Used 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Consumer Reviews
Used XC40 Recharge for sale
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 XC40 Recharge, so we've included reviews for other years of the XC40 Recharge since its last redesign.
Love the car, hate the first model year issues
BeckyC, 03/06/2023
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
This is my second XC40, the first being the first model year gasoline version. Love them both but I did not have the first-model-year issues with the gas version that I'm having with the electric. It is every bit as fun, sporty, etc. as the gas version but have had challenges with the infotainment center. I didn't even make it home from picking it up (after waiting a year for it to be built) and the infotainment center died. After 3 weeks I got the car back and loved it for almost 2 years (still under 7,000 miles on the odometer) and the infotainment had hard faults and had to be replaced again. If it weren't for the significant drop in confidence in the durability of the vehicle I would keep it until they develop longer range batteries. With the infotainment center issue (that would cost a small fortune if it weren't under warranty) I will not keep the car beyond the warranty. I love the style, pep, drive, and everything else about the car so am almost positive I will get a newer model of the same, which speaks to just how much I enjoy the car. I don't drive that much or take long trips so the range isn't a significant issue for me but can definitely see how it would be for those that do drive quite a bit. If you can get past the range, the XC40 (gasoline or Recharge version) in general, is an awesome car and I absolutely recommend either one, just not the first model year of the Recharge.
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New to Electric cars
New to electric cars, 03/15/2021
updated 03/16/2022
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
23 of 26 people found this review helpful
My last car was a 2012 Mercedes GLK 350. I liked the body style so was looking for something similar. I don’t like the Tesla egg shape. As I was looking for a new car, the XC40 caught my eye because of the body style. I was not looking at the recharge at first but I liked the sage green metallic color. Only the recharge comes in this color. I’ve had my car for a month now. I love the way it drives. Takes off and drives very smooth. The second day I had my car the service light came on for the coolant system so I had to take it in for service. The thing about this car is that it is so new that there are not many service techs available to work on it so it took 4 days to get my car back. And the service people are also still learning about the car so they don’t have really any answers. They leaked tested the coolant system and refilled it and the problem went away but didn’t know why it was low in fluid when I had only had the car for 2 days. For a small SUV it is quite roomy. I also like that it does not have a lot of buttons on the dashboard. Very sleek and simple. Since I haven’t had a new car since 2012 I am not used to the automated infotainment system. I’m not tech savvy. Need to take some time to figure it out. The heated seats and steering wheel option is operated on the infotainment screen and the buttons are tiny so hard to select at times. Sometimes the speedometer jumps from mph to kilometers. Could be user error. Yesterday my service light came on again and showed my SOS system is not functioning so needs service but at this point I do not wish to take my car back in for service again. I’m not sure if it’s because of Covid but the maintenance department hours are limited compared to other car companies. Also, Volvo maintenance dept are a lot smaller and not as many locations to choose from versus other cars like Mercedes. Charging points is also somewhat of a pain but I had a 220V plug installed in my garage and charging overnight will charge to full. I tried it with 110V and charged 12 hours and just got 20%. I have not gone on any long trips but I suppose that would take some planning if I have to stop to recharge. Overall I really like my car. Just find the electronics a bit of a pain. Still need to figure out all the functions as well. So far the issues I had are more of a nuisance than any reason that would keep me from purchasing the car. Let’s see how my long term experience pans out. Update: I’ve had my car for a year now. I did have to take it in a few times for issues with the infotainment. But the last 7 months have been smooth sailing. Haven’t had an issue (fingers crossed). Otherwise, if you have long commute this car is not for you. My daily commute is 10 miles and I charge every 4 days.
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Car controls are a breeze
Brendon in Minnesota, 07/27/2023
2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Having read the horror stories about the electronics crashing I was super worried; it was one reason I chose to lease for the first time. The user interface is EASY and completely glitch-free (so far)! I loved my 2010 RAV4, and wanted the new vehicle for my commute to work and for the weekly trips to Menards and the yard-waste collection site. This car is a huge step up from a RAV in terms of power and comfort, while matching the RAV's functionality. I had a trailer hitch installed and find the roof rack system useful.
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Electric Slide
MS_P, 10/11/2022
updated 04/15/2024
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
The volvo recharge is hands down a awesome ride!! The interior control panel, nav and controls are thoughtfully placed for maximum comfort. The seats are superior to all other (BMW, Lincoln, Mercedes) I have owned, it is such a smooth ride, quite, great acceleration, handles the road well and has a great driver feel...you drive without effort but there is no lose feel, somewhere between luxury and sport fell to driver experience. Economical. Down side, the range is not as good as a gas driven vehicle. Update: after two years I can say with confidence that this is a hassle free solid ride, no maintenance costs to date and still loving it!
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A Great Ride, electronics are an issue for some.
Walter, 07/11/2021
updated 06/03/2022
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
27 of 32 people found this review helpful
I purchased a Volvo XC 40 recharge. It had five complete power failures with an inability to start. It was flat bed towed five times to my Volvo dealership. I sent two certified letters and multiple emails to Volvo USA requesting a contact to help resolve the issue. I received no responses other than emails saying that the matter was being looked into. Multiple calls and emails resulted in no direct communication. The service did not assist in loaners or any form of alternative transportation. The car was not reliable and failed to start. Even after a trickle charge was installed, a complete power failure occured. The service rep replaced the TCAM, software updates, firmware updates, and the car was in service over five times in one year. The car still failed to start. Avoid this car. There are people report that the car is reliable. But, there are multiple postings that this car has a gremlin that Volvo cannot fix. And, the customer service is terrible. You will never get anyone to contact you and discuss the issues. I have had five EV cars. From BMW, Nissan, Tesla and Audi. The Volvo is the one to avoid.
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Shockingly good EV
TW, 02/22/2021
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
48 of 59 people found this review helpful
We’ve had our Volvo XC40 Recharge for about 6 weeks. I expect that many of you considering this car have never owned an EV before, it was our first, too. I’ll cover the car itself and also touch on EV ownership. To cut to the chase, I really love this car and I am enjoying driving electric. Driving this car always puts a smile on my face. With 400+ horsepower, this is very fast for an SUV. The XC40 Recharge feels effortless accelerating from any speed. The other great thing about an EV is that there is no transmission and no gears so when you hit the gas to accelerate, there is no lag waiting for the transmission to downshift, it just takes off. And with an electric drivetrain there is no engine noise at all. With the battery below you, most of the weight is really low so there is no body roll when going through corners. It’s an awesome driving experience. Looks are subjective but I appreciate the understated Swedish design of the XC40 Recharge. In my opinion, it’s one of those few vehicles that looks great from any angle. Our vehicle is an R-Design as it seems that all of the Recharges headed for the US as at the moment. For its class, the interior is quite good. There’s probably a bit more hard plastic than I would like but that’s nitpicking. I am 6’2” and have a big build. I don’t fit well in most European cars as most have sports seats which frankly I just don’t fit in. I have plenty of room in the XC40 and I’ve climbed in the back and I am comfortable there too. Trunk space is decent and more than adequate to haul groceries for a family of 5. Bottom line, while it is a small SUV, it doesn’t really feel that way inside. The XC40 Recharge infotainment runs Android. This isn’t just Android Auto, it actually is Android. This really makes things like voice commands work well. Every other car I’ve had, voice commands are frustrating and I never end up using them. In this car it works great as it leverages Android’s voice capability. Just say, Hey Google and whatever you want and it figures it out. Which brings me to the other advantage of Android, Google Maps. The car’s nav runs real honest to goodness Google Maps and works just as well as on your phone. It will find and insert charging stops into your journey if you exceed the range of your car. Apps can be downloaded from Android Play to stream music and other types of entertainment. To set expectations, there are only a handful of apps right now as Volvo and Polestar are the first cars to run Android natively. I expect more apps to show up if other manufacturers jump on the Android bandwagon. So let’s talk about owning an EV now. It seems that concerns over range are the primary worries about people considering an EV. I was concerned too but I am over it now. My advice, if you own your own home, have a 50 amp circuit installed in your garage. This will allow you to charge your car from empty to full overnight (about 8 hours if you were truly at 0% charge). Home charging allows you to come out to a fully charged car every day. For us, we don’t take long trips that often and when we do, we will just let Google Maps plan out the stops. I think many under-estimate how nice home charging is. Just plug in when you pull in the garage for the night and unplug in the morning. While I am on the topic, the stated range from Volvo is 208 miles. In the last 6 weeks, I would say that is very reasonable. We’ve had a few longer drives where our consumption would put the range as high as 240 miles. At highway speeds (70-80mph) and low temps you may be below the stated range. I would say expect anywhere from 170 - 240 miles per change depending on conditions, speed and frankly how much lead is in your foot. On price, entry point is about $53k with many hitting dealer lots in the $58k range. That’s not cheap for a small SUV. It represents about a $10k uplift over the XC40 T5 R-Design. This vehicle does qualify for the federal $7500 credit and you may have other state credits, too. Factoring in the tax credit, is this worth a $2500 uplift over the T5? Absolutely, without question. It’s (lots) faster, quieter, smoother and costs less to operate. Be aware though, you only get the credit if you buy instead of lease. Before buying the Volvo we drove a Tesla model 3. I felt the Tesla was a bit unrefined. It rattled over rough pavement and both my wife and I found the seats uncomfortable. That said, Tesla is ahead on efficiency (better MPGe) and Tesla’s autonomous driving tech is second to none. If those are more important to you, I encourage you to give Tesla a look. We went with a Volvo because it felt more like a luxury vehicle and had a more traditional car configuration (there is a drivers instrument panel!). I love pretty much everything about this car. After owning an EV, I also doubt I’ll ever go gas again. If you are looking for a nice alternative to Tesla, give the XC40 Recharge a try.
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Love it!
George Wood, 02/12/2022
updated 02/20/2025
2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
A great SUV for short trips, 2 people and a dog, around town use. Very comfortable, will seat 4 adults readily. Extremely good acceleration, timed recharge make recharging after midnight easy. I said short trips. That is about 100 mile radius because range is just over 200 miles. I find storage adequate, but my 2020 Honda CRV had a bit more storage, which made handling my walker a little easier. My wife, myself and our dog can easily handle all items needed for a weekend trip to a vacation condo about 50 miles one way away. I love all the gadgets in the Ultimate trim, and use most of them. Am beginning to learn about “Hey Google” but have not had a lot of use for it yet. All my recharges so far have been on my home charger, so, don’t know how the public chargers work. All in all, I am delighted with the XC40 Recharge Ultimate and would buy it again. GHWood. [contact info removed]
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This EV hits the sweet spot.
Lew, 07/07/2023
updated 01/11/2024
2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Ultimate 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
We have had this car for 3 weeks, and love it. We have had none of the problems the others have had with the electronics. The "Hey, Google" voice control is great. Our other two cars are gas-powered BMW's, one more of a sports car than this and one more luxurious than this. Still, the Recharge hits its own sweet spot, quiet, comfortable, and practical, so that both my wife and I love driving it. I watched a YouTube video from England, comparing a Tesla 3, the XC 40 Recharge, and a car that we don't get here, a BMW X1 EV. Tesla was considered to be in 1st place for the electric part of EV but third place for the vehicle part--things like seats and ride. The BMW was faster and more spacious than the Volvo and was the 1st choice of two reviewers, while the third reviewer said that for himself, he would choose the Volvo. He didn't need the slightly greater speed or space, and he liked driving around in the Volvo the most. That is the way that we feel--this car hits a sweet spot. If you are in the market, you should give this a try.
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Love the car - but no AM radio
Bob, 06/07/2021
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
11 of 13 people found this review helpful
I've had the XC40 Recharge for two weeks now and I love it. Quick, smooth and easy to drive. I take a canyon to work and it handles the curves easily. The lower than expected center of gravity because of the batteries is really nice. I have mine set for one pedal drive (taking my foot off the "gas" automatically applies recharge braking), which really saves on battery usage, and my car came with adaptive cruise control which also saves the battery on the freeway. My only gripe is, no AM radio, it does have FM (but not HD FM). The car has several Android radio apps, so you can listen to the local news, but you sometimes get other city commercials. Living in Los Angeles we heard San Francisco advertisements, which was kind of funny. When I bought the car, I had to sign a paper that said that the Apple Car Play isn't available yet. Apple Car Play is expected towards the end of 2021. That being said, the Google operating system still works great. Bluetooth sync'd with my phone and pulled all my phone numbers, favorites and all my saved locations from Google Maps, which was a real timesaver. The only thing I miss right now is having the phone read me my texts and the ability to respond to them. Our local power company does have options to save on electricity, but I can charge for free at work and it might not be worth the hassle to set up at home. I am still going to have a 240 volt plug installed because it's much faster than being plugged into a wall outlet. I'm thinking of replacing my wifes XC60 in a few years, with an electric version if it's available.
2.5 years of ownership. Still loving it.
Steve, 08/21/2021
updated 08/29/2024
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)
18 of 23 people found this review helpful
I’ve owned and driven countless cars in my 48 years of driving, personal vehicles, company cars, rentals, many muscle cars, but the XC40 recharge purchased 2.5 years ago is the most exciting and fun car I have ever experienced. It is fantastic and I can’t find fault with it. It is deceptively and thrillingly fast, super quiet on the road, feels as solid and safe as a small tank. Has no rattles or squeaks whatsoever and the Harmon Karmon audio system is very, very nice. For a small SUV my wife and I do not feel cramped in it, my Golden Retriever fits in the back without having to lay the seats down. It charges easily and mine came with a home charger I had installed and my power company gave me a credit for doing it. Who would believe that would happen? I use this car for local trips around town and it suits the role perfectly. One pedal driving is the only way to go and not even having to push a start button to go is incredible. Last year I bought a Toyota Venza for long highway drives so Volvo range was never an issue for me. However, I am already considering changing the Venza over to something electric in a couple of years when all EVs battery range will surely improve. For now, 208 mile range is fine, especially considering the excitement of driving this amazing machine.
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