Volvo XC40 - Practicality, comfort and boot space

The Volvo XC40 sits in a class where style and image have traditionally been more important than genuine space. But while the Volvo doesn’t deliver an aircraft hangar’s worth of room in the cabin, it manages to do enough to stand out from the crowd.

The XC40’s interior is neat, functional, and, in its own way, very Swedish. If you’re absolutely set on having soft-touch fabrics and squishy plastic on the dashboard then you’ll probably judge it a disappointment, but the rest of us should find the interior a pretty special place to spend time. 

The dashboard features relatively few switches, which gives the cabin a clean, uncluttered look. Meanwhile the capacity of these door cubbies is huge, helped by Volvo’s decision to move the speakers out of their traditional area and arrange a sound system where most of the speakers are built into the dashboard instead.

There are plenty of simple, clever touches, too. You’ll find a folding hook integrated into the glovebox that is designed to help you make it home without spilling any of your chicken chow mein. The rather flimsy-looking lidded compartment between the front seats turns out to be a removable, washable bin. And there’s also a wireless phone charging pad and USB port at the base of the centre console.

A lengthy wheelbase helps with rear legroom, and the amount of headroom for back-seat passengers is impressive, even with the optional panoramic sunroof fitted. There’s plenty of room on board for four grown-ups, although a fifth adult may complain about the high transmission tunnel.

The boot isn’t the largest in the class, but the floor is commendably flat and there are some clever (optional) dividers that help to stop your shopping from rolling around when you’re on the move. The all-electric EX40 models does get some space under the bonnet to store the charging cables, which is more than can be said for rivals like the Audi Q4 e-tron. 

Size

The Volvo XC40 is 4,440mm long, 1,910mm wide (excluding side mirrors) and 1,652mm tall. That makes it a little shorter than the latest BMW X1 and the Audi Q3, but it’s wider and taller than both of those rivals.

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Leg room, head room & passenger space

If you’re expect the XC40 to provide a cavernous cabin, you’ll be disappointed. But what the Volvo does do is maximise the potential of what space is on offer.

There’s plenty of space for two adults up front, and you’ll be able to fit a couple of grown-ups in the back seats easily too. The XC40 has a pretty long wheelbase, so they should be fine for legroom, and there’s plenty of headroom for back-seat passengers, even with the optional panoramic sunroof fitted.

Can you squeeze a third person into the rear seats? At a push, yes. But there’s a transmission tunnel running down the middle of the floor, so they may complain about having to place their feet on either side of it. Two ISOFIX child seat mounting points are provided on the outer positions of the rear seats.

Boot

The XC40 doesn’t boast the largest load bay in its class, but it’s easy to use what space is on offer there. That’s because the mild-hybrid version's 433-litre boot has an impressively flat floor, with no lip at the front edge, so it’s easy to slide heavier items in there. Even more importantly, the rear seats fold down completely flat, so you get a level load bay as well as 1,328 litres of space at your disposal.

Customers opting for the fully electric EX40 Recharge models have a slightly reduced boot capacity of 410 litres with the seats up and 1,286 litres with the seats down. This is somewhat made up for with the extra 30 litres you get in the 'frunk' under the bonnet, which is ideal for your charging cables.

Spec the Convenience Pack, and you’ll get a folding boot floor that divides the space, and provides a way to strap your shopping to the divider to stop it from rolling around. The hinges even stand proud of the top edge of the resulting divider, giving you a few extra points from which to hang shopping bags.

Towing

Towing capacities for the XC40 vary depending on which version you choose. The entry-level mild-hybrid B3 has a 1,600kg maximum braked trailer weight, but buyers prioritising towing ability will be better served by the B4 version, which has a 2,000kg limit. The all-electric EX40 can haul up to 1,500kg in both Single Motor and Single Motor Extended Range forms, or up to 1,800kg if you choose the Twin Motor model. The latter has four-wheel drive, which might be helpful on slippery surfaces.

The retractable towbar is part of the Pack and Load pack, and costs £1,400.