Volvo's little electric EX30 gets crossover-themed Cross Country treatment. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Background

If you've ever travelled in Sweden up towards the Arctic Circle, then you'll be familiar with the decades-old practice whereby Swedes winterise their cars for the arduous Arctic colder months. It didn't take Volvo long to realise that this was a look that buyers in markets with less challenging climates might find appealing. Hence, a quarter of a century ago, the introduction of the big V70 Cross Country estate, a model then succeeded by a longer-lasting variant, the XC70. That XC70 was eventually phased out as interest in the brand's purpose designed SUVs took hold, but in more recent years, the company has started to rugged-ise more standard models again and we've seen the Cross Country badge revived for slightly tougher-looking versions of the V60 and the V90. That badge has also made an appearance on two of the company's strongest-selling electric models, the EX60 and this car, the EX30, which was the first EV and the first SUV to use the Cross Country badge. Let's take a look.

Driving Experience

Volvo says the EX30 Cross Country is for 'weekend explorers', but it's hard to think of any places very far off the beaten track that you could actually go exploring in it because predictably, its off-road prowess is very limited indeed. Still, that's not the point. The changes made here are just the sort of thing a Swede living up on the Arctic Circle might want if they were planning to use this EX30 on slippery, snow-packed roads throughout an arduous winter. So ride height has been raised by 19mm and the car is shod with 720mm all-terrain road tyres. Plus the five-link rear suspension has been softened to enable the car to better cope with 'ankle-deep' snow, muddy tracks and bumpy terrain. The set-up really works too; it handles bumps and potholes brilliantly and is one of the things that might really sell us this car, which is easily the best-riding EX30 in the line-up. If you happen to know people who live at the end of bumpy lanes, you'll just sail along them in this Volvo. The brand offers the EX30 Cross Country with either a 272hp single motor set-up; or, perhaps more appropriately, the 428hp Dual Motor P8 AWD powertrain we're trying here, which (courtesy of a potent 543Nm of torque) storms the car to 62mph in just 3.6s en route to the 112mph maximum that all modern Volvos share. Either way, you have to have the brand's larger Long Range 69kWh battery, which returns mileage figures of either 300 miles for the single motor P5 model - or up to 280 miles for the dual motor P8 version. There are three drive modes - Range', 'Standard' and 'Performance'. And a 'One Pedal Drive' brake regen system with 'High', 'Low' and 'Off' settings.

Design and Build

As you'd expect, this Cross Country model gets a more rugged look than standard EX30, with a 19mm-higher ride height, chunkier all-terrain tyres on 19-inch black rims and a blacked-out boot lid, plus more sculpted bumpers and blackened arches. The front grille is also blacked-out and features artwork showing the topography of the Kebnekaise mountain range in Arctic Sweden, which apparently was an inspiration for Volvo's designers. Options include a roof-mounted kayak holder, a stowable tow bar and a roof-mounted tent. There are no changes to the interior over the standard EX30. You may detect shades of Tesla in the absence of an instrument binnacle and the way that everything - including all the drive gauges - has been located on a centrally-positioned 12.3-inch vertically-mounted Google-based touchscreen. Also unusual is the lack of door-mounted speakers - a sound bar runs across the full width of the dashboard instead. Cupholders slide out of a bulky-looking central armrest; the glovebox and the electric window switches are centrally placed; the central tunnel incorporates a removable storage box; and there's a tray accessible to rear seat passengers. There's only room for a couple of them, but the longer wheelbase made possible by the EV-specific SEA platform helps with leg room. The boot capacity is rated at 318-litres, rising to 718-litres with the rear bench flattened.

Market and Model

Prices for this EX30 Cross Country start from around £41,000 - about £2,500 less than an equivalent top-spec 'Ultra' model. As with the 'Ultra' versions, you have to have the larger Long Range 69kWh battery; and there's the choice of either the 272hp P5 powerplant or (for around £2,500 more) the 428hp dual motor P8 AWD powertrain. Either way, there's the choice of either base 'Plus' or plusher 'Ultra' trim. As well as the Cross Country changes we outlined in our 'Design' section, standard equipment is of course as with any other well-specified EX30. Which means you get 19-inch wheels, a panoramic glass roof, a 360-degree surround view parking camera system, powered front seats, a Harmon Kardon audio system and a gutsy 22kW on-board charger. Media tech is taken care of by a large Google-based infotainment system showing on a 12.3-inch central portrait display, complete with wireless 'Apple CarPlay' smartphone-mirroring. Plus as you'd expect, you get heat for the front seats and steering wheel, all-round parking sensors, 2-zone climate control and Volvo's 'Pilot Assist' semi-autonomous drive assist tech. There's an autonomous braking system of course - 'Forward Collision Warning' (which can also detect cyclists and pedestrians). There's also an 'Oncoming mitigation by braking' set-up, a 'Rear Collision Warning & Mitigation' system, a Lane Keeping Aid, 'Run-off Road Protection' and 'Run-off Road Mitigation'. Plus a 'Blind Spot Information System with steer assist' that warns you if you're about to dangerously pull out in front of another vehicle and will apply steering assistance to ease you back to safety. Another steer assist feature - 'Pedestrian, cyclist and scooter steering avoidance' - stops you from getting too close to people and cyclists on country roads. 'Rear Cross Traffic Alert' with auto brake will warn you of oncoming vehicles when you're reversing out of a space and is able to automatically brake the car if necessary to avoid a collision. And 'Low speed auto brake (rear)' will stop you from hitting people, animals or objects at low parking and manoeuvring speeds - a low wall for instance or an errant dog in your driveway.

Cost of Ownership

We gave you the EV driving range figure in our 'Driving' section - between 280 and 300 miles. For the 69kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery (only 64kWh of which is actually usable), charge can be accepted up to a rate of 153kW. You can get a 10-80% DC charge in 26 minutes and a full AC home charge from a 7.4kW wallbox in 11 hours. With a three-phase 11kW wallbox, you could reduce that AC charging time to 8 hours. What else? Well as usual with EVs, insurance groups will be high. But you'll claim a little back in terms of VED road tax, set at just £10 for the first year. You'll also save of course on a low Benefit-in-Kind taxation rating, set at 4% in the 2026/2027 period immediately following this test, then due to rise for a further 1% a year for the two years following that. You may not be aware though that EVs now have to pay the London Congestion Charge, though unlike combustion models, they're still free from paying ULEZ zone charges. There's the usual unremarkable three year / 60,000 mile Volvo warranty - which is somewhat embarrassed by the five year cover than Hyundai offers or the seven year package of an equivalent Kia. The battery's separately covered by an eight year 100,000 mile warranty. Service intervals are every 18,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first. The brand has also now introduced a Vehicle-to-Load feature with the EX30, a technology that allows customers to store energy in the battery of their electric Volvo and use it later. This function (V2L) can transform the EX30 into a powerbank for charging other electrical devices, like an electric bicycle, or to power appliances such as electrical tools, sound systems and camping gear. Like all EVs, this is trumpeted as a 'zero emissions' model - and of course, like all EVs, it isn't; the energy to create the electricity that drives this 1.8-tonne Volvo has to come from somewhere; a well-to-wheels calculation sees an EX30 emitting CO2 at a rate of 30.9g/km.

Summary

Volvo says 'the concept of durable and all-weather cars' is core to its brand. Legions of satisfied Swedes in Arctic territories would doubtless agree. Whether you'd want to be reliant on an electric car in really testing conditions is another question, but this is more lifestyle-orientated EX30 certainly looks potentially better at tackling tanking temperatures than any of its competitors. Volvo says this model was created 'because more and more people are seeking ways to get closer to nature'. Well you're not going to get very close to nature in an EX30 Cross Country, but you'll certainly feel better about not polluting the light tracks you can access with exhaust smoke.