• Price: From $76,990 plus on-road costs (Ultra Single Motor)
  • Drivetrain: 185kW/420Nm (single motor) or 300kW/670Nm (dual motor), 82kWh battery
  • NEDC range, peak charging speed: 485-520km, 135kW (single motor) – 200kW (dual motor)
  • Warranty: 5-year/unlimited km, 8-year/160,000km for the battery, five years of roadside assistance

Things we like

  • Excellent performance
  • Good quality and practical cabin
  • Lots of standard equipment

Not so much

  • Expensive starting price
  • Little personalisation
  • Can be energy hungry

The Volvo EX40, formerly called XC40 Recharge, recently won the electric category at the Wheels Best Small SUV awards for 2025 in a competitive field.

Priced from $76,990 plus on-road costs, the EX40 is offered in two well equipped variants: entry level Single Motor Extended Range and top-spec Twin Motor ($81,990 +ORC), while there’s also a special Black Edition ($82,990 +ORC) based on the Twin Motor with black detailing in and out.

The cabin of the EX40 is a highlight in the small SUV market thanks to clever touches, easy to use tech, excellent practicality and quality materials used throughout. The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display is not configurable but crisp, and the 9.0-inch touchscreen is very easy to use and feature-rich because it uses Google software for apps such as Google Maps.

As you’d expect for a Volvo, the practicality inside the EX40 is great – from the plentiful storage to the ample dimensions for taller folk, it can handle what your family can throw at it. While its 410-litre boot may seem small on paper, in real life it’s impressively large and features many extra storage areas – plus, the rear seats fold completely flat for 1,295L of space.

On the road, the EX40 impresses with a very solid feeling, including a well damped ride than can be occasionally sharp thanks to the standard 20-inch wheels. Performance is excellent, even on the single motor – but the twin motor’s 300kW power output is huge. Thanks to that power, it’s not the most efficient EV, though fast charging capability helps outweigh that thirst.

Like the smaller EX30, Volvo includes five years of servicing in the EX40’s price. Overall the EX40 is still a stand-out offering in the electric small SUV segment – it’s practical, good to drive and even though it’s on the pricier side, the long list of equipment helps to justify the cost.

Volvo EX40 standard equipment:

  • 20-inch alloy wheels with a tyre mobility kit
  • Dusk-sensing automatic LED exterior lighting
  • Rain-sensing automatic wipers
  • Keyless entry and start
  • Electric tailgate
  • Heated, auto-dimming and auto-folding mirrors
  • Microtech and textile upholstery
  • Electric front seats with driver’s memory functionality
  • Heated front and rear seats
  • Dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents
  • 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
  • 9.0-inch touchscreen with eSIM for live services such as over-the-air updates
  • Inbuilt Google Services such as Google Maps and the Google Play Store
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Wireless phone charger
  • 4x USB-C ports
  • Harman Kardon sound system
  • AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
  • Seven airbags
  • Autonomous emergency braking
  • Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
  • Adaptive lane guidance
  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Front and rear cross-traffic alert
  • Matrix adaptive high beam
  • Front, side and rear parking sensors
  • 360-degree camera
  • Tyre pressure monitoring
  • Rear automatic braking