Volvo will soon launch the EX30 in India with a 69 kWh battery pack and rear-wheel drive layout, after driving it for a couple of days, I feel it's one of the worst cars Volvo has ever made, here is why -
Pros -
- Small, nimble, peppy - the EX30 drives like most Chinese EVs
- 0-100 km/hr in 5.3 seconds is fast as it produces 272 HP and 343 Nm
- Apple CarPlay is finally wireless in a Volvo
Cons -
- Doesn't feel like a Volvo, feels like any other Chinese EV
- Everything is stuffed inside the 12.3-inch infotainment screen, there is no instrument cluster and it lacks physical controls - shockingly distracting and coming for a brand that always talks about safety
- The glass roof is fixed, doesn't open
- AWD variant isn't being offered in India
- Design is more Chinese than Scandinavian
- Rear seats lack space, this car is designed for 2 people
- Storage is poor with small door pockets, useless glovebox and a small boot
- Evident cost cutting - there are no speakers on the doors, power window switches are in the centre and not on the doors
- ADAS is poorly calibrated, everytime you look into the centre screen to monitor speed, the driver monitoring system rings an alert and you have to turn it off everytime you turn on the car!
- Stiff ride and the 19-inch wheels don't help comfort either
- The EX30 isn't a bespoke Volvo as it's underpinned by the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) which is developed by Geely and used by the Zeekr X and Smart #1
- Claimed range of 480 kms, real world range of under 340 kms with an efficiency of under 5 kms per kWh is poor for a car of this price
- Sub-par build quality, doesn't feel like a Volvo and my test car's front bumper collapsed on a small impact with sand, the car was undrivable
It's quite evident that the EX30 isn't a Volvo but a Chinese car with a Volvo badge but if Volvo prices it right, it could sell well. However, anything above Rs. 35 lakhs (ex-showroom) will make this new entry-level Volvo dead-on-arrival!