2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric review (2024)

It’s no secret we’re big fans of the broader Volvo XC40 at Drive. It has won the Best Small Luxury SUV category at our annual Drive Car of the Year awards three years running, and it’s a finalist yet again in 2024.

The updated electric versions – single- and twin-motor – only arrived midway through 2023, but make their own headlines thanks to relatively long driving ranges, rapid performance, and a switch from front- to rear-wheel drive on single-motor models or rear-biased on dual-motor versions.

My partner has a Volvo XC40, which we both love, and I’d be keen on moving to an electric car in the future – so is the 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric the car that’d get us over the line? We tested one to find out.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge (Recharge = electric integration) is a five-door small SUV that stands alone as its own product, but really it’s a twin-under-the-skin to the fastback styled-styled Volvo C40. Personally, I think Volvo's naming scheme is confusing. Get rid of 'Recharge' because it's a name that's also used on certain hybrid variants within the wider Volvo range.

To explain the whole range, the XC40 Recharge comes in single- and twin-motor flavours. The stylised C40 Recharge also comes in single- and twin-motor specifications, though it’s $2000 more expensive for that body style compared to the XC40’s traditional SUV shape.

Kicking off the range is the XC40 Recharge Single Motor that costs $76,990 before on-road costs. On that car the rear wheels are powered by a 175kW motor fed by a 69kWh battery that is said to keep it going for 460km.

Reasons why you’d step up to the $85,990 XC40 Recharge Twin Motor (as discussed in this review) include its more powerful 300kW/660Nm dual-motor outputs, bigger 82kWh battery, 500km driving range, and a selection of extra equipment.

In addition to the bump in power and driving range, the XC40 Recharge gets 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a Harman Kardon sound system, 'Microtech' interior upholstery, and a 360-degree surround-view camera.

This is in addition to kit you get on the entry-level single-motor variant, such as a 9.0-inch infotainment screen with Google software, 12-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, panoramic glass roof, power tailgate, and keyless entry.

Inside the XC40 Recharge’s austere cabin you’re met by a distinctly Scandinavian lookdespite this model’s Chinese production. There’s nothing that particularly catches the eye, aside from the backlit inlay panels on the dash and door cards, but that’s no bad thing – the XC40 Recharge’s cabin is simple, but done to perfection.

That means soft-touch everything from the dashboard to the door cards. I also love the felt-lined door pockets in particular. Not only do they dampen the noise of bottles hitting door panelling, but they feel far nicer than plastic lining too.

Our car was upholstered in a two-tone grey Microtech textile trim that felt nice to the touch and sturdy to wear and tear. It’s almost like a neoprene texture, and is offered as Volvo seek to remove animal hides from its EV range. The seats are classic Volvo – beautifully sculpted to all kinds of body shapes and supportive around the waist. Getting a comfy driving position is easy.

Elsewhere around the cabin there’s a decent-sized centre console bin for storing away valuables, dual cupholders, a wireless phone charger under the dash, and USB-C power ports for charging devices or connecting to smartphone mirroring.

Back seat bandits are afforded a comfortable amount of room – not particularly spacious but also not quite tight either. There’s good head room especially, but the knees of taller occupants (I’m 194cm) will likely hit the seat backs. Probably not a great car to go three-up in, but fine for two adults on longer journeys.

There are air vents (but no controls), map pockets, power outlets, and heated outboard seats on our specification.

Boot space is down compared to petrol-powered XC40s, but still offers a sizeable 419 litres for a small SUV. That can be expanded to 1295L with seats down. An extra storage compartment hides beneath the bonnet with space for charging cables.

I like the fact the XC40 has a false floor which can tuck items away from prying eyes, plus the flat loading floor made it simple to load shopping.

The Volvo XC40 uses Google-based infotainment software that is slick in its functionality and feature-packed. I was a huge fan of how Google Maps integrates within the 9.0-inch screen, meaning you get live traffic updates and all the Google goodies without even connecting your phone.

It’s a very simple system to get your head around: swipe to the left and right from the main screen to discover menus and settings, while the four panels on the main screen relate to useful functions like navigation and audio.

Granted, I usually don’t like when air-conditioning controls are embedded within the infotainment system, but the Volvo solution has temperature numbers big and bold right down the bottom and the sub-menu is only a simple tap away.

Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are offered for those who prefer a familiar system. I used CarPlay at times throughout my week, but was disappointed I had to physically connect my phone to the car with a cable, rather than wirelessly.

There’s a 12-inch display in front of the driver that can show a map, battery charge, speed readouts, and energy efficiency, though it’s not quite as configurable as you’d find in other car maker’s units such as Kia, Mercedes-Benz or Audi.

From new, Volvo offers a four-year subscription to its Digital Services package. This enables those Google-based systems like Maps and Google Assistant, plus remote services from the Volvo Cars app.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge is rated a full five stars by ANCAP for safety. This rating was awarded back in 2018, meaning its shelf life will expire in December 2024. When comparing ANCAP scores, it pays to keep in mind that the safety body updates testing procedures every three years meaning results with different timestamps may not be directly comparable.

It scored 97 per cent for adult occupant protection, 84 per cent for child occupant protection, 71 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 78 per cent for its safety assist systems.

Volvos have long been renowned for their safety credentials, and in 2024 that means a whole lot of acronyms.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist (LKA), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS), lane-departure warning (LDW), adaptive cruise control (ACC), Pilot Assist, blind-spot monitoring (BLIS), road sign information (RSI), and all-round parking sensors come as standard.

The car also comes with dual-stage front, knee, driver-side, and curtain airbags.

In use, the Volvo’s active safety measures work a treat. There’s no false reporting of impending accidents, the speed sign recognition system is accurate, and the adaptive cruise-control system is bang on for keeping safe distances and accelerating when necessary.

All Volvo cars come with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for the car itself, but electric Volvos have batteries that are covered for eight years.

It’s a solid warranty that is matched by the brand’s roadside assistance program for five years too. As well, there’s a yearly extension after the initial five years, whereby an extra 12 months of roadside assistance is added every time you service with Volvo. But it must be a Volvo dealership service.

Volvo service intervals occur every two years for electric XC40s. MY24 XC40 Recharges come with five years/150,000km of servicing free of charge. This plan includes “wear and tear” items such as wiper blades, brake pads and brake discs.

As a point of comparison, the BMW iX1 costs $1263 or $1800 depending on whether four- or six-year (respectively) service packages are selected.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Motor costs $2829 per year to insure based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circ*mstances.

Interestingly, it’s way more expensive to insure an electric Volvo compared to its petrol alternative. A Volvo XC40 B5 Dark costs $1695 per year to insure.

This 2024-spec XC40 Recharge goes farther between charges compared to its predecessor due to improved cooling management for its 82kWh battery. It travels up to 500km, according to the brand.

When it comes time to recharge at home, it’ll go from zero to 100 per cent state-of-charge in eight hours (at 11kW charge speeds). Step that up to fast-charging and the car will recharge from 10–80 per cent in 28 minutes. The Volvo’s charge capacity caps out at 175kW, which is what that 28-minute charge time is based on.

Efficiency-wise, the Volvo claims a combined energy consumption of 18.2 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres. In my time with the car I saw 19.3kWh/100km based on primarily freeway driving.

Energy Consumption - brought to you by bp

Energy Efficiency	Energy Stats
Energy cons. (claimed)	18.2kWh/100km
Energy cons. (on test)	19.3kWh/100km
Battery size	82kWh
Driving range claim (WLTP)	500km
Charge time (11kW)	8h
Charge time (50kW)	1h 16min (10–80%)
Charge time (175kW max rate)	28min (claimed 10–80%)

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The on-road performance from the Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Motor is simply ballistic. With 300kW routed through all four wheels, acceleration off the mark is rapid. Way faster than anyone needs a practical, five-door SUV to be. In fact, Volvo says it’ll run from zero to 100km/h in less than five seconds.

One key point of this new MY24 XC40 Recharge range is the move from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive for the Single Motor variant. Though my test car was all-wheel drive, there’s a definite rear-biased feeling as you punch the throttle and the car pitches backwards on its springs.

This pitch backwards helps its all-wheel traction on the road, which isn’t fazed by wet weather, uneven surfaces, and decisive changes of direction. Despite the Twin Motor variant’s increased weight, the electric version feels remarkably nimble. Almost as agile as its lighter, petrol-powered alternative.

I’ve seen some of my colleagues argue it’s simply too full-on for a small SUV. However, I think it’s dynamic in the same way as a Tesla – bloody quick when you want it to be, but without being unwieldy or 'dangerous'.

However, under hard acceleration I noted that the XC40 Recharge will exhibit a mild shuddering sensation – a phenomenon previously documented online by owners. It’s simply weird, more than anything, and doesn’t cause issues with the car’s operation.

In any sense, the car’s refinement otherwise is top-notch. From road noise to wind noise, there’s minimal disruption making its way into the cabin and the overall experience is calm and quiet.

The XC40’s ride comfort is a standout aspect of the petrol-powered version, and it’s thankfully transferred to the Recharge models too. Whether it’s dealing with continued undulations on the freeway at 100km/h or dealing with road impacts at city speeds, the XC40’s suspension always remains comfortable and quiet. Particularly when it comes to speed humps and train tracks, the supple ride control eats up road imperfections with impressive effect.

Vision out of the cabin is expansive thanks to a generous glasshouse, and while the sunroof does little to aid visibility, it certainly adds to the car’s light and airy-feeling cabin.

I love the fact that most aspects of the Volvo XC40 Recharge experience remain the same whether it’s powered by electricity or petrol. But one change that I could do without is the Recharge’s lack of a power button.

It’s simply 'on' as soon as you jump inside and prod the brake pedal. But I personally like the definitiveness and reassurance of pressing a button to know that the car’s on.

I think it’s great when a polished and well-executed petrol-powered car becomes an electric car. That the Volvo XC40 does both so convincingly is special.

Not only does it exhibit the wonderful driving experience (with added electric zip) of the regular Volvo XC40, but its cabin quality remains just as high. Arguably more comfortable and quiet than internal combustion versions, even.

It’s a fair amount more money to shell out compared to the 2.0-litre versions, but factor in the all-inclusive equipment, zero-cost servicing over five years, and frugal electricity costs, and the XC40 Recharge deal starts to look tantalising.

We’re not nearly due for a replacement of my partner’s 2022 XC40 yet, but if there’s something as well-rounded as the XC40 Recharge Twin Motor on sale come that time, I wouldn’t be surprised if we made the switch to an EV.

I spent time in the XC40 Recharge Twin Motor for this review and reckon it’s worth buying over the more affordable XC40 Single Motor. However, while I haven’t driven that entry-level version, both options are great cars and you’d be happy in either version, I expect.

Volvo advises it’s the Twin Motor version that’s in better supply in Australia at the moment too.

If you want to read more about the latest Volvo XC40 news visit this link.

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