Best Volvo Small / Compact SUVs
Volvo XC40 (2018-2026)
- Starting Price $44,990 to $94,955
- TransmissionAutomatic and Dual-Clutch (DCT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD), Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel Type Petrol, Diesel, Electric (BEV), Hybrid (HEV) and Plugin Hybrid (PHEV)
- See all
Our XC40 has been the best car we have had. Until now. A heavy rainstorm seems to have somehow flooded the interior of the car (even though we are… Read more
not in a flooded area and were parked on a hill), leaving the entirely electric control system to completely malfunction and become unusable. We had to have it towed away as we were unable to apply any kind of brakes through the electric panel, nor turn it off - even the manual shutdown option on the central display would not work. This could have been very dangerous if we had left it running on the street which was our only other option. Of course Volvo Roadside assist would not help us at all and kept referring us to insurance - even though this could potentially have been a life-threatening situation. We are so disappointed in this situation. We also had it serviced at Volvo less than 2 months ago. We now have to wait 8-12 weeks to have this fixed - and of course our insurance only covers rental cars for 2 weeks - so now need to pay for our own hire car for a minimum of 10 weeks because of this absolute shambles. A car not made for weather that is less than 2 years old? No thanks Volvo.
Volvo EX30 (2024-2026)
- Starting Price $59,990 to $71,290
- TransmissionAutomatic
- Drive TypeRear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel Type Electric (BEV)
Recall, reduced range, and failed Tesla charging make the Volvo EX30 impossible to recommend. The Volvo EX30 has been the most frustrating car I… Read more
have owned (despite LOVING EVs in general). My vehicle is affected by the Australian recall covering 2023-2024 EX30s, which says the high-voltage battery cell modules may overheat at high charge levels and could cause a vehicle fire. Until a remedy is available, owners have been instructed to keep the battery below 70% charge. That significantly reduces the usable range of the car and creates ongoing inconvenience for me because it forces more frequent charging and makes normal travel less practical. I live in a regional area and there are far fewer options for me to charge as it is. Which brings me to the second major downside of this car. Unbelievably frustratingly, my EX30 cannot reliably use Tesla Superchargers in Australia, even where other brands can charge at the same site without issue. My girlfriends with BYDs, Hyundais, or Kias can all use them, but not me!! For me, that matters enormously because Tesla’s network is the largest, fastest and often far cheaper than other public chargers. For a premium EV, this combination of a serious recall issue, reduced usable range, extra charging inconvenience, and unreliable access to the best charging network is unacceptable. I have asked Volvo for a replacement or refund under Australian Consumer Law and would urge other owners of the EX30 to do the same.