Volvo EX30 2023 Review | First Drive

The Volvo EX30 is, according to Volvo itself, one of the most important cars in its history. A stylish crossover littered with kit that it expects to undercut and take buyers from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

Based on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) the EX30 is a sister car to the Zeekr X and Smart #1, but has the significant advantage over its brethren of brand recognition in one case and not having a truly terrible name in the other.

It’s also, thanks to clever use of recycled plastics, fabrics, steel and aluminium, the car with the lowest carbon footprint of any in Volvo’s entire history. A key fact in the battle to counter claims that the carbon cost of making EVs negates their long-term benefits.

If Volvos have always subscribed to a very minimal-ey Swedish sort of design vibe before, the EV age is allowing the company to strip that even further. The EX30 takes Volvo’s long-term lighting design cues and then strips almost everything else away.

Freedom from a front grille means the piercing Thor’s Hammer lights can split through the front without anything to draw the eye away. Cut inserts then lead down to the lower part meaning it either has a mouth or a pair of insect mandibles, depending on your point of view.

The front works really well, but I’m not quite as sold on the rear. There the famous tower of Volvo lights has been split by a piece of metal. Above that is a series of LEDs that form upper rear lights and below is the traditional c-shape of a Volvo rear light. It’s an acceptable piece of design but I do wonder whether that top section will date quite quickly as design moves on.

The Volvo EX30 has three powertrain options from launch. Two run a single motor on the rear and one adds a second to the front axle. Both Single Motor and Single Motor Extended Range models have 272PS (200kW) and 343Nm (253lb ft) while the Twin Motor Performance car boasts 428PS (315kW) and 543Nm (400lb ft). All are limited to 112mph.

While both look the same, the dual and single motor cars – unsurprisingly perhaps given not only the extra power but also the repackaging that goes into adding more electric drive – give quite a different driving experience.

Starting with the big hitter. The dual motor Volvo EX30 will live most of its life as a single motor rear-wheel-drive machine, only adding the extra torque up front when it believes it’s needed. There is a setting to put the car EX30 into a permanent all-wheel-drive Performance mode, but it’s hidden in the labyrinthine menus of the infotainment system (more on that later).

First, that power. It is alarming when it’s working correctly. At least five years into regularly reviewing EVs now the punch when you’re at 30 and you floor it is still something akin to being launched off a rollercoaster – so something you may like or you may not. If you’re in normal mode this isn’t quite as stratospheric as it might be. There’s a clear moment of decision before the second motor kicks in. That front motor is connected to a clutch, which allows it to be brought into action more smoothly. You do really notice not only the extra addition of power when it arrives, but also the balance the clutch brings to that changeover. It’s a progressive intervention rather than a jolt. Keep it in Performance mode and the punch is instant as both axles give it full twist at once. I found that changeover pause odd at first, but in real world driving, unless you are after all-out pace, it gives the EX30 a more familiar feel of building power.

Driving balance in the dual motor is good, we could definitely play with grip on the brief sets of twisting Catalan roads we experienced. The steering is something you need to get used to, perhaps altered by the addition of that leading motor. It can be switched between three modes, from heavier to light. The light is, frankly, terrible, and should never be used other than for particularly tight car parks, while the heavier has its quirks just off centre.

The single motor car would be our pick. The lower power isn’t something you would ever notice. The dual motor will hit 62mph 3.6 seconds, but the single motor car will still do it in 5.3 (the non-extended range EX30 hits 62 in 5.7). Five-point-three seconds is still hot hatch territory, so you’re not being short changed. But it’s the driving dynamics that are just a bit nicer in the more affordable car. That rear-driven balance is quite obvious, with a much more flowing switch from corner to corner. The fronts dig nicely, especially for a higher riding little car, and if you switch the ESP off you can genuinely get the back end to wiggle a bit. It’ll do that to an extent with it on, scrabbling the unloaded wheel if you attack an exit before the systems kick in.

The steering also has a slightly nicer feel on the single motor EX30. Not sure if that’s because there’s less over the nose to interfere with its work or better packaging without it there (indeed the DC inverter has to be moved in higher in order to fit the second power unit). Either way the single motor car felt like a more rewarding drive and gives you that little extra range as a second reward for your frugal purchase.

For both cars the ride is excellent, with very little compromise to make the EX30 ready for town use (Volvo says the majority of its buyers will drive no more than 30 miles a day in their EX30). Whether that’s town driving or country roads, the ride is compliant and nicely damped. Even the odd unnoticed speed bump won’t upset the EX30 overly.

Volvo. Here they go again being all clever with packaging and stuff. The EX30 has an excellent cabin design with some clever rearranging of what you expect to extract extra airiness.

Take the doors for example, which have no window buttons, speakers or mirror controls. Moving the window controls to the centre, the mirrors onto the screen and adding a single central sound bar has meant far less wiring is needed in the door. That in turn frees up a lot of space for extra storage – and the door bins are truly vast.

In the centre there’s a giant storage space that runs the entire length of the centre console, and a sliding set of cup holders that reveal themselves from the central armrest should you need them. The glovebox has been moved into the centre of the car, costing a little perhaps on space, but meaning Volvo doesn’t have to create two sets of moulds for a glovebox on left- and right-hand-drive – a big help in making this the lowest carbon production Volvo ever.

The design itself feels fresh and modern. The door handles are a particular favourite feature of mine, the only piece of carbon-heavy chrome visible, while the dash inserts are all made of low impact materials (including recycled fishing nets in the dash weaving). Recycled plastic makes a big appearance in the EX30 and is noticeable, with 17 per cent of the plastic inside having lived a life before.

Rear room is limited if you’re over six foot, with the priority definitely skewing toward adding boot space over a cavern in the rear. But head height is excellent, helped on top spec Ultra models by the incredibly large panoramic glass roof.

There are two battery sizes to be found in the Volvo EX30. The base single motor comes with a 51kWh battery capable of 214 miles. The other two cars, the ones we drove, both come with the larger Extended Range battery. This 69kWh unit is good for 296 miles on a WLTP cycle in the single motor car and a slightly lower 280 miles in the Twin Motor EX30.

EX30 charging capabilities vary depending on the specification. The smaller battery is limited to charging at 134kW, whereas the Extended Range battery is capable of taking charge at 153kW. That means the charging times are remarkably similar. The smaller battery will charge from 10-80 per cent in 26 minutes at its full 134kW, whereas the Extended Range will do the same in two minutes more on a 153kW charge. On a home wallbox the standard battery takes 9.5 hours to go from flat to 100 per cent and the Extended Range cars 11.5 hours.

Inside there are three trim levels, Core, Plus and Ultra. We drove cars purely in Ultra trim but the difference between Plus and Ultra is largely cosmetic. Volvo are at great pains to stress that the software in our EX30s was pre-production, which is a good thing because right now it would be tricky to say too much positive about it.

We encountered several issues using the driving assist features during our test drive, and the layout of the infotainment system could be changed before customers get their cars next year. That’s a good thing too, because currently it comes across as a maze of menus and sub menus – it takes three presses and a scroll to turn the permanent dual motor Performance mode on. While Google integration is there, simplifying many tasks, just like we’ve seen before with Polestar, it doesn’t have carte blanche to change everything.

The screen itself is massive, a 12.3-inch portrait unit that is the control centre for everything, including the speedometer etc. There’s no screen in front of the driver, that’s reserved for the monitoring systems that, as part of Pilot Assist, will make sure the driver is paying attention to the road. I have to say that I find having to look away from the road to see my screen, sideways rather than down, slightly off putting, and the systems that monitor you remind you to not be distracted… with a sign on the screen and a bong. But as mentioned those are pre-production and hopefully going to change.

All cars at launch will be in Plus or Ultra spec, so Two-zone climate control is standard on all Volvo EX30s to begin with. Heated front seats and steering wheel, the big 12.3-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking assist, reversing camera, one pedal driving, automatic windscreen wipers, lane keep assist, Pilot Assist and automatic headlights. Apple CarPlay, Google integration, DAB radio and Bluetooth are also on the Plus. Ultra adds a 360-degree camera, automatic parking, the big panoramic sunroof and a series of alternative materials and colours.

There is an awful lot to like about the EX30. It has a decent range for a crossover that Volvo expects to be a second car for most owners at not far shy of 300 miles. It looks good and is extremely comfortable. There are a few issues with some of the technology and current usability of the infotainment, but we’re hoping those are to be fixed by the time customers start to receive their cars.

On the driving side we would lean toward the single motor car, as we imagine will be the biggest seller. With the extended range motor you’ll get a good range and it’s partnered with enjoyable driving dynamics from the rear-driven chassis. The ride on all EX30s is up there with the very best on offer around. With on the road prices for the Extended Range one motor car starting at just over £38,000 it’s not much more than an MG4 Extended Range, and the MG doesn’t come close to matching the quality of the Volvo’s interior.