2023 Volvo XC40

For 2023, the XC40 gains USB-C outlets, standard mechanical cushion extensions, and what Volvo calls a “Touring chassis” suspension tune, shared across all petrol-powered models.

On top of this, the Ultimate B4 Bright gains a surround-view camera and an air purifier.

The front seats offer a commanding view over the square bonnet, and strike a perfect balance between soft padding and the sort of support you need on longer drives. Volvo traditionally does some of the best pews in the business, and the XC40 continues the tradition.

Rear seat passengers are better catered for than you might expect of a car that’s relatively compact on paper. For one, they get their own vents, along with a fold-down central armrest and spacious door pockets. The tall roofline means headroom is good enough for adults to get comfortable back there, even with the panoramic sunroof, and the amount of legroom will accomodate tall teenagers.

Cosmetic tweaks to the XC40 include a restyled front bumper, new wheel designs, and new headlights with revised LED daytime running light signatures, albeit without a cornering function.

The Plus B4 loses the old T4 Momentum’s front fog lights, but gains a power tailgate, power passenger seat and power-folding second-row headrests.

Petrol-powered 2023 Volvo XC40 models all use a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system, mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The front-wheel drive B4 produces 145kW of power at 5400rpm and 300Nm of torque at 4200rpm, while the all-wheel drive B5 produces 183kW and 350Nm.

The Recharge Pure Electric features a single front-mounted electric motor and front-wheel drive, with 170kW of power and 330Nm of torque.

The dual-motor all-wheel drive Recharge Twin Pure Electric produces 300kW and 660Nm.

The claimed 0-100km/h times are as follows:

• B4: 8.5 seconds
• B5: 6.4 seconds
• Recharge: 7.4 seconds
• Recharge Twin: 4.9 seconds

With an upright dashboard and minimalist, crisp lines, you won’t be mistaking the XC40 for anything but a Volvo at first glance. Dominating the dash is a vertically-oriented 9.0-inch touchscreen, which sits in the same housing as the display in the petrol model but runs newer software.

Like the related Polestar 2, the XC40 Recharge has Android Automotive infotainment. The bones of the software were developed by Google, which means you get Hey Google voice control and Google Maps standard, but the final system is set up by Volvo to look familiar to anyone who’s used the Sensus system in the current XC40.

It’s snappy to use, and the ability to download apps like Spotify from the Google Play store opens the door for a level of customisation not currently possible in most infotainment systems. Having the same people who do the software for mobile phones design your Bluetooth interface, for example, means this is one of the easiest cars in which to find a contact and make a call on the move.

When it’s connected to a network, Hey Google is more useful than Hey BMW or Hey Mercedes ever could be… but when it’s not connected to a network, the voice assistant is far less useful. Apple CarPlay mirroring should be available for cars in 2023.

The driver is faced with a clean, simple digital instrument binnacle with inbuilt Google Maps. It’s excellent, although you’re light on for configuration options compared to what’s on offer in some rival luxury marques.

Luggage space is 460L, expanding to 1336L with the second row folded. The boot floor is flat, but it can be folded in half hang shopping bags, or raised up to reveal a deep cavity beneath it perfect for storing charge cables – or for hiding bags and laptops.

There’s a small storage space beneath the bonnet, but it’s not what you’d call capacious. It’s best reserved for the charge cables, but not much more.