two-litre turbopetrol engines
are matched with an eight-
speed automatic. Prices start at
$44,990 for the 140kW/300Nm
T4 Momentum, with front -wheel
drive. T4 Inscription, with all-
wheel drive, is $50,990.
T5 R-Design is $55,990. It runs
all-wheel dive, and two turbos
that lift power to 185kW and
torque to 350Nm.
R-Design includes fi rm,
supportive heated sports seats
upholstered in leather and suede,
plus dark interior decor with
beautifully intricate Nordic styling
touches, including a concave
aluminium matrix in the dash,
illuminated at night by LEDs.
External R-Design details
include a contrasting black roof,
black grille, groovy 20-inch
“Diamond Cut” alloy wheels and
“Hammer of Thor” bending
LED headlights.
Millennial-native infotainment
includes a nine-inch, hi-res portrait-style swipe
and touchscreen, with full
smartphone app connectivity,
navigation, digital radio and
voice, supplemented with quality
Harman Kardon sound.
It’s close at hand, fast and
logical, but adjusting the air-con
would be safer and quicker with
an old-fashioned dial, Bluetooth
doesn’t extend to emails or
messages and you will occasionally
vent at the voice control.
It’s a Volvo, so superb comfort
is a given, with the only potential
issue being interference from
protruding head restraints.
Rear seat legroom is generous,
though the bench is quite low to
gain headroom, so kids may feel
entombed.
There’s oddment storage
everywhere and a sizeable
boot with a clever fold-up fl oor
that creates two separate
compartments.
The ride, especially in town,
is surprisingly compliant
and comfortable, given the
aggressive wheel/tyre (245/45 20)
combination and non-adjustable
sports chassis. At speed, the
suspension absorbs imperfectsurfaces without fuss.
A detailed run-through of XC40’s
safety tech would take the entire
page. Basically, it’s got everything,
including semi-autonomous
steering that, says Volvo, can
point you back to the straight
and narrow if you’re about to run
off the road and autonomous
emergency braking (AEB) that
also works if you’re about to turn
across an oncoming car or enter
an intersection and get T-boned.
Volvo’s XC60, V90 and S90 are
the only cars in the world with
perfect scores in Euro NCAP’s
AEB tests. The XC40 hasn’t yet
been tested, but it uses the
same technology.
Muscular and responsive, with
slightly diesel-ish vocals, Volvo’s
2.0-litre engine launches the
XC40 to 100km/h in a respectably
rapid 6.4 seconds.
It works co-operatively with the
eight-speed, although shift quality
and timing are less refi ned than
the German-brand drivetrains.
Selecting D or R at rest requires
two fl icks of the lever for some
strange reason, and the auto/stop
start kicks in with a lurch when
you release the brake.Four drive modes include Eco,
Comfort, Dynamic and Off-Road
— but I wouldn’t go there in this.
Expect 6-6.5L/100km on the
highway and 10-12L/100km in
town.
While the XC40 is relatively
heavy by class standards, its fi nely
controlled suspension, all-wheel
drive, light, precise steering (in
Comfort mode; Dynamic is too
heavy), great brakes and Pirelli
P Zero tyres make it, if not quite
as agile and well-balanced as
an A-grade hatchback, at least
capable enough to enjoy along a
winding road, where it never feels
less than 100 per cent planted.
The XC40 offers elegant,
expressive design, an interior
that’s as good as it gets for
comfort, practicality and quality,
world’s best safety and a tight,
tidy drive. Try it before you sign
up for a German-brand SUV.VOLVO XC40 FROM $44,990
Safety Not yet tested, but
guaranteed
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for moneyOverallSTARS
THINGS WE LIKE
Beautiful Scandinavian design
Spacious, comfortable, practical
cabin
Powerful, responsive 2.0-litre
World’s best safety credentials
Enjoyable handling and comfortable
ride
THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Very expensive servicing
Eight-speed auto has a few quirks
Touchscreen is pretty but some
operations are complexSPEX (T5 R-Design Launch
Edition)
Made in Belgium
2.0-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol/
eight-speed automatic/all-wheel
drive
185kW of power at 5500rpm/350Nm
of torque from 1800-4800rpm
0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds (claimed)
6.4L/100km highway; 10.0L/100km
city; 95 octane premium; CO2
emissions are 176kgm. Fuel tank is
54 litres
Max towing capacity 2100kg
Warranty: Three years/unlimited km
Standard: Seven airbags, stability
control, AEB, adaptive cruise with
Pilot Assist, blind spot monitoring,
rear cross traffi c alert, 360-degree
cameras, head-up display,
automatic parking, Bluetooth,
Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, digital
radio, navigation, leather/suede
upholstery, heated sports seats, 20-
inch alloys, sunroof, power tailgate.
Redbook future values: 3yr: 51%;
5yr : 34%compare with ...
Audi Q3, BMW X1/X2, Jaguar E
Pace, Mercedes GLA, Range Rover
EvoqueS