The Volvo EX30 compact crossover, the firm’s new entry-level model, will be a “cornerstone” of the Swedish brand’s reinvention as an electric-only manufacturer by helping to attract new, younger customers.
The Jeep Avenger and Smart #1 rival is available to order in the UK now priced from £33,795 including three years of free servicing. Subscription packages will start at £579 per month, with ustomer deliveries due to start early next year.
Volvo says the machine has been developed with a focus on lowering the total cost of ownership and attracting new, younger, urban buyers. Chief executive Jim Rowan claims the intention is to “bring premium, fully electric mobility to a much broader audience”.
Volvo expects around three-quarters of EX30 buyers will be new to the brand, with the majority buying it as a second car.
The firm also claims the machine has the smallest lifetime carbon footprint of any Volvo model to date and doesn’t compromise on the marque’s famed commitment to safety. But the EX30 also offers performance: with a 0-62mph time of 3.6sec in top-spec Twin Motor Performance form, it is the fastest-accelerating Volvo yet.
Based on parent firm Geely’s SEA platform also used by the Polestar 4 and Smart #1, the EX30 is 4233mm long, making it slightly longer than the Avenger, but notably shorter than the Polestar 4.
The EX30 has a clear family resemblance to the flagship EX90 large SUV that was revealed last year, with a closed-off grille and Volvo’s signature ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights. It will be offered with wheels ranging from 18in to 20in and in five colours, including a new Moss Yellow that’s inspired by lichen that grows on rocks on Sweden’s west coast.
The interior also builds on Volvo’s traditional design form, with the dashboard dominated by a 12.3in vertically mounted touchscreen. The infotainment runs Volvo’s Google-based system, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Instead of the traditional door-mounted speakers, a home audio-style soundbar runs across the full width of the dashboard.