Volvo XC40

46 lakh (estd. ex-showroom)

WE SAY: VOLVO’s crack at the compact luxury SUV market comes packing enough to spook the competition.

- Aatish Mishra

Volvos aren’t brash cars. When you look at them, you think of serenity and grace, but brashness certainly isn’t an adjective that comes to mind. And then you lay your eyes on the Volvo XC40. Unmistakably a Volvo, but also unmistakably brash. Where the XC60 and XC90 are all about smooth, flowing lines and a sense of regality, the XC40 is more angular and youthful. Maybe that’s exactly what it needs in the segment it is looking to attack.

These aren’t superficial changes though, something entirely new is brewing underneath the skin as well. The XC40 is the first product from Volvo to be developed on the new CMA platform, shared with parent company Geely. This platform will underpin all Volvo’s compact cars in the near future, with the XC40 being the first of them. What is significant about this platform is that it is optimised to deal with electrification right from the start. Necessary, considering Volvo has pledged that every new car launched from 2019 will feature some sort of electrification. So, while this XC40 is still powered by conventional powertrains, the next-generation car will be a hybrid/ electric without the need for an entirely new platform.

The engine, however, is a familiar one. It’s the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel unit in the D4 spec, which means it puts out 188bhp and 400Nm of torque, on par with the competition. This is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a Haldex transfer case with permanent AWD. Volvo will launch the car in one variant only – the D4 R-Design. There is no petrol on offer right now.