5 minute read
CARS & NEWS
The Volvo XC40 Recharge has a bite, says Andrew Walker
Volvo announced in 2018 that its range would all be electrified within five years, and with the introduction of the Recharged range of plug-in hybrids it has taken its first step towards full electric motoring. The Recharge range are PHEVs, offering a tax-saving alternative to a diesel Volvo – especially to business customers – and also, if sensibly recharged, significant fuel savings, too.
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We spent a day driving a number of the Volvo Recharge models, beginning with our current favourite, the pocket-rocket XC40.
There are two plug-in hybrid powertrains in the XC40 Recharge range, T4 or T5. Both use a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine in conjunction with an electric motor and battery. The T4 offers a 127bhp engine, while the T5 comes with 180bhp. Both offer an additional 81bhp from their electric motors.
The XC40 Recharge comes in four trim levels: R-Design, R-Design Pro, Inscription and Inscription Pro. The cheaper Momentum is not available as a plug-in hybrid.
They all come very well equipped: expect a 9” centre console touch screen, Volvo On Call with app, Sensus Navigation, a voice-activated control system, Sensus Connect, City Safety, which includes pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, front collision warning with fully automatic emergency braking, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, Run-off Road Protection, LED headlights with active high beam, two-zone climate control with CleanZone air-quality system, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist, cruise control with speed limiter and a 12.3” active TFT crystal driver’s information display.
The infotainment screen and Volvo Sensus system are, despite their quality, starting to feel a little dated, especially when up against the latest tech from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The dashboard has cute Volvo air vents, which are narrower and sharper-looking than those on the XC60 and XC90. Indeed, there are a plethora of clever touches that make this a truly practical family car and make the cabin a lovely place to spend some time in.
Cavernous door pockets offer extra storage space, thanks to Volvo placing the speakers on the dash rather than on the doors. There’s a folding hook integrated into the glove box to hang your take away on, a removable compartment between the front seats that doubles as a large bin, as well as the option of a wireless phone charger at the base of the centre console. It goes to show that Volvo has been thinking about what customers want in their small Crossover. Front seat passengers have great all round space. Rear headroom is a little tight, but legroom in the rear is good, too.
For those who require a practical boot, the 460-litres available in the XC40 Recharge, even with the batteries on board, offers the same space as the petrol or diesel XC40. With the rear seats folded down this increases to 1,336 litres. It also comes with a useful flat floor and the bonus of having no lip at the front edge, making loading and unloading easier.
We got to drive the T5 Recharge and the first thing you notice is that it’s quick. There are four driving modes to choose from. Power mode combines both the petrol engine and the battery, encouraging the fun factor with straight-line speed and plenty of motorway overtaking capability; 0-62mph takes just 7.3 seconds. Hybrid mode shuffles automatically between petrol and electric power as it sees fit and is the most likely daily choice. Pure mode engages pure-electric drive, and you can tailor your own in Individual.
Thanks to its batteries and extra tech, the XC40 hybrid weighs a full 150kg more than the petrol version. This extra weight means ride quality is a little bit lumpy and it sways more in and out of corners than its petrol brethren.
As stated, the normal driving mode will probably be Hybrid. The plug-in hybrid system automatically selects the right power source at the right time. We drove the T5 along the A3 and it’s quiet and refined at motorway speeds. On country lanes and in town it is a comfortable place to be, only getting louder when you put your foot down and the three-cylinder engine growls into life at the top of its rev range. The Recharge also features regenerative braking, useful in slow moving or urban traffic stopstarts and a way of saving your battery charge.
The XC40 is also offered with a D3 150 diesel engine and a B4 197hp or a B5 250hp petrol version, with a full electric version due in 2022. For company car drivers, the T4 and T5 Recharge engines offer significant tax savings over these, with the T4 starting at just 12% for tax year 2020/21. CO2 emissions are 47-55g/ km depending on specification, and both return a claimed 118-135mpg fuel economy.
The only way you’ll get anywhere near that kind of economy, however, is if you plug-in daily, as these official figures rely heavily on customers driving with a fully charged battery. On the plus side, if you only drive 20 miles a day, you may well only ever need the electric range, saving at the pumps. In reality, undertake any motorway journey and you’ll see your average economy drop to around 32mpg, so please plug-in when you can.
To plug in, both the T4 and T5 Recharge come with a seven-metre, three-pin cable as standard with Volvo claiming a three-hour charge time for the battery when using the optional £50 Type 2 cable, an absolute must!
The XC40 range starts at £25,420 for a T2 Momentum Core, with the T5 Recharge PHEV R-Design Pro we drove setting you back £42,430; it’s not cheap. Better to seek out the best leasing deals and remember that BIK saving if you choose a Recharge version. You’ll pay from just £78 a month at 12% BIK for a T5 R-Design Pro, with the T2 Momentum costing from £141 a month, with 34% BIK.
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CC&V VERDICT
More of a stepping stone to the full electric XC40, due in 2022, but it does offer excellent tax savings now, and if you plug in regularly you’ll save on fuel, too. Great to drive and full of clever Scandi design touches.
