The new Volvo EX30 cross country is an electric SUV that is currently available for pre-order in the UK after launching in June 2023. It is a smaller car positioned below the XC40 and C40 crossovers in the Volvo line up and is currently the smallest Volvo car on sale.
It tackles competition in the ever-growing electric car segment whilst embracing Volvo's high safety standards, commitment to creating a greener car, and providing excellent equipment to keep you connected and safe on every drive.
Our EX30 review looks at this exciting new electric car from Volvo and highlights all of the main features so that you can decide if this is the best option for you and your needs.
Developed on Geely Holding's Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), it shares the same platform as others in the Geely Group including the Smart #1 and the Zeekr X. According to Volvo it also has the smallest lifetime carbon footprint of any model made to date. Exterior materials used in the manufacturing process to create the Volvo EX30 include recycled materials, around 25% of all aluminium and 17% of all steel and plastics.
It offers more ground clearance than the S60 and S60 Recharge with 177mm against the S60's 142mm but isn't quite as high as the larger SUVs such as the XC90 with 238mm. However it still offers 500mm wading depth at walking speed so you don't need to lose your off road capability just by choosing electric.
It's 207mm shorter than the Volvo XC40 Recharge with a total length of 4233mm but only 2mm less wide with the door mirrors folded out, so passengers shouldn't feel like they're squashed in any more in the smaller model.
The iconic Thor's Hammer automatic LED headlights complement the square shaping of the front bumper, which has no faux front grille, and the tips point to the Volvo badge in the centre of the car. The headlights incorporate daytime running lights and active high beam so you always have the best visibility.
The reduced carbon footprint continues into the interior space Volvo EX30 with as much as 30% of the decor parts using recycled plastic plus recycled and renewable surfaces are integrated throughout the cabin. This includes the use of waste from discarded PVC window frames and roller shutters and textile inlay mats made from discarded fishing nets and other waste materials.
There's a squared sport steering wheel which has multifunction controls so that you can access key features and make changes on the go with minimal distraction and also a heated function for when the temperature drops. There's also the option to customise one of the switches for a specific function if you find that you're using something else not already accessible from the steering wheel.
Interestingly, the driver information is displayed on the centre console screen instead of on a driving display or head up display in front of the driver. Whilst this might feel a little disorientating to begin with, it gives you a clear field of view directly in front of you and displays the most important information at the top of the screen. You can also choose Calm View which will then clear the screen aside from only the driving information.
You can expect the best sound quality from the Harman Kardon Premium Sound system which offers five integrated speakers across the soundbar to deliver driver-focused sound. Its 1040W amplifier and nine high-performance speakers delivers immersive surround sound and you can fully customise your sound mode if the pre-set options aren't to your style.
Alongside the premium sound settings are the options to choose from five different Scandinavian ambience themes. This will see the panel decors, door panels, and front seat storage illuminate with slow-shifting colours which complement the interior and can be used alongside ambient sound for full immersion.
Those in the front seats are able to utilise the heated seat function and two zone climate control to get comfortable regardless of the weather outside of the car. Standard seats give you fixed lumbar support, plus fore/aft and backrest recline for both front seats. Additionally the driver seat has height adjustment.
Upgrading to the Ultra trim adds electrically adjustable seats for the driver and front passenger alongside height and tilt adjustments plus multi-directional lumbar support for the driver. The driver seat also gains a memory function to make it even easier to get into the right position for every drive.
The EX30 offers as much as 400 litres of boot space when measured up to the roof, or 318 litres to the glass line. If you fold all of the rear seats down this opens up to 904 litres to the roof and 622 litres to the glass line, a huge amount of space in the smallest car in Volvo's range. The 60/40 rear seat split allows you to customise the space to whoever and whatever is travelling with you with ease.
There are three different electric motors available on the fully electric Volvo EX30: Single Motor, Single Motor Extended Range, and Twin Motor Performance. Your choice from the battery options then becomes whether you are looking for more range from your electric SUV, rear wheel or four wheel drive, or the ability to use higher DC charging speeds.
The Single Motor model offers you rear wheel drive and a 51kWh battery which has an output of 272hp. You can expect a full charge on AC charging in as little as 9.5 hours whilst it can use public DC charging points up to 134kW for a 10% to 80% charge in only 26 minutes. Volvo expects electric range after a full charge on the single motor version is up to 213 miles making it suitable for short and long trips alike.
Stepping up to the Single Motor Extended Range, as the name suggests, gives you additional range compared to the single motor car. It adds an additional 82 miles of range, bringing the total claimed range to 295 miles on a 69kWh battery size. The larger battery size does mean it takes a little longer on AC charging with an 11.5 hour charge time. On DC charging the Single Motor Extended Range model will allow you to use charging points up to 153kW so that you can have a 10%-80% charge in as little as 28 minutes.
The Twin Motor Performance is the fastest accelerating Volvo car that the brand has ever made with a 0-62mph time of 3.6 seconds. It also utilises a 69kWh battery and has an estimated range of 279 miles, a little less than the Extended Range model due to its all wheel drive capability, where the front and rear wheels are all powered by the motor, and higher powered output of 428hp. The dual motor version can also use DC charging points up to 153kW and offer a 10%-80% charge in 28 minutes.
There are two different trim levels available on the Volvo EX30: Plus and Ultra.
Opting for the Plus model will give you an excellent range of standard features including: two zone climate control with air purifier, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, front and rear park assist, height and reach adjustable steering column, one pedal driving, rear view camera, speed limiter, power operated tailgate, and fixed lumbar support.
There is also a 12.3 inch portrait touch screen in the centre console which houses physical controls for the infotainment system and much of the cars additional driving systems. This comes with Google Automotive Services integrated which includes Enabled Entertainment Apps, Navigation with Google Maps, Voice Recognition with Google Assistant, and unlimited mobile data for in-car apps and vehicle communication for four years.
It works alongside wireless Apple Carplay and wired Android Auto, Bluetooth, DAB radio, a Harmon Kardon Premium Sound system, wireless phone charging, and Volvo Cars Services with App. The Volvo Cars Services facilitates things like the Driving Journal, emergency and breakdown call function, public charging services, remote charge control, remote climatisation, remote locking and unlocking, and the vehicle dashboard.
The Volvo EX30 is incredibly well connected and the wide range of services and equipment that comes as standard attests to that.
Upgrading to the Ultra trim adds a 360 degree camera with Virtual 3D View, Park Pilot Assist, 20 inch diamond cut 5 spoke aero alloy wheels, dark tinted rear side windows and rear screen, a fixed panoramic sunroof, a power driver seat with all round adjustment, a power passenger seat, memory function for door mirrors and the power driver seat, and a 3-phase on board charger at 22kW.
All models come with a 6 metre long 32 amp Type 2/Mode 3 charging cable, and a Type 2/CSS recharging port located on the nearside wing. There is also a heat pump on Single Motor Extended Range and Twin Motor Performance models which facilitates enhanced cabin heating and cooling with optimal vehicle range.
As a brand new model, the Volvo EX30 has not yet been reviewed by Euro NCAP but Volvo has incredibly high safety standards and every other Volvo model that is currently for sale has scored the maximum 5 stars.
Volvo says "We aim to pioneer safe and intelligent technology solutions in mobility to protect what is important to people in their everyday lives." This is evident in everything that they do an since the 1970s they have studied more than 43,000 cars from real-life accidents so that they can use real data to develop the safety features that have made a substantial difference in the history of car safety. Full details about their work towards a vision of no collisions can be found here.
The Volvo EX30 continues this legacy with an excellent range of standard driver assistance systems which includes: adaptive cruise control, steer assist, lane change assistance, lane offset to truck assistance, lane offset to oncoming vehicle assistance, road sign information, speed limiter, hill descent control, hill start assist, side impact protection system, and a whiplash protection system for the front seats.
Volvo Safe Space Technology is also included which includes the extensive collision avoidance systems that Volvo have developed in their vision to make Volvo models the safest cars available. The Safe Space Technology adds a huge amount of safety features: 3 front and 2 rear radars plus a front vision camera, collision avoidance and mitigation by braking and steering, blind spot information system, collision avoidance at intersection, cross traffic alert with front and rear brake support, door opening alert, forward collision warning, lane keeping aid, post impact braking, rear collision warning and mitigation, run-off road mitigation, and several other useful assistance features.
It's likely that the Volvo EX30 review from Euro NCAP will see it outrank other electric cars such as the Kia Niro EV and the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, which both received four stars, and place it on par with the other Volvo cars for sale in the range and other electric competitors such as those from Tesla, CUPRA, and Volkswagen.
The Volvo EX30 is incredibly competitively priced in the electric car market. An entry level model in the Plus trim starts at £33,795, putting it in the same price bracket as the Vauxhall Corsa-e which offers much less room. Upgrading to the Ultra trim increases the price to £42,045 which places it more on par with models such as the Peugeot e-308 or the Volkswagen ID.3, again the Volvo offers more space than these models.
It's worth noting that opting to change the electric motor, adding on accessories, or making other changes will increase the price further from what is initially listed by Volvo.
At time of writing, the Volvo EX30 is currently available for pre order with delivery expected from 6-10 months, model and specification dependant. The teams at Volvo Aberdeen, Volvo Dundee, and Volvo Edinburgh are on hand to answer any questions you have about the Volvo EX30, show you the full Volvo model range for sale, and accompany you on a test drive.
