2025 Volvo EX40 Review and Test Drive

Excellent performance, a premium cabin, and respectable utility make the 2025 EX40 an impressive electric SUV.

Perry Stern | 

May 20, 2025 | 7 min read

Perry Stern

The 2025 Volvo EX40 is available in Core, Plus, and Ultra trim levels, each with your choice between a single-motor or dual-motor (Twin Motor) electric drivetrain. Base prices range from the mid-$50,000s to the low $60,000s, including the destination charge for shipping the SUV from the Ghent, Belgium, assembly plant to your local dealership. The EX40 is ineligible for the $7,500 EV federal tax credit, but you might be able to use the leasing loophole to reduce payments.

For this EX40 review, Volvo delivered a Twin Motor Ultra for testing in southeastern Michigan. It had no options, so the manufacturer's suggested retail price was $62,045, including the $1,295 destination charge.

Perry Stern

Is the 2025 Volvo EX40 a Good Electric SUV?

If you're looking for a compact crossover SUV with expressive styling, a spacious and upscale interior, and an electric powertrain, the 2025 Volvo EX40 is a good choice. The Twin Motor model's added performance makes it even more desirable to anyone looking for an entertaining drive. While there's strong competition from vehicles such as the Audi Q4 e-tron and Genesis GV60, its Swedish design and Google-based infotainment system help the EX40 stand out.

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The Volvo EX40 Boasts Standout Styling, Inside and Out

The 2025 Volvo EX40 may have a new name, but its clean, modular exterior design hasn't changed since its introduction as the XC40 Recharge. As such, it still looks a lot like its gas-powered XC40 sibling, except the EX40 features a solid grille panel with a large Volvo logo in the center, whereas the XC40 has a traditional grille.

The Swedish SUV's cabin exhibits a classic Scandinavian style with few physical controls and premium, understated materials. Stylish driftwood trim decorates the dashboard and door panels, while the seats feature Volvo's Microtech synthetic suede with recycled textile bolsters. The automaker also sews a tiny Swedish flag into the inner seam of the front seatbacks, reaffirming the brand's country of origin.

Traditionally, I've found Volvo offers quite comfortable seats, and the EX40 is no exception. The side bolstering is effective without feeling tight, and the seat cushions include adjustable thigh supports, offering additional comfort for those with long legs. After several hours behind the wheel, I felt no fatigue or soreness.

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Rear-seat passengers enjoy ample headroom and legroom, but the EX40, unlike many EVs that have a perfectly flat interior floor, has a hump where middle-seat passengers want to put their feet. In the gas-powered XC40, that hump houses drivetrain components. In the EX40, electrical components use it.

The EX40 may be a compact SUV, but it offers good utility, with 16 cubic-feet of space behind the rear seats and below the cargo cover. Fold the rear seats down and remove the cover, and the volume expands to 57.5 cu-ft The front trunk (frunk) also has 1.1 cu-ft of storage.

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Google-Based Infotainment and Available Pilot Assist

The XC40 Recharge (now EX40) was the first Volvo to adopt a Google-based infotainment system, with popular features such as Google Maps and a Google Assistant voice interface. Both integrate seamlessly, and when navigating to a destination, the map shows how much battery charge will remain upon arrival. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also standard but requires a wired connection.

While the infotainment system is intuitive, the interface can be frustrating. A split-screen display is unavailable, so you can't simultaneously reference the navigation map and audio information. Accessing the climate functions through the display also proved challenging, especially while driving.

The excellent voice interface makes up for some of those difficulties. "Hey Google" activates the Google Assistant, which can adjust the temperature, change the music, and set a navigation destination, all via natural-voice requests. You can also say, "I'm cold," and the assistant will increase the temperature a few degrees, and asking to find the closest coffee shop brings up a list of recommendations.

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The advanced technology in the EX40 is not just about entertainment and convenience. An extensive set of advanced safety systems is also standard, and the Ultra trim level includes Volvo's Pilot Assist technology. Pilot Assist pairs the adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist to create a hands-on semi-autonomous driver-assistance system.

I evaluated the Pilot Assist system on Michigan's I-94, and while it isn't a hands-free system, it did a great job of smoothly keeping the Volvo in the center of the lane, even in tighter bends in the freeway. In stop-and-go traffic near Ann Arbor, Pilot Assist brought the EX40 to a complete stop as needed and moved forward on its own when the vehicle ahead did.

An overall safety rating for the EX40 from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is unavailable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not published safety ratings for the EX40.

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The Volvo EX40 Is Surprisingly Quick

Volvo offers two electric drivetrains in the EX40. The EX40 Single Motor setup delivers 248 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque to the SUV's rear wheels. The Twin Motor upgrade has two electric motors generating a combined 402 horsepower and 494 lb-ft. According to Volvo, the EX40 Twin Motor will sprint to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, which seems conservative based on my testing.

According to the EPA, the Twin Motor provides 260 miles of range while consuming 36 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles. After charging my test vehicle using my residential Level 2 charger, a full battery showed a lower range of 240 miles, which is still competitive with most rivals. During my evaluation, the trip computer indicated a consumption rate of 37.2 kWh/100 miles.

The first time I drove the EX40, I laughed out loud at the surprising power from the Twin Motor drivetrain. It comes on strong but with a smooth delivery, and the rapid acceleration doesn't stop at 60 mph. Even when you're already traveling at highway speeds, a push of the accelerator will also push you back into the seat.

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Whether cruising on the highway, maneuvering in the city, or enjoying an enthusiastic romp through the country, the Volvo EX40 delivers a stable, confident ride. There's little wind and road noise at higher speeds, and thanks to its electric drivetrain, the small crossover moves along in almost complete silence at lower speeds.

While I fully expected the EX40 to be a competent highway cruiser, its agility on some of my favorite two-lane back roads was a happy surprise. There is plenty of torque on tap, and the good steering response and predictable regenerative braking make the EX40 fun to drive.

At the same time, the EX40 works well as a proper SUV. I went to the nursery to buy some plants, and the muddy dirt road leading to it presented no issues for the Volvo. The all-wheel-drive system handled the slick conditions without a problem, and the cargo hold had plenty of room to load up a bunch of new flowers and vegetable plants.

Perry Stern

I think the 2025 Volvo EX40 is a great example of how an EV can deliver superior performance and efficiency compared with an identical gas-powered model without sacrificing utility or comfort. Of course, range and cost are factors to consider when looking at any EV, but if you can make it work, the 2025 Volvo EX40 will likely change your opinion of how enjoyable an electric compact crossover can be.

Volvo provided the vehicle for this 2025 Volvo EX40 Review.

Perry Stern

As a small child, Perry was constantly playing with toy cars and trucks, and that enthusiasm for anything motorized with wheels never faded. After college, he moved to Seattle and began his long automotive career working in an automotive consulting firm, helping customers choose the right vehicle for their needs. In the late 1990s, Perry joined Microsoft to work on CarPoint, part of the new Microsoft Network (MSN). He went on to become editor of the site, remaining on staff for 20 years before venturing out on his own. Today, in addition to his work on Capital One Auto Navigator, he still contributes to MSN, as well as J.D. Power, TrueCar.com, and U.S. News & World Report. Perry lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, with his wife and dog, and he still smiles when he sees his 2006 Mazda Miata in the garage.