Charge!
At the outset, the C40 Recharge could charge at up to 150kW, which was increased for dual-motor models to a rapid 200kW for the 2023 model year. But single-motor versions can only charge at 130kW.
Peace of mind
As standard, the C40 has a three- year/60,000-mile warranty; this can be extended to four years or 80,000 miles. The Volvo’s battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.
Interior
The design is appealing, but some materials feel a bit cheap. However, Volvo has been sensible with the provision of buttons and the portrait-format infotainment is easy to use. There’s room for three adults in the back, although space is a bit tight; boot space is competitive, at 404 litres, or 1,196 litres with the back seats down.
Running costs
Buy a C40 registered before 1 April 2025 and you’ll pay £195 per year for VED; after this the cost jumps to £620 until the car’s sixth birthday, because by this point the entry-level purchase price was more than the £50k threshold (£52,555). Some entry-level single-motor C40s are in insurance group 34, but most sit in group 36 or 38, while twin-motor models are in groups 41-43.
Advertisement – Article continues below
Maintenance requirements aren’t huge; a service is due only every two years or 18,000 miles. Expect to pay around £210 for this, which includes fresh brake fluid and a new pollen filter. These are the only items scheduled to be replaced at a specific time; everything else, such as the tyres, brakes and suspension are checked at each service and replaced only when needed, which can be very rarely, depending on the driving style.
Recalls
There have been no recalls for the EC40 yet, and just two for the C40. The first was in January 2023 and involved more than 10,000 Volvo cars, including the V60, XC60, V90, XC90, S60 and S90.
All of the C40s included in the first campaign were manufactured between September and December 2022. The problem centred on the brake-control module, which operated by faulty software; an update was all that was needed to fix things.
The second recall, which came in June 2025, was also because of software glitches, which once again affected multiple models and could lead to braking problems, this time during one-pedal driving downhill. All of the vehicles affected were made between October 2021 and June 2025.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
The C40 hasn’t appeared in any Driver Power surveys, but the XC40 that sired it has appeared each year since 2020, when it came 14th out of 75. The following year it climbed to eighth, before dropping to 23rd in 2022. By 2023 it was down to 61st, while in 2025 it came 37th out of 50.
Its safety features are the biggest draw, while ride quality and most interior aspects get the thumbs up. Driving pleasure, the infotainment and running costs get the thumbs down, though.
Don’t miss out! See more of Auto Express in your Google Top Stories. Click here…