By Jonathan Crouch
Introduction
At the end of this century's second decade, Volvo introduced a range of 'Recharge' Plug-in versions of its little XC40 SUV. Buyers had the choice of a Plug-in Hybrid or a full-EV. It's the Plug-in Hybrid, sold between 2019 and 2023, that we look at here as a used buy.
History
The XC40 compact SUV was the last of Volvo's models to get electrification, but it was also the first of the company's cars to get a full-EV electric version, the XC40 P8 Recharge, which arrived in 2019. At the same time, for those who couldn't quite face the thought of going for an all-out EV (or shouldering that top variant's plump price), then Volvo introduced the Recharge Plug-in hybrid derivative look at here, hoping that it might be more palatable.
This PHEV was originally offered in T5 form, but a more affordable only slightly lowered-powered T4 version arrived a year late and carried on selling when the T5 Plug-in was deleted in 2021. The T4 Plug-in sold until the end of 2023. On the used market, an XC40 Plug-in Hybrid will hardly be inexpensive, but it can offer up to 27 miles of all-electric driving before needing to revert to its three cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine. Compromises over the ordinary XC40 model are as few as the visual changes made and there are plenty of driving mode options to ensure that you can maximise the innovative powertrain's impressive efficiency.
What You Get
Visually, unless you happened to pick up the addition of a charging port near the front wheel arch, you probably wouldn't spot any differences between this Plug-in hybrid variant and a more conventional XC40 - and that's exactly the way Volvo wanted it. So there's the usual XC40 'robot-inspired' styling, plus piercing 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights and a clamshell bonnet, along with an inverted front grille and coupe-like rear styling.
Inside, the cabin initially seems identical to that of an ordinary combustion-engined variant, which means there's a real premium feel. As usual with an XC40, there's a digital instrument cluster - you can vary it via 'Glass', 'Minimalist', 'Performance' and 'Chrome Rings' layout options. And the right hand virtual dial switches between being a rev counter (as it is in the 'Power' and 'Off Road' driving modes) to being and hybrid driving gauge (in the 'Hybrid' and 'Pure' mode settings).
You have to look quite closely for this cabin's other EV-orientated touches; things like the extra 'B' option on the gearshift and the selectable 'Driver Performance' screen on the centre-dash monitor, that option showing a powertrain energy graphic. That centre-dash monitor, a 9-inch central touchscreen, is powered by Android, which means you get a raft of over-the-air Google features, including Maps and YouTube Music built in.
Rear seat room has always been an XC40 strongpoint - it beats most class rivals in this regard: two adults will be very comfortable, even on longer trips. As mentioned earlier, impressively, unlike most PHEVs, the batteries used in this installation don't affect boot space (because they're lined along the car's spine, rather than under the rear floor). So the ordinary XC40 model's 452-litre luggage capacity figure is unaffected and will be quite sufficient for the needs of most owners.
What to Look For
There aren't many major issues here, other than a few electrical and software issues; go thoroughly over all the powered and infotainment functions of the car you're looking at. We've come across various powertrain and fuel system issues. And we've heard of failures with the starter motor, which can lead to noise or the engine not starting.
There are various recalls you need to know about. The automatic emergency braking system required a software update for models built after January 2019. Make sure that this was done on the car you're looking at. A few cars built between December 2019 and February 2020 had an issue with nuts securing the brake booster: again make sure the recall was carried out if it applies.
When the battery is on its way out, you'll obviously find that it won't go as far on each charge - and when it starts to run low on charge, you'll find that the car will particularly start to struggle going uphill. If the car won't charge, it could be a problem with your home electrics (or those at the public charge point you're using). Check the charge light to make sure that electricity really is going through the charge port. And make sure there really is charge in the socket you're using to power from - plug something else into it to see - say, your 'phone. If that charges OK, it could be that your charging cable is demanding too much power, so try another power source. Another problem could be that the circuit may have tripped due to a circuit overload. Or perhaps there could be a problem with the charge cable: this needs to be cared for properly. Repeatedly driving over it (as previous owners may conceivably have done) will damage it eventually.
Make sure you do a charge-up before signing for the car you're looking at. When you do this, make sure that when you plug in to start the charge cycle you hear the charge port and the cable locking and engaging as they should; that's all part of the charger basically confirming with the car's onboard computer that everything's good to go before releasing power. But if the charging cable fails to lock as it should, then that won't happen. If there is a failure to lock, the issue could be actuator failure, caused by a blown fuse. Otherwise, it's just the usual things; look out for stone chips and alloy wheel scratches. And insist on a fully stamped-up service history.
Replacement Parts
(approx based on a 2021 XC40 T5 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid ex VAT) A wiper blade will cost you from about £11 to around £34. Front brake pads sit in the £67 bracket; rears will sit in the £33 bracket. Front brake discs sit in the £58 bracket; a pair of rear discs are about £87. An pollen filter is around £18-£31.
On the Road
With this Recharge T5 Plug-in hybrid FWD model, the hybrid system's electric motor drives only the front wheels and works via 7-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox. That motor draws its power from a 10.7kWh lithium-ion battery situated in the car's central drivetrain tunnel and will take over from the associated 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol engine to power this Volvo exclusively when you run it in this PHEV variant's provided full-electric 'Pure' driving mode.
Most of the time though, you're going to be using this XC40 in its normal 'Hybrid' drive setting, in which the electric motor and the three cylinder engine cut seamlessly in and out, as required. The electrified modes have a specific right hand driving gauge in the instrument binnacle that replaces the rev counter. And a selectable 'Driver Performance' screen on the centre-dash screen can tell you at any given time what's being powered by what.
Should you need to press on, there's a sporty 'Power' mode, use of which reminds you that there are plenty of braked horses on offer here, in the case of the T5 PHEV variant 180hp from the 1.5-litre engine and a further 82hp from the electric motor. There's also an alternative T4 Plug-in hybrid derivative which uses the same powertrain but with a slightly de-tuned 129hp version of the 1.5-litre petrol engine. Pushing down past the throttle's kickdown point always brings the petrol engine into play - which you'll obviously need to do if you want to replicate the quoted performance figures; in the case of the T5 PHEV variant, these see 62mph reached in 7.3s, 1.2s quicker than the T4 PHEV version. Both derivatives, like all modern Volvos, top out at 112mph.
With this Plug-in model, as with ordinary XC40 variants, ride quality is segment-leading and refinement is difficult to beat in the class too. The brake recuperation system can make it difficult to smoothly bring the car to a standstill though. And you certainly feel this plug-in variant's extra weight (it tips the scales at over 1,800kgs) when pushing on through the bends. Unlike the full-electric P8 variant of this model, this version doesn't have an AWD drivetrain, but Volvo nevertheless, rather ambitiously, provides an 'Offroad' option amongst your various driving mode choices. Unless you find yourself in a muddy carpark, it's probably best to ignore that one.
Overall
For all of Volvo's trumpeted plans for electrification in this century's second decade, the truth was back at this PHEV XC40 variant's launch in 2019 that models from the brand that were truly electrified were making up a tiny part of its overall sales volume. That had to change - and this Plug-in Hybrid derivative played its part in that.
For a PHEV of its period, you can't fault the engineering here - or the way that it's been incorporated into such a pleasing, practical and stylish overall design. If you want a compact, premium-badged SUV with plug-in tech from the 2019-2023 period, this one's well worth a look.
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