2020 Volvo XC40 Recharge PHEV priced from $64,990

Volvo Car Australia has confirmed pricing for the new XC40 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid, starting at $64,990 before on-road costs – an $8000 premium over the current T5 R-Design range topper.

Due in local showrooms in the coming months, the PHEV will serve as the new flagship variant in the XC40 line-up, at least until the 300kW XC40 Recharge Pure Electric EV arrives mid-2021.

The XC40 Recharge PHEV is powered by a 134kW/265Nm 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol engine from the T3 variant teamed with a 61kW/160Nm electric motor.

Hooked up to a 10.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the XC40 Recharge PHEV outputs a combined 195kW, making it the most powerful variant in the range. Drive is sent exclusively to the front wheels, via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Volvo claims the plug-in XC40 can achieve up to 46km of electric-only driving, while fuel consumption is rated at 2.0L/100km on the European WLTP test cycle. The 0-100km/h sprint takes a claimed 7.3 seconds.

Full specifications will be revealed closer to the XC40 Recharge PHEV’s Australian sales launch, though expect it to largely mirror the specification of the current top-spec XC40 – the T5 R-Design.

Key equipment highlights for the current flagship include sporty R-Design exterior and interior body styling, a ‘Sport’ chassis tune, leather/suede sports seats, extendable front seat cushions, aluminium cabin inserts, charcoal headliner, a sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, an R-Design gear knob, contrasting black roof and mirror caps, along with 20-inch alloys.

Specification carried over from lower grades include a 9.0-inch infotainment system with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, adaptive LED headlights, autonomous emergency braking in forward and reverse, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, as well as front and rear parking sensors.

Natural rivals for the Volvo XC40 Recharge PHEV include the Mini Countryman Hybrid (from $57,200) and the upcoming Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV (from $52,490), as well as the Lexus UX250h F Sport (from $57,550).

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