First Drive: 2019 Volvo XC40 T5 AWD The Great Experience Of Drive

Volvo’s new XC40 is cute. As in bug’s ear. As in I didn’t know whether I want to drive it or hug it.

Damn, Cute.

Oh, designer Ian Kettle talks about how rugged his new SUV-cum-crossover is and how it is taller and wider than its BMW and Audi competitors. He also claims that it is “city tough” and has “true SUV proportions”. And truth be told, there’s a certain butch-ness to its front end and more than a little aggression in its haunches. But what really sets Volvo’s first subcompact CUV apart from its Teutonic competition is its absolutely stunning side profile and the sensuality of — can I still say this in the oh-so-litigable era — its rear hindquarters. Maybe it’s just me, but I see a face that could launch a thousand ships and the sensuality normally associated with Italian, er, cars. Like I said, cute.

Not that this is all the baby XC has going for it. Delve a little deeper and you’ll find a 2.0-litre turbocharged four — which underpins virtually every model in Volvo’s lineup — that boasts a torquey 248 horsepower and 258 pound feet of, well, torque. More importantly, it’s fairly responsive — just a little turbo lag down low — and is actually smoother than BMW’s X1. Truth be told, it’s also smoother than Audi’s Q3, the master of this turbocharged-four-in-a-baby-SUV thing. Mated to the eight-speed Geartronic automatic and all-wheel-drive (Yanks get access to a cheaper FWD T4 model, though it is powered by the same 2.0L) it makes for an impressive powertrain. And, yes, ’cause I knew you would ask, it’ll tow 1,588 kilograms (3,500 pounds).
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The chassis is equally impressive. No supercar to be sure, but sporty nonetheless, the XC40 feels taut and well connected to the road. The electrical power steering can feel a little numb, but it is both precise and well weighted. As for the suspension — MacPherson struts up front and four-link in the rear, all independent — it borders on the stiff, which means it’s just sporty enough. Indeed, again compared with its German competition, the XC40 more than holds its own.

Of course, being a Volvo, there’s a long list of safety gear on board. Of the latter, there’s the now de rigeueur lane keeping, forward collisions avoidance and driver alerting systems as well as a large animal detection system — like Canada, Sweden has a ton of moose seemingly all trying to make like a chicken. You can, by ponying up $1,600 for the Convenience package. add Volvo’s Pilot Assist, Volvo’s semi autonomous driving aid and Adaptive Cruise Control. Throw in another $1,800 for the Vision package and you’ll add Blind Spot and Cross Traffic system, Volvo’s new Park Assist pilot system and a 360 degree camera. In other words, crash a fully-loaded XC40 and the insurance company knows you made a big mistake.

But there’s a lot more to the new XC40 than a comely face and Swedish paranoia. Volvo claims, for instance, the XC40 has more in-cabin storage options than any other car on the market. It’s hard not to believe them. The stowage areas in the doors, for instance, are positively cavernous, big enough to hold a mid-sized computer bag and a litre bottle of Evian. Ditto for the centre console. There’s even a tab to hook your bag of take-out sushi to on the way home. But — and this is my favorite innovation because, well, I’m messy — there’s even a small removable garbage bin should you decide to you eat your spicy tuna roll on the way home. Sadly, I have no more excuses for keeping a messy interior.

As for the interior itself, it is most welcoming, austere like its European counterparts though in a Scandinavian and not Germanic way. Lightning up my tester’s otherwise monochromatic black décor was a bunch of bright orange cloth — think young punkers’ overtly pastel shading here — in door and floor alike. It’ll not be everyone’s taste — and, judging by the test unit, will dirty easily — but for those tired of the same ole, same ole, other automakers are putting out it will be welcome. Think BMW i3 naturalist here with just a hint of Man Ray for colour. Oh, and though my young hipster friend — and co-pilot — thought the Sensus infotainment system complicated, I quite liked it, especially the navigation system controls and the audio system screen.

That, of course, is all very impressive and, truth be told, I struggled to find something that I didn’t like about Volvo’s new compact crossover, especially since, with a base price of $39,500, it is, in Volvo’s words, “the most powerful luxury compact SUV priced under $40,000.” All that said, the real reason you’ll buy the new XC40 is still that is so damned cute.

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