The all-electric Volvo EX30 is probably the least Volvo-like amongst its brethren, but what their small car lacks in size, it makes up for in its quirks
Singapore – The Volvo EX30 is probably the least Volvo-like amongst its brethren. While the Swedish carmaker has seemingly steered further from its roots with this small SUV, I have to say that it is cheerful, easy on the eyes and still looks very much like what a Volvo should.
While cars like the legendary 850 (which to me, would be Volvos final brick) have left their mark; with someone like myself hoping that the brand would revisit its glorious past – a time where the melodic notes of their 5-cylinder engines ruled, and and names like Tom Walkinshaw Racing, would raise the hairs on my arms.
The EX30 is built for a different crowd. A younger well-heeled audience, who might be looking for their first premium electric car… I think my assumption is quite spot-on, given that some of the EX30’s available colours are not from the usual palettes. This example in Moss Yellow, is inspired by the yellow reindeer lichen found on rocks in Sweden.
While the small SUV shares the same Sustainable Experience Architecture 2 (SEA 2) underpinnings with its brand umbrella cousins – the Zeekr X and Smart #1, it is the smallest of the three. Its wheelbase at 265mm, is 10mm shorter, which means that while the other two cars accommodate four quite easily, the EX30 on the other hand, is more accurately an occasional +2 seater.
I mean… An interior with yellow accents would look pretty cool right?
The interior is way more minimalist as compared to the other cars in the Volvo range. While it is clean, the dashboard does come across as inexpensive. With an emphasis on building a car with the lowest carbon footprint, the EX30 is built utilising recycled materials on both the exterior and interior. None of this is more obvious than the sill of the dashboard and its lower half, where bits of recycled plastic can be seen mixed into the material.
The upright infotainment touchscreen, which is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, makes for quick and smooth navigation. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported wirelessly. If you are familiar with how Teslas function, you’d not be a stranger here, as the driver display is also integrated into the infotainment screen. This means that the speed readings are located on the top right of the screen (which is not the most ideal space to check your speed). The touchscreen is also used for controlling the air-conditioning, adjusting your wing mirrors, and even opening the centralised glove box. In my books, Volvo should have kept things simple, as all this fuss proves to be rather frustrating.
Oddly, the front window switches are located on the central armrest, which also houses a retractable cup holder/tray. In order to operate the rear windows, you’d need to depress the ‘Rear’ button, before lowering them – somewhat like in the Volkswagen ID.5 GTX, Skoda Enyaq, CUPRA Tavascan and the Audi Q4 e-tron. I mean, why cut the button count?
I mentioned earlier that passenger leg space at the rear is rather tight, which gets me curious on why Volvo chose to shave off that crucial 10mm of real estate, when they could have kept the wheelbase identical. Another minus, would be that the rear seat backs seem too upright, compared to its Zeekr and Smart cousins. At 318 litres, the EX30’s boot is passable, but pales in comparison to the Zeekr X.
How about the drive?
Well, it could be better. The steering does feel rather numb, though it sits decently well around turns. Acceleration to 100km/h takes 5.3 seconds, which is quick by most standards.
While there is no ‘Sport’, ‘Normal’ or ‘Eco’ you can choose, which I feel that you’d not miss, after driving the small Volvo for a while, however, there is no way to adjust the regenerative braking. The latter, I feel, is important since everyone’s driving style is different… including those who insist on driving lurchy-lurch on the throttle.
Overall, the small Volvo rides decently well, though the Zeekr X does deliver a more comfortable drive.
Does it make sense?
In a little way, the EX30 does feel a little toy-like. I get a sense that it is one giant check box ticked, which means that it does get the job done… But somehow, it ignores all the other variables which could make or break a car, especially when competition today has become this stiff.
But if you do like a small premium car with quirks, and are not one so bothered with driver dynamics, the EX30 could be quite your Fika. But that again, is quite a number of check boxes to fill.
Text & Photos: Clifford Chow
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Quirky looks gets you places… literally | Lack of switches a letdown |
| In my opinion, the best looking of the three related cars | Lacks space at the rear. Rear seat backs are too upright |
| Drivetrain | Full Electric |
| Layout | Single Motor, AWD |
| Motor power / torque | 264hp / 343Nm |
| Battery capacity | 69kWh |
| Efficiency | 17.8kWh/100km |
| Electric Range | 475km |
| 0-100km/h | 5.3 seconds |
| Top Speed | 180km/h |
| VES Band | A1 |
| Dealer | Wearnes Automotive |
| Verdict | Quirky enough for that few. But could be better. Now available in a Category A COE variant. |
