I like when production cars look close to their concepts, and the new 2018 Volvo XC40 didn’t change much from the clean and modern design we saw last year. Official pics and specs of the new crossover dropped this morning, and Volvo’s trying some new and different things with the ownership model.

First, the car. It looks nice! And it keeps the black roof option we saw on the concept, as well as the choice of white or body colors for up to 17 combinations. That’s fun.

The XC40 packs in a lot of the design and technology we’ve come to enjoy on the newer XC90 and S90 for a lot cheaper. At launch, the all-wheel drive T5 version will start at $35,200. That gets you a 247 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four. Next summer, Volvo says, a front-drive T4 version will go on sale at $33,200. Hybrid and full electric versions are coming later too.

Equally interesting is the new Care by Volvo subscription service, which launches with the XC40. It’s effectively a new kind of leasing with different terms and perks, and it’s done like buying a phone through your carrier or signing up for a streaming music service (they want those millennials, dammit.)

You pay a flat fee to have the car and everything from insurance to taxes to maintenance is covered by Volvo. You also get a new car every 24 months and have the option of borrowing other Volvos when you need them.

The app also lets you share your Volvo with your friends and family through a “digital key,” creating a new system of car-sharing. If you trust those people with your car, of course. It’s fine and understandable if you don’t.

A lot of this doesn’t sound far off from Lynk & Co., the other new car company owned by Volvo parent Geely that’s centered around new models of car sharing. So Volvo may be piloting some or all of those ideas here, with the new XC40, which by virtue of being a compact luxury SUV will probably sell quite well.

The first XC40s will be shipped to customers early next year.

Volvo has made something nicely distinctive here. It'd be impressive even if they'd been practicing for years

FOR:

Stylish inside and out. Very comfortable. The cabin's practical. It's super-safe

AGAINST:

The engines drink too much and sound too rough. The automatic gearbox is indecisive and jerky

The final piece of the puzzle for the 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge is falling into place today, two weeks after official EPA range information became available. Volvo just announced pricing, and it’s going to start at $54,985, including the $995 destination charge. Of course, buyers can also expect to take advantage of the $7,500 federal tax credit (and other state credits) with their XC40 Recharge purchase. That makes the total dent in the wallet $47,485 for a base crossover, or even cheaper depending on what state you live in.

There isn’t a long list of available packages and options, but Volvo detailed a few of them for us. The most expensive is the Advanced Package that adds Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver assistance system, a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging, a 12-volt outlet in the luggage area and a headlight cleaning system for $1,300. The Climate Package adds a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and heated wiper blades for $750. And the last important option we’ll point out is a heat pump for $350. Volvo says the heat pump can precondition the cabin’s temperature and extend battery range, so it feels like a no-brainer for such a cheap price.

Compared to the XC40 Recharge’s direct competition, the crossover is priced in the same ballpark. A Tesla Model Y Long Range is $49,990. The base Ford Mustang Mach-E with all-wheel drive starts at $46,695. Neither the Ford nor the Tesla are perfect comparisons, though. The XC40 is both smaller and more premium than both of those options. We’ll note that it’s not a huge stretch to go from the XC40 Recharge to the Polestar 2 that begins at $61,200, a $6,215 climb above the base XC40 Recharge.

Charging network

Volvo also announced that it’s beginning a collaboration with ChargePoint as the official charging network for the XC40 Recharge. That will give owners approximately 115,000 places to charge their electric crossover, though Volvo is light on the details for now. We asked, and Volvo said that an announcement about charging software integration is coming soon. Don’t expect free charging to be part of the deal though, as Volvo tells us that’s not part of the company’s “immediate plans.”

The partnership will allow owners to purchase a ChargePoint Home Flex charger for their home at the time of their XC40 purchase, but we don’t have pricing on this option yet.

You can place an order for the electric crossover on Volvo’s website now. The build and price tool is up, so you can customize it to your heart’s content.

Volvo Cars has introduced a range of updates to its entire car line-up, the most prominent of which is an exterior refresh of its fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge. The company also unveils a single-electric-motor variant of the pure electric C40 Recharge.

The new C40 and XC40 variants, along with all other new Volvo Cars' models, will be available through an updated offer concept, designed to make the online ordering process of Volvo cars easier and more convenient. Volvo customers will now be able to choose between different equipment levels and select the options that best suit their personal needs. The new offer structure reflects Volvo Cars' ambitions to increase price transparency, as well as reduce complexity in its model offering by focusing on attractive pre-selected variants.

When Volvo Cars first presented the XC40 in 2017, it was a fresh, creative and distinctive addition to the Volvo line-up. Five years later, it is an award-winning staple in the company's portfolio and one of the car maker's constant top sellers.

To reinforce its cutting-edge design and modern statement, Volvo Cars' designers have now given the entire XC40 line-up a refresh. A new front bumper and a frameless grille plate keep the all-electric Volvo XC40 Recharge visually in sync with the C40 Recharge, aligning the two cars that symbolise Volvo Cars' electrification journey.

The signature Thor's Hammer headlights are augmented with state-of-the-art pixel LED light technology, enabling them to automatically adapt to traffic in front and efficiently light up the road ahead without dazzling other drivers.

Additionally, customers will receive premium leather-free upholstery options in the pure electric XC40 Recharge, as well as new exterior colours and alloy wheels, offering further possibilities for personalisation.

"As we move towards becoming a fully electric company, our design language follows," said Robin Page, Head of Design at Volvo Cars. "With the refreshed fully electric XC40, we continue to evolve its instantly recognisable design, creating a more modern face with a sleeker front and an even more integrated grille."

In addition to the twin-motor variant, Volvo Cars has also unveiled a single-motor variant of the pure electric C40 Recharge, expanding its fully electric offer and supporting its ambition to help more people make the switch to fully electric cars.

The new single-motor C40, with power to the front wheels, expands the company's range of fully electric variants to four, further paving the way towards its ambition of selling only fully electric cars by 2030.

The single-motor C40 Recharge comes with a 69kWh battery and an anticipated range of up to 269 miles (434km) on a single charge under the WLTP drive cycle. The battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in approximately 32 minutes on a fast-charging system.

In the UK, the new trim level naming structure comprises Start (XC40 T2 only), Core, Plus and Ultimate. Depending on the model, certain trim levels are also offered in a dark theme, with gloss black exterior detailing, or a bright theme, complete with chrome exterior trim.

First UK deliveries are expected in Q3 2022.