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By Jonathan Crouch

Volvo's cool-vibed EX30 has taken its brand into a completely new, more affordable EV segment. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 66

The EX30 is a different kind of Volvo, a small posh EV for a new era and a model that is bringing enormous conquest sales for the brand. It's more affordable than you might be expecting and would perhaps make an ideal second car for upwardly mobile families embracing the electric revolution. It's been lightly updated to create the model we're going to look at here.

Backgroundword count: 212

Just about every mainstream car maker right at present seems to be trying to re-invent itself as an all-electric brand. In most cases, particularly with the premium makers, that seems to involve bringing us futuristic-looking EVs priced far out of the reach of most ordinary customers. Volvo wants to be different. And proof of that comes with this car, the EX30. This Chinese-owned Swedish brand can only survive by attracting new breed of younger customers and the EX30 is its most important car yet in reaching them. The brand says this model's job is to 'bring premium full-electric mobility to a much broader audience' and three-quarters of the people who choose it will never have considered a Volvo before. It's pitched and priced well below the company's existing EX40 and EC40 Volvo electric models that compete with the base EVs from other premium brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes. And sized interestingly, somewhere between an EV supermini and an EV family hatch. That means lower pricing than you might expect, which is crucial if Volvo is to get anywhere near its rather over-ambitious target of achieving 50% EV sales across its model mix by 2025. Sounds interesting. Let's take a closer look at this car, lightly updated for the 2026 Model Year.

Driving Experienceword count: 327

The main change made as part of the EX30's Model Year 2026 update was the introduction of a new entry-level single motor P3 powertrain that develops 150hp. This is available with the car's usual battery choice; either a 51kWh pack (offering up to 210 miles); or a larger 69kWh Long Range battery (offering up to 295 miles between charges). This base unit was much-needed because prior to its introduction, the entry-level power point for EX30 ownership was with a 272hp single motor P5 powertrain a little too powerful for many customers' needs (it takes just 5.3s to dispatch the 0-62mph sprint). The range figures are very similar to those of the base variant - up to 209 miles for the 51kWh version or up to 300 miles for the 69kWh Long Range model. From original launch, the fastest Twin Motor P8 AWD version of this EX30 was the quickest-accelerating Volvo ever built. This fastest model adds an extra motor on the front axle to create all-wheel drive and boost total output to a stonking 428hp; enough to storm a P8 EX30 to 62mph in just 3.6s. It only comes with the Long Range 69kWh battery and makes up to 280 miles between charges. Volvo also offers the EX30 in rugged-ised 'Cross Country' form, in which guise you can only have the larger 69kWh battery with either the 272hp or the 428hp drivetrains. Whatever kind of EX30 you choose, under the skin lies the most compact version of the Geely Group's 'SEA' 'Scalable Experience Architecture' platform, engineered here to produce a well-judged standard of ride. Body roll's well resisted too, which might have made for an engaging confection were it not for the rather lifeless steering. There aren't any provided drive modes, nor are there the steering wheel paddleshifters to control brake regeneration that some other competitors offer. Just a 'One Pedal Drive' setting activated via the centre screen - and even that doesn't slow you particularly fiercely.

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