New 2023 Volvo XC40 facelift quietly unveiled on configurator

A facelifted version of the popular Volvo XC40 SUV has been revealed – but the company hasn’t yet told anyone about it. Rather than staging a massive press campaign, the Volvo quietly released images of the new car, along with most of its specifications and pricing information on its online configurator.

Prices start from £34,100 for the entry-level mild-hybrid petrol variant and £39,100 for the equivalent plug-in hybrid model. Meanwhile, the cheapest version of the pure electric XC40 Recharge starts from £43,550. Regardless of the powertrain, though, the SUV’s line-up is separated into three specifications called Core, Plus and Ultimate.

However, not every specification will be available immediately – there are wait times of up to nine months for some of the variants in the SUV’s line-up. All of the electric variants of the updated XC40, for example, won’t arrive on customer’s doorsteps until the end of the year. 

Volvo will also introduce an even more basic entry-level model called the XC40 Start once the facelifted model has been properly rolled out. It’ll have a starting price of £26,485 and will only be available with a 127bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and a manual gearbox.

Standard equipment for the current cheapest XC40 Core variant includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, silver roof rails, rear parking sensors and automatic windscreen wipers. Inside, buyers also get two-zone climate control, a wireless smartphone charger, a nine-inch infotainment system and a 12-inch digital gauge cluster.

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As this is a Volvo, there’s a whole host of standard safety equipment, too. Buyers get cruise control, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, an adjustable speed limiter and Volvo’s oncoming lane mitigation system, which helps prevent the car from having a head-on accident by automatically steering the car away from oncoming traffic.

Prices for the XC40 Plus start from a nice round £40,000. For that, buyers get 18-inch diamond cut alloys, gloss black roof rails, an electrically operated tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, a rear parking camera and automatically folding and heated door mirrors.

The cabin is also a little more comfortable, with buyers getting a heated steering wheel, heated seats, an air purification system with a finer pollen filter and Volvo’s Parking Climate system, which blows air into the car from the outside for up to 15 minutes after the engine has been switched off to maintain a comfortable temperature in the cabin.

The range-topping XC40 Ultimate has a starting price of £43,910. Upgrades over the Plus model include a different set of 19-inch alloy wheels, Volvo’s Pixel LED headlights with washer jets, front LED fog lamps and an improved alarm and immobiliser. 

Buyers get even more equipment inside. Standard kit now includes a 360-degree parking camera, heated front and rear seats, an electrically adjustable passenger seat and a premium Harman Kardon stereo system with a subwoofer in the spare wheel well.

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Volvo’s semi-autonomous driving mode, Pilot Assist, also makes an appearance at the top of the XC40’s pecking order, allowing drivers to hand control of the steering, throttle and brakes over the car, providing they supervise what’s going on around the vehicle. The system can even bring the car to a complete halt and set off by itself in stop-start traffic.

New 2023 Volvo XC40: engines and drivetrains

There’s a broad range of engines to choose from for the facelifted XC40. The cheapest option is a 127bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol unit, which is only available with the most basic Start specification.

Above that, there are two 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines, badged B3 and B4. The former produces 161bhp and and 265Nm of torque, while the latter has 194bhp and 300Nm of torque. Both engines come with a seven-speed automatic gearbox as standard, although the B4 model can be optioned with four-wheel drive.

Next up, it’s the plug-in hybrids. There are just two options to choose from here, and both of them are based on the same 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol engine found in the base model. The front-wheel drive T4 variant gets 127bhp from the petrol engine and 81bhp from its electric motor, which Volvo says is enough to push the XC40 from 0–62mph in 8.5 seconds.

The pricier four-wheel drive T5 model pairs the same electric motor with a 178bhp petrol engine. The extra power trims the SUV’s 0–62mph time to 7.3 seconds. Both plug-in hybrid powertrains also have claimed WLTP fuel economy figures of between 112.8– 134.5 mpg, while emissions stand between 47–57g/km of CO2 depending on the trim.

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Buyers are also offered two electric versions of the XC40. The front wheel drive model is priced from £43,550 and has an output of 228bhp and 330Nm of torque. It’s powered by a 67kWh battery pack, which offers a maximum range of 264 miles.

The range-topping four-wheel drive model has a starting price of £54,300. It’s powered by a larger 75kWh battery pack and gets a twin-motor electric powertrain with an output of 402bhp and 660Nm of torque. It’s the quickest accelerating model in the SUV’s range, with a 0–62mph time of 4.9 seconds. Maximum range is a claimed 259 miles

New 2023 Volvo XC40: facelift updates

Updates to the XC40 fall into line with the usual facelift tweaks. There’s a reshaped front bumper (which looks suspiciously like the same panel adorning the C40), slightly slimmer LED headlights and a new rear bumper which does without the exhaust cutouts seen on the old model. Now, the exhaust exits underneath the rear valance, out of sight.

The cabin hasn’t changed much over the old model. The infotainment system is the same size as before, but it features new Google-powered software, forming part of the Swedish brand’s recent tie-in with the technology company. The biggest change is a new trim piece for the passenger side dash, which changes in design according to the specification.

What does the updated Volvo XC40 have to beat? Click here for our list of the best small SUVs and crossovers on sale now…