2019 Volvo XC40 Video Review
CARS.COM — Volvo’s new XC40 is the brand’s entry in the red-hot market for luxury SUVs. But the newest, smallest Volvo SUV is not just a downsized version of the XC60 or XC90. It brings its own streetwise sense of style, and it’s fun to drive.
Related: First Drive: 2019 Volvo XC40 Makes Competitors Look Dated, Stuffy or Both
The XC40 has good cabin isolation and is quiet. The ride is very compliant and good on imperfect city streets — the environment Volvo designed it for. The base turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the XC40 puts out 248 horsepower. It’s peppy around town and more than adequate on the highway for passing and freeway on-ramps.
The XC40’s R-Design is sportier, with a sport-tuned suspension that rides a little bit firmer, but both it and the standard suspension corner reasonably flat and feel composed; neither punishes you with a harsh ride.
The eight-speed transmission has well-spaced gears and shifts positively. It can be a little rough, but that’s forgivable when it also willingly downshifts with the touch of the throttle when you want more power. The gear selector is less forgivable, however, with a bit of a learning curve that we couldn’t master in our brief time at the drive event. Both manually selecting a gear or even properly selecting Drive or Reverse proved trickier than necessary.
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Shop the 2019 Volvo XC40 near you
The XC40 may be the smallest of Volvo’s SUVs, but it doesn’t get downsized tech. A 9-inch touchscreen display is still standard, as is a configurable 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. A forward collision warning system with automatic emergency braking is standard as part of Volvo’s City Safety suite of safety features.
The interior has thoughtful details and lots of storage spaces; it’s probably the most practical interior this side of a minivan. There’s a space designed to hold a tissue box, and just forward of that is an integrated trash can for used tissues and other garbage. The bin is removable for emptying.
Storage spaces abound: There’s a device storage cubby in front of the gear selector with optional wireless charging. There are dedicated card holders to the left of the steering wheel and one hidden above the device cubby. The doors have storage pockets large enough for a 15-inch laptop and a water bottle; this was made possible by developing a unique stereo with Harman Kardon that uses a woofer behind the center console, eliminating door speakers.
Find out more details about the 2019 Volvo XC40 in the video above.
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