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SENSUS CONNECT

Unpacking the 2019 Volvo XC40

February 21, 2018 by admin 4 Comments

With the XC40, Volvo now boasts a trio of SUVs.

Updated May 25, 2018 to include revised cargo space capacity and fuel economy ratings.

You can now put Volvo Cars on your luxury SUV shopping list if it isn’t already there. This spring, the third utility vehicle from this Swedish brand debuts when the 2019 Volvo XC40 arrives on dealer lots.

The XC40 is important for Volvo for a number of reasons, but especially as it enables this automaker to supply consumers with a full line of utility vehicles. The 2019 XC40 is a compact model, which joins the midsize XC60 and large XC90 crossovers in thoroughly covering the segment. Further, the new Volvo vehicle targets the three top German makes, with the Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3 and BMW X1 the models ideal for that comparison.

2019 Volvo XC40
The 2019 XC40, the latest SUV from Volvo.

Unpacking the 2019 Volvo XC40

This week, journalists were invited to Austin, Texas, for a media introduction and drive event. The morning excursion covered city routes with several “cultural” stops to take in, including furniture making, fashion and music. There was a definite tie-in Volvo wanted journalists to experience with these stops, including the SUV’s storage, the materials used and audio options, the latter amplified with its available Harman Kardon sound system.

The following are the key highlights of the new model:

1. SUV beauty, smaller scale. Volvo managed to capture the handsomeness of its two other SUVs and apply it to a smaller footprint. The brand’s recognizable grille with Volvo insignia is pressed in by beautiful headlamps with Thor’s hammer accent lights. The profile is somewhat different from other Volvo models as the beltline rises sharply to the rear roof pillar at the rear door handles. From the rear, you’ll find the expected boomerang tail lamps.

2. All-wheel drive is standard. At launch, all 2019 XC40 models have all-wheel drive. We expect a front-wheel drive model later, but for now you get all-wheel drive and your choice of Momentum and R-Design trims. An Inscription trim rolls out later this year.

2019 Volvo XC403. Competitively priced. Volvo wades into shark-infested waters with the XC40, taking on the three German brands already mentioned as well as Infiniti, Lexus, Acura and LandRover. Volvo’s $35,200 starting price for the 2019 XC40 supplies the market with a similarly valued and sized product as its competitors, while enabling it to claim a few features not available or costing extra in the other models. Specifically, the XC40 offers standard remote engine start, LED headlights, leather seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and lane-keeping assist.

4. Luxuriously appointed. Volvo interiors are beautifully designed and covered in a variety of materials, including leather and metal deco. You’ll find such items as a 12.3-inch digital drive display with navigation, a 9-inch Sensus Connect touch-screen, 8-way power front seats, a nifty front storage compartment (divided between tissue box and trash bin receptacles) and even an integrated bag hook. The look and feel is clean, the design sensible and this SUV’s overall practicality evident.

5. One powertrain choice to start. Volvo has big plans for vehicle electrification, with hybrids and pure electric vehicles part of that mix. But in launching the new model, they’re sticking with the basics, namely a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine generating 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission works alongside this engine. We expect a plug-in hybrid model in the near future and perhaps we’ll even see Volvo’s all-new three-cylinder engine make its way to the North American market.

6. A spirited drive awaits. Happily, the XC40 is no slacker, delivering ample off-the-mark acceleration and the requisite kick when you need it. Driving around town the XC40 delivered the expected leisurely ride with weighted steering and quick handling at the ready — ideal for making tight turns on narrow streets. Where this SUV shines is on the open road and that’s precisely the route we took for the second half of our day, navigating Texas Hill Country and passing through such small communities as Round Mountain, Johnson City and Dripping Springs. Narrow, twisty roads with the occasional stream crossing the same. Posted speeds of 70 mph and a nice selection of twisty and falling roads were present, including one wonderful switchback. Minimal body roll was detected — this SUV handles as well and it is as fun to drive as any model in its segment.

7. You can subscribe one. You’ve heard of financing or leasing a vehicle, but subscribing to one seems like a foreign notion. And it is, but not for long if Volvo has its way. With the 2019 XC40, Volvo introduces a third ownership option: subscription. The way this works is that creditworthy consumers can shop online, subscribe and take delivery of a new model. Working somewhat like a lease, consumers lock into a 24-month all-inclusive flat-rate program, one that covers all maintenance and insurance costs — all you have to do is purchase the gas. Moreover, Volvo will allow consumers to make one upgrade in the first 12 months and supplies a 15,000-mile per year driving allowance. The cost is the same no matter where you live in the US: $600 per month for the XC40 T5 AWD Momentum with Premium Package, Vision Package, Heated Front Seats and Heated Steering wheel or $700 per month for an XC40 T5 AWD R-Design with the Premium Package, Vision Package, Advanced Package, Heated Front Seats and Heated Steering Wheel, Panoramic Roof, Harmon Kardon Premium Sound and 20” wheels. Volvo expects a 10-percent take rate with the program and will carefully monitor it before rolling it out to different models.

2019 Volvo XC40

Volvo XC40 Parting Thoughts

With a trio of SUVs for your selection, Volvo Cars now has a full-range of crossovers worthy of your consideration. The design meshes well with other models and the novel subscription plan could prove a dealmaker for some shoppers.


2019 Volvo XC40

  • Sticker price: $35,200 (AWD Momentum)
  • Seats 5 occupants
  • 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine
  • 248 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
  • 258 foot-pounds of torque @ 1,800 to 4,800 rpm
  • Eight-speed automatic transmission
  • Wheelbase: 106.4 inches
  • Length: 174.2 inches
  • Width: 73.3 inches
  • Height: 65 inches
  • Passenger volume: NR
  • Storage volume: 57.5 cubic feet (rear seat folded)
  • Towing capacity: NR
  • EPA: 23/31 (AWD)
  • Premium grade gasoline
  • Fuel tank: 14.2 gallons
  • Curb weight: From 3,629 pounds
  • IIHS safety rating: NR
  • Limited vehicle warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles
  • Powertrain warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles
  • Corrosion warranty: 12 years/unlimited miles
  • Vehicle assembly: Ghent, Belgium

See Also — Highlights of the 2018 Volvo Product Reveal


2019 Volvo XC40 photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine. All rights reserved.


Filed Under: New Models Tagged With: all-wheel drive, Austin, luxury, SENSUS CONNECT, subscription, SUV, TEXAS, Volvo XC40

Make it Five: Volvo V60 T5 AWD Cross Country

April 24, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

Wagons have not sold well in the United States, but that isn’t stopping Swedish automaker Volvo from introducing a variant to its V60 sport wagon. This lifted wagon comes with skid plates to provide better off-road duty when needed.

Take a Volvo V60 wagon and put it on steroids and you have a new model. Well, at least something that is marginally different. That’s exactly what Volvo did when it rolled out the Volvo V60 T5 AWD Cross Country for 2015.

Volvo V60 Cross Country

V 60 Cross Country: Riding High With Skid Plates

The V60 Cross Country is the same model as the standard wagon, but with two important distinctions: a higher ground clearance (7.4 inches) and skid plates, the better for assuming off-road duty. Well, maybe not rugged 4×4 work, but at least the light-duty travel on gravel and moderate sloughs you may occasionally traverse. Oh, yes, this model might also serve as a true road beast when the big snows arrive.

There is no need to rehash each of the many nuances of the earlier model, what I drove at the beginning of this year. (See — Sportwagon: 2015 Volvo V60 T6 R-Design). The differences in this model are few, but enough to mention here.

Unlike the earlier model with its line of four-, five- and six-cylinder engines, the V60 Cross Country comes with only one engine choice — the five cylinder. Even that will change over the coming years as Volvo switches to a complete four-cylinder engine family, with a 2.0-liter supercharged and turbocharged engine powering nearly everything. Yes, the other engines are on the way out as Volvo attempts to maximize efficiencies while severely restricting your choices.

Volvo V60 Cross Country

Five-Cylinder Goodness

The model at hand had the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, an oddball of a motor for sure, and a cylinder arrangement used by Volkswagen and previously found in various Audi and GM applications. It is an inline-five and has been serving Volvo and many of its vehicles for the past two decades.

The engine is turbocharged and makes 250 horsepower — earlier versions provided performance similar to the six cylinder and fuel efficiency closer to the four cylinder, a winning combination that has served Volvo well. However, with the base engine now rated at 240 horsepower — thanks to a turbocharger and a supercharger as well as an eight-speed engine — the “five” will soon be no more.

Yet, the V60 Cross Country’s engine gets the job done. Slip behind the wheel of this model, turn on the ignition, engage the transmission and you are off. It has surprisingly decent off-the-mark acceleration with a long power curve. The turbo boost kicks in low at 1,800 rpm and stays at it as you approach highway speeds. Quite frankly, I found the engine capable and quiet — it may be on the way out, but it still has its usefulness.

The difficulty in justifying the five cylinder is due to its lackluster fuel economy. This model is EPA-rated at 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway or 23 mpg combined. The wagon is considered a compact among premium makes, but it also corresponds in size to more common midsize models such as the Subaru Legacy. The AWD Legacy gets a combined 30 mpg with its 2.5-liter “four,” a number that Volvo is aiming to reach.

Volvo V60 Cross Country


2015 Volvo V60 Cross Country

View manufacturer details and pricing


Interior Room and Storage

Certainly, I must admit that I do like the V60 in all of its variations. Indeed, wagon-type vehicles have fallen out of favor in the states, but this one is useful, delivering 43.8 cubic feet of storage capacity. The front seats are very comfortable, the rear seat is too, but your passengers may find the legroom tight. Thus, this model may best be suited for a family with youngsters.

There are a few features with the V60 Cross Country that should be noted: WiFi and a voice control navigation system are available. Both features are what premium shoppers want and Volvo has them. WiFi is part of the brand’s Sensus Connect system, what provides connectivity via Bluetooth.

Furthermore, you need the optional Volvo on Call service feature, what allows you to connect your smartphone, a laptop or your tablet to the Internet. Even without Volvo on Call you can still use your smartphone to enjoy Sensus Connect via Bluetooth or WiFi. The navigation system does take some getting used to. Without the required passcode (as I experienced) access is thwarted. No worries — vehicle owners are password enabled once they purchase a new Volvo.

Volvo V60 Cross Country

Safety Is Impeccable

Of course, Volvo’s best attribute bar none is its stellar safety record. If Volvo could prevent accidents, they would. And they are trying to do just that with an ambitious goal in that by 2020 no driver, occupant or pedestrian will be killed by a new Volvo vehicle. To that end, there is a suite of safety devices that help this model achieve a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Yes, safety is paramount for many people these days and Volvo’s record remains impeccable.

To sum up, the Volvo V60 Cross Country gives you something extra over the standard V60. That standard model is also available in all-wheel drive, but if the added ride height and skid plates appeal to you, then this is your model.


2015 Volvo V60 Cross Country

  • Sticker price from $41,000
  • Price as tested: $49,350
  • Seats 5 occupants
  • 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder gasoline engine
  • 250 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
  • 266 foot-pounds of torque @ 1,800 rpm
  • 3.70 inches bore by 3.27 inches stroke
  • Engine compression ratio: 9:5-to-1
  • Six-speed automatic transmission
  • Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
  • Length: 182.5 inches
  • Width: 73.4 inches
  • Height: NR
  • Passenger volume: NR
  • Storage volume: 43.8 cubic feet
  • Towing capacity: NR
  • EPA: 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway
  • Premium grade gasoline
  • Fuel tank: 18.8 gallons
  • Curb weight: From 3,622 pounds
  • IIHS safety rating: Top Safety Pick+
  • Limited vehicle warranty: 48 months/50,000 miles
  • Powertrain warranty: 48 months/50,000 miles
  • Corrosion warranty: 144 months
  • Vehicle assembly: Gothenburg, Sweden

Volvo V60 T5 Cross Country photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine.

Filed Under: New Car Reviews Tagged With: 2015 CARS, all-wheel drive, CAR REVIEW, FIVE CYLINDER ENGINE, safety, SENSUS CONNECT, Volvo V60 Cross Country

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