Volvo C40 Recharge

The cabin of the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge is spacious for a compact SUV. The interior is subtly and tastefully done. The seats and upholstery are made with 100 percent recycled materials and are free of leather. The door cards are made from recycled wine corks, plastic, and forest litter. The floor mats and suede upholstery also get recycled plastics. Details on the door pads and the dashboard depict a Swedish topographical landscape and are softly backlit. Most of the cabin's colour is grey. Brushed metal highlights surrounds the 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit and the air-conditioning vents. There's a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The multi-speaker hi-fi audio system outputs great sound. The entire design of the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge's cabin has simple geometric themes. But the buttons for the audio controls and the plastic on the lower half seem a little less refined. The touchpoints are mostly soft and finished well. The cabin gets a removable dustbin, ashtray and multiple storage nets. Boot space is 39 litres less than the regular XC40. The heavily raked windscreen makes stacking tall objects difficult.

The front of the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge is similar to the XC40. There's the blanked-out fascia that houses the cameras and radar. The refreshed face gets more angular lighting with arrow-style motifs on the bumpers. The C40 is 10mm wider and 56mm shorter than the XC40. The roofline drops aggressively at the back. The 19-inch alloy wheels get an aero-optimised, flashy design. The 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge looks more striking from the back. There's a split spoiler that merges with a heavily raked windscreen, leading into a high-set boot lid. The car gets all-around LED lighting. The spoilers are functional and the lighting is streamlined to match it. The top section of the segment merges into a crisp C-pattern. It extends to the boot lid. The C40 badge comes on the left. The rear windscreen doesn't offer a great view.

The 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge has a roomy cabin. Getting out of the rear seats is difficult because of the sharp-sloping roofline. The headroom for rear occupants is less than the C40 and the boxier XC40 Recharge. All seats get generous legroom. The floor is slightly high because the battery pack is kept below the cabin's floor. But the lack of thigh support isn't felt because of the superbly cushioned and supportive seats. The adjustable suspension absorbs even the worst bumps.

The 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge is equipped with two 17.4kWh permanent magnet motors that produce a combined output of 408 PS/600 Nm. The motors are powered by a liquid-cooled 79.0 kWh lithium-ion battery. The car comes with a 11kW onboard charger. The C40 Recharge returns a claimed mileage of 530km. Starting the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge is extremely simple. There's no start button or even a parking brake. The compact SUV runs by simply shifting the mode from D or R. Acceleration is really quick. Overtaking doesn't need pre-planning, courtesy of the light and responsive steering.

The 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge is packed with driver-assist tech. It comes with integrated Google-based navigation, radars, and multiple cameras that eliminate all blind spots, making the car among the safest EVs. Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, multiple airbags, and an accident mitigation system.

At a starting price of AED 260,000, the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Plus is among the most expensive cars in the all-electric compact SUV segment. It's packed with tech and offers great travelling comfort. Those wanting a state-of-the-art EV can keep the C40 Recharge on their wishlist.