Welcome to Volvo’s smartest little car, and one of its most advanced and safest. And it’s an SUV; one of the fastest-growing vehicle classes there is. The XC40 is pure win-win for customers, in other words.
When it arrives on the Australian market next year, as highlighted in our Top 10 small SUVs article a few days ago, it will compete with the likes of the Audi Q2, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, and even the Infiniti QX30. And it will be aiming to blow them out of the water in terms of connectivity and safety. Kevin McCann, managing director of Volvo Car Australia, said:
“The exterior has an athletic sculpture, while the interior of the XC40 is multifaceted and ingenious, making it yet another example of our human-centric approach. The XC40 is a perfect car for an active Australian lifestyle, and perfectly represents our ongoing transformation plan.”
Being Volvo’s first-ever small SUV, based on its new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), the XC40 has a lot riding on it. And to make sure it arrives with a bang (not literally of course) the vehicle will come with a host of safety gizmos and connectivity initiatives. Run-off Road protection, Pilot Assist autonomous-like driving functionality, and Cross-Traffic Alert with brake support are just some of the firsts in the segment.
Another segment first is a technology labelled as ‘Care by Volvo’. It offers some very cool stuff like digital concierge including re-fuelling, pick up and delivery to the car during servicing, and even cleaning services. This will be a subscription-based setup for buyers, on a flat-fee basis.
This, let’s face it, truly forward-thinking technology is paired with something the company calls Volvo on Call. It brings ride sharing to a new level, allowing owners to easily share their vehicle with family and friends through the system.
From launch, a D4 turbo-diesel and a T5 turbo-petrol will be offered, with plans to introduce a hybrid, fully electric, and Volvo’s first three-cylinder also confirmed. Aussie prices and details are yet to be announced, but it will arrive here next year.
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- New Volvo XC40 – interior
