IN THE Winter WONDERLAND

Volvo's stylish new SUV, the C40, is a treat to look at. But how is it to drive? To find out, we took the C40 for a spin in the freezing climate of Sweden, where we even drove it across a frozen lake!

- ISHAN RAGHAVA

As a nation, we are fortunate to have diverse geographical terrains and weather patterns, ranging from tropical climates in coastal areas to freezing temperatures and high altitudes in the Himalayas. Having driven through various states during winters and having encountered plenty of snow on our roads, I thought that I had a fair understanding of how to drive in cold weather conditions. However, driving Volvo’s latest SUV, the C40 Recharge, in the freezing climate of Sweden proved to be an entirely different experience altogether. Sure, our winters are cold – places like Drass are among the coldest inhabited areas in the world – but the winter wonderland that is Sweden is something that one must witness at least once in a lifetime.

BUT FIRST, THE CAR

The C40 is a sportier, coupe-like version of the XC40 Recharge. Based on the same platform, the C40 shares much of its design and hardware with the XC40 and is offered in two EV powertrain variants. One is, of course, the dual motor 402bhp variant, which gives the C40 all-wheel drive capability, and the other is a single motor variant, which offers 238bhp and 330Nm. Both variants offer impressive range – the AWD variant claims to have a range of 507km on a single charge, while the single motor variant offers 476km from its 69kWh battery. For those who need even more range, it is also available with an 82kWh battery, which provides a claimed range of 533km.