Published:
30 May 2024Volvo has applied the same themes and approach that brought us the airy, lounge-like interiors of the XC90, XC60 and V90 to a class whose last words on cabin sophistication have thus far been the Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque, and in doing so it has delivered an interior for the XC40 that looks and feels luxurious, expensive, informal and very pleasant.
The approach employed is similar to that of Volvo’s larger and more upmarket SUVs, but with a touch of added visual flair and youthful exuberance.
The car’s stylised, narrow air vents flanking the (portrait style) Sensus infotainment system and its patterned dashboard decoration foils (which reflect the light in the daytime and are backlit in the same pattern at night) draw the eye and invite it to linger. This serves partly to draw attention away from some slightly cheaper-feeling fixtures (the window switches and the buttons on the steering wheel spokes) than those you’ll find in Volvo’s bigger cars, but the XC40 is a more affordable proposition, after all. Even allowing for their presence, then, you won’t feel as though you’re being short-changed as far as quality is concerned.
Volvo’s Sensus infotainment system is fitted as standard across the XC40 range. The 9in portrait-orientated touchscreen has pride of place in the middle of the dashboard and is used to operate the majority of the XC40’s functions. These include the entertainment, satellite navigation, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and vehicle settings.
A row of buttons sits beneath the screen, providing quick access to the volume, heated windscreen and heated rear screen. The display screen itself is clear and responsive enough and relatively easy to fathom, but the absence of physical buttons for features such as the climate control is a bit of a pain, because altering settings while on the move does require you to take your eyes off the road.
