Volvo has a query for the ranks of the EV-curious: Is the 2025 Volvo EX30’s small carbon footprint an even business for its small bodily footprint? 

The Chinese language-owned Swedish automotive corporate has its maximum tidy SUV up to now with the 2025 Volvo EX30, a crossover that’s now not a lot better than a Mini Cooper. With its battery-electric drivetrain rated with up to 275 miles of vary, it joins the XC40 Recharge within the Volvo lineup, with the coming of the not on time EX90 electrical flagship SUV rescheduled for early subsequent 12 months.

The EX30 nudges Volvo nearer to turning into an all-electric emblem by means of 2030. It’s a rapid, value-packed electrical automotive with above-average vary. Its SUV credentials are skinny, on the other hand, and the ones used to Volvo’s fresh luxurious vibe received’t to find that right here. As a substitute, Volvo guarantees the EX30 will declare the lowest ever carbon footprint for the logo. Partly that is because of its measurement—it’s fabricated from much less subject matter, it’s so tidy of percentage—however Volvo says a lot of the steel used within the EX30 will itself be recycled, as will nearly all of the plastics and herbal fabrics used within its cockpit, and that its level of meeting makes use of 100% climate-neutral electrical energy. 

Does that make it fulfilling to force, in addition to reassuring to shop for? I drove the EX30 in Barcelona site visitors and across the Catalan nation-state, and felt the ping of a Volvo vibe that echoed again a minimum of a few generations, deep into its prosaic previous. 

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

Volvo EX30: Vary, regen, and function

At its core, the EX30 wraps a hatchback frame round an EV drivetrain with a unmarried rear-mounted 200-kw motor and rear-wheel force. At the spec web page, the aptly named Core type develops 268 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque, which Volvo claims can scoot it to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Whuffling from a prevent, the single-motor automotive pauses for a split-second ahead of it slices thru morning site visitors and curls up into the Barcelona hills close to previous Olympic venues, with all of the urgency any driving force wishes within the instances. Best pace’s set at 112 mph.

Later, I’ll transfer right into a dual-motor automotive, which provides a entrance 115-kw motor however stocks the similar nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, estimated at about 69 kwh. So fitted, the all-wheel-drive EX30 (offered in both Plus or Extremely trim: extra on that during a bit of) can rocket to 60 mph in a claimed 3.4 seconds, towards the similar 112-mph height pace. The dual-motor EX30’s web 422 hp and 400 lb-ft make it the quickest manufacturing facility Volvo of all time, together with Polestar Engineered automobiles. On this spec the EX30 posts slotcar-like responses to inputs at the skinny accelerator pedal, surging forward with no feint because it passes Seats rapid-fire, one after the other.

I didn’t have the option to fast-charge both automotive, however Volvo says the dual-motor EX30, excellent for an estimated 265 miles of vary, can fee from 10-80% in lower than a 30 minutes, at a top fee charge of 153 kw. It hasn’t printed a time for the single-motor automotive. That vary is a lot better than the Hyundai Ioniq 5’s base vary ranking of 220 miles, and falls in keeping with the bottom Tesla Style Y and its 260 miles of vary.

At the Tesla tip, Volvo says it’s going to in the end transfer to the Tesla-style NACS charging port. Early EX30s nonetheless will game a CCS charger and homeowners might be introduced a NACS adapter.

The EX30 can slingshot itself from a stoplight with verve, however Volvo has now not saddled it with brittle suspension tuning. It’s compliant, and leans into corners gracefully even if the wheels touch the bottom thru 20-inch tires. A easy pair of MacPherson struts in entrance and a multilink rear suspension report off the worst of the street forward, with light-touch steerage choosing its manner in the course of the nation-state in live performance with the hushed drivetrain and muted journey.

Understated however in the long run fast, the EX30 downplays its attainable for regenerative braking and one-pedal riding. Volvo has tuned the SUV for extraordinarily gentle regen, which isn’t even to be had within the Efficiency force mode (which itself can’t be selected if the battery’s charged to lower than 80 p.c). It’s a decision that might simply be moderated or altered with an over-the-air replace or firmware intervention. Right here’s hoping that occurs because it presentations up in U.S. showrooms.

As for its SUV bona fides, the EX30 weighs so much, upwards of three,858 kilos as a single-motor automotive and four,140 kilos as a twin-motor system. It does have 7.0 inches of flooring clearance and a tow ranking of as much as 2,000 kilos, however it is simply now not meant for any severe off-roading. It is a crossover at middle. We’ll wait till the approaching Pass Nation version for higher clearance ahead of tackling tricky terrain.

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (single-motor, Cloud Blue)

Volvo EX30: Google nests in a spartan cabin

Styling cues inside and outside that determine the EX30 and as a Volvo. The hammer-style LED headlights that bowed at the emblem’s fresh decade’s price of SUVs will get pinned right here to the entrance finish, whilst the facet panels put on mild scallops that emphasize the auto’s shoulders. The rearmost roof pillars plant the auto, and cap the squared-off, stubby frame with LED rear lights that path up the pillars like illuminating vines. 

The EX30 cockpit dips into any other inkwell for inspo. The only, center-mounted touchscreen faucets Tesla’s tech-ripe glance—however the cabin’s trimmed in a wide variety of recycled topic that comes off because the polar reverse to the dreamy birch-white woodgrains and pillowy nappa leathers of Volvo’s upscale SUVs. Whilst it pours out top-shelf efficiency, Volvo trims the doorways, sprint, and seats in thrifty stuff that strikes a chord in my memory of the Ford Maverick. Between its vertical air vents it wears huge belts of plastic reinvented from previous window frames or from pulped denim.

Some variations decoupage the sprint with flax. The rugged spec appears proper at house within the huge halls of a flat-pack furnishings retailer, however contrasts starkly with the efficiency runs it rips. Suppose again to the 240 sedans and wagons and also you’ll perceive the prosaic take higher. Staying power is the objective, now not class.

The fabrics might be as arguable because the nylon lava-orange carpet from the XC40. Another way the EX30 inner’s extra mundane. Volvo assists in keeping its seat-comfort talents on top alert right here, with softly strengthened chairs and a excellent vary of handbook adjustment; best the highest model will get energy entrance seats, and Volvo gives no leather-based to change in for the natty recycled material the seats put on smartly. The ground cushion must tilt down at its again for top class consolation, however differently the EX30 fits two giant entrance passengers smartly.

With a 104.3-inch wheelbase and an total period of simply 166.7 inches, the EX30 can’t carve back-seat miracles out of the footprint. With simply 32.3 inches of legroom, it’s greater than comfy for 2 medium-sized passengers again there, and toeroom beneath the entrance seats is sorely missing.

The place the EX30 excels is in garage. The cupholders come out from beneath the entrance armrest, above a console with garage underneath a butterfly lid. A usefully formed glovebox sits beneath the central display, in achieve of each driving force and passenger. The EX30 gives up 14.1 cubic toes of area at the back of the rear seats, or31.9 cubic toes when the seatbacks drop. A shallow 0.2 cubic-foot bin sits beneath the hood, much less a frunk than a frovebox.

As for infotainment, Volvo has fitted a Tesla-like unmarried touchscreen interface for its EX30 EV. It delivers the standard mapping and vehicle-control purposes—but additionally hosts the car’s gauges and a few of its finer consumer controls. To regulate the mirrors, the motive force should faucet the display then swipe on steering-wheel controls to reposition them. It’s kind of too sophisticated in its quest for simplicity. Perhaps at some point it’s going to all really feel as acquainted as ordering a McRib from a virtual kiosk?

Till then, the EX30 could have Volvo’s protection popularity to lean on. The NHTSA and IIHS haven’t had a crack at it but, however Volvo bundles each EX30 with automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise management, blind-spot displays, and rear parking sensors. 

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (dual-motor, Vapor Gray)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (dual-motor, Vapor Gray)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (dual-motor, Vapor Gray)

2025 Volvo EX30 electrical SUV (dual-motor, Vapor Gray)

Volvo EX30: Costs, same old options, and trim ranges

On sale now, with deliveries due early subsequent 12 months, the 2025 Volvo EX30 begins from $36,245 for the single-motor Core type. That comes with the Google infotainment device in addition to the to hand wi-fi Apple CarPlay override and 18-inch wheels. Heated seats and a heated steerage wheel value an extra $500.

For $40,195 Volvo outfits the single-motor EX30 Plus with 19-inch wheels, Harman Kardon sound, a wi-fi smartphone charger, and a wide ranging roof. 

Volvo asks $46,195 for the dual-motor Plus, and any other $800 for 20-inch wheels on it, or at the Extremely EX30, which provides on entrance energy seats with lumbar adjustment in addition to a surround-view digital camera device, automated park lend a hand, and hands-free driving force help, dubbed Pilot Help by means of Volvo. A single-motor Extremely is going for $41,895; the dual-motor Efficiency Extremely, $47,895. 

All variations game a 4-year/50,000-mile guaranty that comes with the primary 3 scheduled carrier visits. However none qualifies for the IRA tax credit score of as much as $7,500, since neither the auto nor its battery are sourced from North American or differently privileged puts.

The 2025 EX30 nonetheless poses a robust price proposition—and a query for many who see sustainability as the way forward for the privately owned automotive. Does the EX30 nonetheless ring the similar chimes that Volvos previous have, for the golf green patrons it has in thoughts? In the event that they height their must-have lists with sustainability and potency, it does.

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Volvo paid for trip bills in order that shall we deliver you this primary force of the 2025 EX30.