2028 Volvo XC40 First Look: Glowing Up While Biding Time

• What's new: The Volvo XC40 is getting the second face-lift in its 10-year run. 
• Why it matters: Volvo needs to keep its compact crossover fresh in the face of new competition from BMW, Audi and Mercedes.
• Edmunds says: It appears the XC40 has finally caught up with the pack with key improvements in safety and interior technology, but we'll wait to pass judgment until we get behind the wheel. 

For 2028, Volvo has reshaped every panel in front of the driver's seat, and whether you believe the designer jargon about "taking away volumes" and so on, there's no denying the new face is fresh, if not revolutionary. The treatment at the rear is more effective, bringing a new bumper, a resculpted tailgate and new rear light signatures. All told, it's a step in the direction of premium the XC40 needed. 

The changes inside are minimal. The biggest change is the new 11.2-inch center touchscreen that's standard across the range. It floats above the housing the old screen sat within. It looks a little tacked-on to me, but it's both clearer than before and quicker to react to inputs. 

It also helps that Volvo added new exterior cameras with higher resolution than before, and they provide a crisper view of the surroundings. (You can also finally manipulate the 360-degree view to see other angles around the vehicle.) Volvo also added new sensors to the exterior and updated the safety systems, which should mean fewer false readings and less unnecessary intervention while you're out on the road.  

A new Cardamom leather upholstery is optional, and it brings a little life to what was either an all-black or beige (and admittedly drab) interior space. Synthetic leather seats with cloth inserts are still standard, but this new finish is real leather. 

This refresh also gets rid of the base engine option for the XC40. Only the more powerful mild hybrid turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (aka B5) remains. It still makes 247 horsepower but torque gets a bump from 258 lb-ft to 266 lb-ft. The power flows through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. All XC40s will come with all-wheel drive as standard, and Volvo says the XC40 will get 27 mpg combined (25 city/32 highway). 

You might be wondering why Volvo is updating a vehicle that at this point is quite old. Volvo is still adamant that it wants to become an EV-only brand, but the market isn't there. Plus, the untimely death of the EX30 proves that the U.S. market isn't ready for pint-sized EVs just yet. 

So instead of investing heavily in an all-new platform, the brand is soldiering on with its two-pronged ICE-and-EV approach, with the goal of eventually phasing out its gas-powered vehicles. When that will happen, though, is anyone's guess.

Eagle-eyed readers will note that this is the 2028 XC40 and we haven't even crossed over into 2027 yet. But Volvo says you'll be able to pick one up by next spring — the brand's just rolling it out a little earlier than usual.