2024 Volvo C40 Recharge

How does the C40 Recharge drive? Even with its striking styling, we think it's safe to call the C40 a sleeper. We tested a dual-motor C40 and it accelerated from zero to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds, quicker than Ford's Mustang Mach-E and Tesla's Model Y Long Range. And despite the Volvo having some pretty basic all-season tires, there's a reassuring degree of traction and control out of the corners that makes this little SUV pretty fun to whip around. The C40 is more than competent in everything it does.

All this speed doesn't come at the sacrifice of everyday drivability either. The C40 Recharge is effortless to drive at any speed and features a one-pedal driving mode that dials up the motor's regenerative braking effect, allowing you to slow to a stop without having to use the brake pedal.

How comfortable is the C40 Recharge? For a small SUV, the C40 is relatively comfortable. The Recharge starts up and is ready to drive the moment you open the door, and its electric motors produce very little noise. As we're not big fans of the specially designed synthesized noises many EVs emit, we're happy to discover the C40 is free from a gimmicky soundtrack.

The C40's ride leans toward more firm than comfortable, likely because of its extra weight and its bias toward sporty handling. That gives the C40 a slightly busy ride in the city but excellent body control and stability at freeway speeds. The upholstery features recycled materials, and the front seats are fairly comfortable and offer a sufficient level of adjustment. Taller drivers did take issue with the somewhat aggressively angled headrests. The rear seats provide a proper degree of support.

How’s the interior? Volvo's typical user interface remains, and most controls are accessed through the 9-inch vertically oriented touchscreen. The C40 uses Google's newest in-car operating system, which includes convenient apps such as Google Maps and Spotify built right into the car. Apple iPhone users can rest easy as Apple CarPlay is supported. One gripe we have is the rather limited amount of information available through the digital instrument cluster.

The C40 has a relatively roomy cabin, even if getting out of the rear seats will likely require ducking your head due to the sloping roofline. There's a little less headroom for rear passengers in the C40 than its mechanical twin, the boxier XC40 Recharge, but it's adequate and the standard panoramic roof makes the interior feel much more spacious. Unfortunately, the C40's rear visibility suffers immensely from its unique styling. In a word, it's poor. The view offered by the backup camera is also partially blocked by bodywork. Thankfully, the surround-view camera system is pretty helpful when maneuvering into tight parking spots.

How’s the storage? The C40's swoopy styling shrinks its cargo capacity down from the XC40 Recharge's already small 20.4 cubic feet to a mere 14.6 cubes. While there is a frunk, it is very small and best suited to holding little more than a charging cable. The cabin offers a variety of other storage spaces and it's easy to keep your personal items organized. Felt-lined doors are a nice touch and help keep items from rattling around.

Using your C40 for kid duty? The child seat anchors are clearly located under flip-up doors, but they're buried a little deep for easy access. You might have the best chance of fitting a bulky rear-facing seat in this car compared to most other SUVs this size, but it'll still be a tight fit.

The C40 can tow up to 2,000 pounds. That's the same as the Polestar 2, less than the Model Y (3,500 pounds) and more than the Mach-E, which is not rated for towing.

Is the C40 Recharge a good value? While the C40 has some attractive qualities, we don't think it's one of the better values for an EV. It isn't any less expensive than its larger and more spacious competition — the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y — and offers a lot less range than either.

Volvo's basic and powertrain warranties last for four years/50,000 miles, which aligns with the coverage of most competitors. The battery warranty is covered for eight years/100,000 miles, and Volvo covers scheduled services at every 10K miles for up to three years/36,000 miles of ownership. Roadside assistance is included for four years with no mileage limit.

You can call the C40 a Polestar-lite if you want to, but there's no taking away from the effortless and modern way this electric Volvo goes about its daily duties. Even though it's not marketed as a performance EV, the C40's power and poise make it easy, and even a tad fun, to drive. This is a very well-sorted EV.

It's also chock full of Scandinavian design aesthetic. From the stylish wheels to the extensive use of recycled materials and contrasting interior colors, the C40 has a low-key, upscale look that many design-conscious buyers will prefer to some of the other drab or overly futuristic interiors offered in the competition.