Volvo XC40 R-Design T-5

The Volvo XC40 is the Swedish marquee’s entry to the premium compact SUV category. It earned the prestigious European Car of the Year 2018 and Japan Car of the Year 2018-2019 awards when it was first launched. Let’s find out what makes this car a winner.

- Maribelle Alba

DESIGN

Street fashion was the inspiration for the Volvo XC40, designed to be tough and vibrant yet fresh and playful. The two-tone color scheme with the solid black rooftop, roof rails, side mirrors, and skid plates complement the R-Design front grille and 19-inch black diamond-cut alloy wheels for a striking visual impact that is muscular yet sleekly Scandinavian. It has a panoramic sunroof, for those who want to let in some sun and wind.

The R-Design interior trim is similarly pleasing, with that level of attention to detail that marks this car as above the ordinary. The décor inlay is bold and different, towards which I initially had ambivalent feelings until familiarity turned into liking. I love the combination of leather and Nubuck upholstery on the seats as pure leather seats can turn uncomfortably warm and can be slippery so you’re always trying to slide back up to a more upright seating position. The driver seat can be programmed to remember settings including the exterior mirrors, so if you’re sharing the XC40 with another driver in the family, you can just press a button to quickly adjust the seat and mirrors to your ideal position.