Volvo C40 Recharge: 10 Observations After 2000kms

I can’t help but laugh as the local car wash centre’s supervisor asks me for the car’s keys, sits in the car for 20 seconds before asking me to move the car myself. This Volvo doesn’t start like most cars do. It’s a reminder that as cars get more technologically advanced, it’s not just car owners who need lessons in how to use them but anyone who deals with your car in any way.

Valet Weirdness

I generally avoid handing my car to valets. They often jump between cars of different sizes and prices, while rushing between each park job to get as many tips as possible. However, when I went to a 5-star hotel with the C40 Recharge, I just had to know, would they figure it out?  

You see, this is one of those new age electric cars that doesn’t come with a starter button. Hop in with the key and you’re good to go. It’s something I explained to the valet as I handed him the key while he kept looking around for a push-button starter. The C40 Recharge is all about de-complication and Swedish simplicity but until things like this are commonplace, it’s best you give anyone handling your car a heads up.

Deactivate

Not in this coupe SUV but I first experienced one-pedal mode in the Volvo XC40 Recharge some 3 years ago. It functions as advertised and is the mode I used the C40 Recharge in almost exclusively as I lived with it for a month. If automatics made people lazy by deleting a pedal, this aids the laziness in a whole new way. It made the few occasions I had to get on the brake pedal feel like a task!  

There are a few issues though. Constantly, using the accelerator pedal for all driving does put some pressure on the ball of your feet over time, since you never really have to lift it. But more importantly, this is the only regenerative braking mode you have. So if one-pedal mode is off, you’re just free-wheeling, with no levels to play with, which I missed especially on downhill drives. There’s a camera-linked auto mode for the regenerative braking as well but the experience with it feels too jerky in our traffic conditions.

And of course, the valet issue props up here too and most drivers aren’t used to a car braking as you let off the throttle. So to avoid any sticky situations and keep things natural, I always switched one-pedal mode off before handing the C40 Recharge to anyone else, including my father.

ADAS

While the blind spot warning flashes so often in traffic that you’d think it’s Diwali, that isn’t really an issue. The rear auto brake, auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise control are far too reactive to live with in India. My multiple Mumbai-Pune Expressway runs would go with cruise control off, simply because the C40 maintains European follow distances even at the closest follow setting. The result is premature braking and slowing down when cars behind you don’t expect you to, making you look like a driver who doesn’t know what he’s doing.

That said, when highway traffic is sparse, using Pilot Assist is a boon. The system isn’t fully autonomous so you will be warned if you keep your hands off the steering wheel for too long. Ignore the warnings and the car will automatically switch on the hazard lights and brake the car to a dead stop.

Triggered

The parking sensor sensitivity also gets overwhelmed in Mumbai. Try using the touchscreen even while at a standstill and shuffling pedestrians or motorcycles will throw the screen back to the 360-degree camera. Using the AC touch controls while this happens can really grind your gears.

Silence! I Thrill You!

Not only is the noise insulation superb, the Harman Kardon sound system delivers punchy and clear quality too. I often listen to fast paced and heavy music at full volume but trim reverberations or imbalanced sound kill the experience. Thankfully, that isn’t the case here and Volvo’s built the sound stage wonderfully.

Big Softie

The C40 Recharge’s ride is definitely set up on the softer side. While this makes for a comfy ride in the city, highway drives on anything but perfectly surfaced roads tend to feel bouncy. It’s something you can live with if you’re the one driving but rear seat occupants will feel surface or level changes a lot more apparently.

Calm And Storm

Driving the C40 Recharge is a truly calming experience. The smoothness in power delivery, sound insulation and soft ride encourage you to take things easy. However, it’s also an absolute rocket ship. There are no drive modes, so all you need is a good old throttle mash to get a giggle or squeal from your friends or a talking to from your parents. 0-100kmph takes a claimed 4.7 seconds and the brutality of how the twin motors put the power down will never fail to make you laugh.

That being said, it’s just a fast car. The driving dynamics are very much tilted towards comfort and the car feels its weight. So it may go forth like a sportscar, but nimble or agile like one it is certainly not.

Thoughtful Touches

• The textured ambient light artwork in the dashboard is a crowd favourite. Everyone who sees it, loves the execution.

• With washer nozzles integrated into the wiper blades, the C40 Recharge clears its windshield quite efficiently and effectively.

• It’s almost funny that a seatbelt warning can be pleasant to listen to. The seatbelt warning chimes are very soothing to listen to and friends of mine would deliberately unbuckle to listen to it.

• While large in size, the car is quite easy to park in most spaces and the dimensions make the C40 Recharge easy to live with in Mumbai.

• The front seat comfort is great and my favourite touch is the extendable underthigh support.

Not So Thoughtful

• The rear seat under thigh support is poor even for someone of an average height, owing to the raised floor height. 

• While the boot space is rated at 404 litres, a giant space saver spare tyre takes up pretty much all of the space. On unleveled roads, this tyre also tends to hop and shift about a bit (owing to the aforementioned soft suspension).

• There is no shade for the glass roof. The glass itself is tinted and reflects heat to a large extent but in the daylight, it’s an annoyance to constantly have sunlight filtering into the cabin.

Running Cost

• The C40 Recharge manages a real world range of about 450km on a full charge including highway use. 

• A peak hour 20km city commute in the summer with the AC set low can use up around 5-7% of charge. 
  

Parting Thoughts

The Volvo C40 Recharge is a great option for the kind of person who wants “nothing to prove” luxury. It’s a well-built luxury car that makes every drive a relaxed affair with many thoughtful touches that make you feel more connected to the car. 

Think of it this way - there are different kinds of relationship dynamics. Some are replete with grand gestures of affection or great celebrations to tell the world how much you love the other. Others keep things low key but never forget to pay attention to the little things, like remembering a book mentioned in a passing conversation or leaving a thoughtful note on the refrigerator before leaving for work. The C40 Recharge’s luxury mantra is the latter.