Volvo EC40

This electric coupé SUV is a stylish alternative to one of our favourite cars: Volvo's XC40. But what's it like to live with? We’re running one to find out

- MARK PEARSON

YOU'VE ALL HEARD the expression 'putting your money where your mouth is', yet few of us actually get to do it very often. Just such an opportunity did recently arise for me, though.

You see, as What Car?'s used cars editor, I was happy to oversee the Volvo XC40 being crowned as our 2024 Used Car of the Year.

And no sooner had that duty been dispatched than I took delivery of my brand new Volvo EC40a sharply styled electric SUV derived from the XC40.

Derived? Well, yes, let me explain. The 2020 XC40 Recharge was the first all-electric XC40.

Then, a couple of years later, it gained a swoopy, duck-tailed coupé SUV sibling called the C40 Recharge. And that's essentially what I've got, except a recent change in Volvo's naming strategy means it's now known as the EC40 and the 'Recharge' part of the name has been dropped.

I like the way it looks - so much so that I was prepared to put up with a little less rear head room in exchange for the curvier roofline.

I'll let you know in the coming months whether my passengers turn out to be quite so forgiving.