VOLVO EX30

Silent Cabin, Supercharged Escape from Mumbai to Igatpuri in the

- RAMESH SOMANI

It's true, Mumbai doesn't wake up, it erupts.

Never jogging, always sprinting, like it's already late for a marathon it signed up for years ago. By 8 AM, the city is mid-argument. Horns blare, "good morning" feels more like "I'm late," and the rush is already at full tilt. Local trains, taxis and Ubers have hit peak chaos, bikers squeeze through gaps that technically don't exist, and every traffic signal feels like a social experiment in patience, or the lack of it. And right in the middle of this beautifully chaotic orchestra sits a car that refuses to participate. No revs, no vibrations, no drama, just serenity.

Meet the Volvo EX30, a compact SUV that behaves like it's permanently on a Scandinavian wellness retreat. And every great TopGear drive needs two things, a destination and someone to argue with along the way. This time, the destination is Igatpuri, where Volvo Car India has set up one of its fast charging stations. Cool air, winding roads and a charger waiting like a pit stop for the future. Riding shotgun is Tridha Choudhury, actor, traveller and someone who still believes electric cars are a bit boring and slightly pointless. That belief lasts approximately three seconds.