Volvo C40 Recharge

408PS.. Dual-motor all-wheel drive… Time to launch it. Left foot on the brake, right foot on the accelerator. Three, two, one… go! First impressions: the new C40 is blisteringly quick and plenty fun. However, there’s plenty more that makes Volvo’s second electric offering a desirable and sensible car to bring home. 

From the front-end to the front doors, the C40 Recharge is downright identical to the XC40 Recharge. The blanked-off grille and minimalistically styled bumper gives the fascia a clean look. Volvo’s signature Thor’s Hammer-inspired DRL adds character here. Then there are the large 19-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels which lend the C40 a square, beefy stance. 

The side is where things are majorly different, thanks to its SUV-coupe silhouette. The roof slopes down from the B-pillar and merges onto the steeply raked tailgate which houses a spoiler on it. Looks cool. 

Over to the rear, the L-shaped tail lamps feature intricate detailing, and the super cool locking and unlocking animation is sure to grab your attention. Overall, the C40 does look sporty, especially when viewed from its back. 

Inside, you get the same minimalistic dashboard from the XC40 Recharge. There’s attention to detail everywhere, such as the metal-like finish on the vertical AC vents, which operate with absolute precision. You’d notice the white snowy mountain-inspired digital graphic on the dashboard and door pads. This gets diffused ambient lighting which builds up a soothing ambiance when the sun goes down. Also, the cabin lamps at the front and rear get illuminated borders that look straight out of a high-end photo studio. 

Interior quality is solid, with soft-touch materials adorning the top half of the dash. It’s only the lower half where you’ll find hard plastics, which are still of good quality. Volvo says the cabin is leather free and has been built from recycled materials such as plastic bottles, wine bottle corks and wood from the forest that drops down from trees. Overall, it’s a really nice place to spend time in. 

As for interior hues, you get to pick from two options: all-black and black/blue. These colours do complement the sporty nature of the car. However, do note that the cabin does feel smaller than it actually is. Volvo has attempted to heighten the sense of space by offering an all-glass roof (that has no sunshade, though). 

Features

In terms of features, the C40 Recharge has the bases covered: 

While it gets all the necessities, there are still some basic misses such as ventilated front seats and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

Volvo’s 9-inch infotainment system is crisp, easy to use and has a lag-free user interface. Physical knobs are there to control the volume and tracks, but you have to use the air-con controls through the screen. The system runs on Google’s Android OS, which means you get access to a host of apps you’re already familiar with: Spotify, Google Maps and the like. You also get to use the ‘Ok, Google’ command to interact with the infotainment. 5 years of data is bundled in with the car, which unlocks not just connected car technology but also lets you stream your music without a cellphone. 

Android OS inside the car seems to have also made Google Maps super intuitive. For starters, selecting a destination also tells you the predicted state-of-charge on arrival. Also, the navigation is relayed on the digital driver’s display. 

Speaking of which, the driver’s display is legible with crisp graphics. But it isn’t as customisable as in an Audi or Mercedes. \

In typical Volvo fashion, safety has been given priority and it gets 8 airbags, electronic stability control, front, side and rear parking sensors, a crisp 360-degree camera and most importantly, ADAS (more on this later). 

Space And Practicality 

The C40’s front seats are super comfy and you can do hundreds of miles without any fatigue. Finding your ideal driving position is easy, thanks to the healthy height as well as fore and aft range offered by the seats and steering. Underthigh support and lateral support is satisfactory and the seats hold you in place when you get enthusiastic in the twisties. 

The only fly in the ointment is the almost non existent rear view from the inside rear-view mirror due to the tiny windscreen and tall rear headrests. 

Jumping to the back, you have to contend with a slightly higher floor and low seat height (typical of EVs), as a result of which underthigh support isn’t the best. However, due to the low seat height, headroom is ok enough for anyone measuring six feet and below. 

Two six-footers can sit back to back, but legroom isn’t what you would call generous. The bench is wide enough to accommodate two adults and a child.

As for practicality, the front door pockets can gobble in 1-litre bottles and knick knacks. Two cup holders in the central console are good enough for coffee cups and 500ml bottles. However, the glove box will have little to spare after accommodating the manual, while the rear door pockets are best used to keep your wallet. 

The C40 Recharge gets Level 3 ADAS suite, which relies on radars at the front and rear, parking sensors on all corners and front facing camera. Its suite consists of adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance, lane keeping assistance, lane departure warning and blind spot detection. How does it work on our roads? 

In terms of boot space, you get a 413-litre trunk, but a portion of that is reserved for the space saver, which is standard in the India-spec car. However, there is still more than enough room  for your weekend trip. And if that wasn’t enough, it gets a frunk (front boot) with 31-litre capacity, perfect for storing charging cables and a laptop bag. 

The C40 Recharge gets dual motors churning out a combined output of 408PS and 660Nm, powered by a 78kWh battery. Same specs as the XC40 Recharge, but with a handful of differences. For starters, power is 40:60 rear biassed as opposed to the XC40’s 50:50 power split. And the battery pack has updated chemistry, and as a result, a higher WLTP-claimed range of 530km, 112km more than XC40. Volvo will also offer the car with a 11kW wallbox homecharger and it can support fast charging speeds up to 150kW. 

So how does this translate in the real world? Insanely fun are the two words that come to our mind instantly. 

The torque rush is super addictive and it pushes you back on to the seat hard when you put your foot down. You do have to keep a watch on the speedo at all times as it climbs up to silly speeds in the blink of an eye. Executing quick overtakes is a cakewalk and all it needs is a quick dab on the throttle to get it done. 

Trivia: There is no starter button. Simply have the key in the pocket, buckle up, slot it in drive and you’re good to go. 

As fun as it might be, the C40 Recharge is a very easy car to drive around town at slow speeds. A precise throttle means you always know how much to dial in. You’d have no issues using it as a daily driver in town — especially if you get the hang of its ‘one-pedal’ mode. 

With one-pedal mode, you can slow down and accelerate using the throttle pedal alone. It basically spins the motor in reverse to slow down the car. 

Taking your foot off the pedal gradually slows the car down, without having you reach for the brakes. This is a function of getting the timing right. Lift off the pedal in time, and you can come to a dead stop too. It’s easy to get used to, thankfully, making it super useful. But do note that you shouldn’t treat it as a replacement for the actual friction brakes, which you must use during emergency situations. 

Electric cars tend to have a stiffer suspension setups to compensate for the extra weight and their ride can be harsh. The C40 is an exception: the ride is comfortable for most part, ironing out all the road irregularities.This is despite the model riding on large 19-inch rims.  

Our shoot location near Pawna Lake (Pune) involved driving over really bad roads. And the C40 managed to go over them unfazed with very limited side to side body movement. 

Potholes and bumps don’t faze it, but sharp craters do catch out the suspension with a thwack. 

On highways, the C40 remains composed at high speeds and straight line stability is fantastic. Its plush ride, incredibly refined cabin and ability to mask three-digit speeds means it’s super relaxing to drive over long distances. You can attack a set of twisties enthusiastically, but it does lean slightly. The steering is also direct and places the car where you want it to be, but it isn’t the most feelsome unit around.

The Volvo C40 Recharge is a very desirable car. It is super quick and this car puts a bright smile on your face when you push it hard, while it is super friendly to drive everyday. And the ride is surprisingly good for a large and heavy EV. The sporty design means it will stand out from the crowd too. Yes, there are shortcomings to the package. Rear seat comfort isn’t its forte, and neither is boot space. 

But these are shortcomings you can continue to live with considering that the C40 tickles your heart with its positives. At an expected price of around Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom), it adds some flair to the XC40 Recharge’s already sensible package.