Driven: 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Feels Ready For Some Major Change

Electric vehicles appear to be at a tipping point; ranges grow longer each year, charging times become quicker, and in some cases, prices fall to more affordable levels. The 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge is a perfect indicator of this trend. This small electric crossover has actually become cheaper and gained more range since it first debuted for the 2021 model year. To be fair, much of that price drop and range increase is on account of a rear-motor variant that wasn’t available at launch, but the rising tide of electrification means that this seems to be the norm among EVs.

We’ve had the chance to drive the XC40 Recharge (and the related C40 Recharge) several times over the years, but they have all been equipped with the dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup. This 2024 XC40 Recharge Ultimate was our first opportunity to test the rear-drive variant, which boasts less power but significantly longer range at 293 miles based on EPA ratings.

Our week driving the XC40 comes on the precipice of major change for the Volvo brand: the EX90 is set to arrive as a new flagship EV and, at the other end of the spectrum, the EX30 will offer electric luxury transportation for under $35,000. Even the XC40 Recharge is set to be renamed as the EX40 for the 2025 model year, signaling this new electrified Volvo era. With so much evolution right on the horizon, is now the right time to purchase an electric Volvo like the XC40 Recharge?

Exterior: Still Cute

The XC40 Recharge hasn’t changed much on the outside since it was introduced to the US market a few years ago. It’s still a rather cute, attractive little utility vehicle that closely resembles the gas-powered XC40. The Recharge stands apart with a body-color grille and a white badge on the liftgate. 19-inch wheels come standard on the Core and Plus trims, but customers can upgrade to 20-inch five-spoke wheels for $800. Those wheels look a bit plain, but they do come standard on the top Ultimate trim.

Volvo’s exterior color choices for this car, much like other Volvo’s, isn’t in-your-face and can best be described as a palette of pastels. There are several fun hues, though, including Cloud Blue, Fjord Blue, Bright Dusk, and Sage Green. The rest are more muted: Onyx Black, Silver Dawn, Crystal White, and our tester’s Vapour Grey.

Interior: Clever Features

It may have a luxury badge, but the XC40 Recharge keeps things very simple inside. A Charcoal Fusion microtech textile interior comes standard on the Core, mimicking the look and feel of leather. The Plus and Ultimate trims upgrade to a Charcoal Connect suede textile with available Fjord Blue accents for an additional $1,100. You can opt for the Core’s textile surfaces for no-cost. For $250, the Ultimate can be lined with a Midnight Zinc Tailored wool blend, a surface that we wanted to love but felt itchy to the touch.

Nothing about the XC40 Recharge’s interior feels ‘wow’, which is not surprising given the Swedish minimalism. The nine-inch center touchscreen looks pretty small by 2024 standards, though the Google-powered interface is super intuitive to use. Meanwhile, the 12-inch digital gauge cluster can only show the speed and throttle position with or without a Google Map; this is one of the least customizable gauge clusters we’ve ever experienced.

Where Volvo fails to impress on materials or technology, the XC40 does boast some clever storage solutions. A removable trash bin sits near the armrest with a spring-loaded lid and there’s a flip-out hook in the glove box that’s perfect for a bag or purse.

Cargo: Small But Smart

This is not a large vehicle, but it makes smart use of space. The front seats offer a generous 40.9 inches of legroom with 36.1 inches in the second row. Those second-row seats can also be heated as part of a $1,000 Climate Package or standard on the Ultimate trim. It beats out the Q4 e-tron and GV60 for maximum cargo space, nipping at the heels of much larger EVs like the EQB, although both the Audi and Genesis offer better head- and legroom.

There is 16 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 57.5 cubes total. You can also lift the trunk floor to use as a hanger for bags, so they don’t roll around. A small front trunk is available with enough room to squeeze your charging cable, a feature that several competitors do not have.

Performance: Quick To Quicker

For the 2024 model year, Volvo increased the battery pack size to 82 kWh for the XC40 Recharge, up from 78 kWh. If you opt for the Twin Motor setup, however, you still get the old, smaller battery pack. A Single Motor model joins the lineup for 2024, sending 248 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels only. 0-60 takes a respectable 6.9 seconds with a 293-mile driving range. Though we didn’t have a chance to fully test Volvo’s range claim, the car only displayed a disappointing 230 miles on a 100% charge.

In comparison with some rivals, the XC40 Recharge RWD isn’t anything to sniff at, although it’s worth noting that the single-motor Audi Q4 e-tron was replaced with only a dual-motor model midway through the model year, so these figures pertain to the run-out single motor trims:

Besides range, charging speed is another reason to select the Single Motor option. It can charge at up to 200 kW on a DC fast charger, meaning it can go from 10-80% battery in 28 minutes. The Twin Motor car is limited to a 150 kW peak, meaning that the same charge will take 34 minutes; the range is also lower at 254 miles.

As a consolation prize, the Twin Motor setup trounces the Single Motor setup with 402 hp and 494 lb-ft of torque. A 4.6-second 0-60 mph is among the best in the subcompact electric luxury crossover segment, outmatched only by the 2024 Genesis GV60 Performance. Volvo will soon introduce a new EV called the EX30, which will produce up to 422 hp and hit 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, making it the quickest car from the Swedish brand at the time of writing.

Driving Impressions: Pleasant But Undefined

This isn’t our first rodeo in an electric Volvo, but this is our first time sampling a rear-motor variant. Volvo and its sister company Polestar previously placed the motor on the front axle, and have sent us Twin Motor vehicles to review before. That setup is intoxicatingly quick, but the RWD XC40 Recharge proved itself to be more than most drivers will ever need. There is an initial shove off the line that doesn’t start to let off until around 40 mph. By that point, most reasonable drivers have already reached a cruising speed or only have a little more speed to gain to maintain a highway pace.

The XC40 Recharge isn’t the softest Volvo, nor is it the sportiest, despite its competitive pace. There are no traditional drive modes here, just normal or firm steering and brake regeneration settings. While we admire the simplicity, the XC40 Recharge doesn’t seem to know its goal in life; is it supposed to be a fun daily runabout, or an appliance? While we have very little to complain about with the XC40 Recharge, it fails to stand out from the crowd.

Pricing & Verdict: Waiting For Change

Thanks to the Single Motor Variant, the 2024 XC40 Recharge is cheaper than when it first debuted, starting at $52,450 for the Core trim, excluding destination. Opting for the Plus trim adds a panoramic roof, air purifier, and a 360-degree camera for $55,400, and that’s the one we would get if it were our money. Our Ultimate tester has a starting price of $58,800, adding luxury features like Harmon Kardon audio, Pilot Assist, pixel headlights, and more, and even equipped like this, it’s one of the cheaper models in the segment.

If you can live with slower charging and a lower range, the Twin Motor setup adds another $1,750 to the total cost, which will be worth it for the performance boost, and – and despite the over-$60k price tag, is still one of the more affordable EVs in the class.

Among its competitors, the XC40 Recharge seems like solid value. Volvo priced it competitively against the Audi Q4 e-tron and even the larger three-row-capable Mercedes-Benz EQB; when the Volvo lines up against the Genesis GV60, the game changes a little, with the latter option being more well-specced, albeit a little smaller. It also offers a rapid performance derivative with as much as 429 hp – but you’ll have to pay for it.

Assuming you can live with a smaller car, the upcoming Volvo EX30 seems like it will be terrific value – and this is the fly in the ointment. Starting at just $34,950, the EX30 is far more affordable than the least expensive XC40 Recharge or any other EV with a luxury badge. With a game changer like this on the horizon, we’d hold on off an XC40 Recharge purchase.