The new XC40 takes on a similar look to the electric EX40 parked behind it including with the headlights and grille shape.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Volvo revealed its new XC40 compact SUV at a posh recording studio in London. For 2028, it gets significant updates including a refreshed exterior and interior, enhanced safety features and new smart technology. And it remains a mild hybrid.
Parked beside its sibling, the electric EX40, the new XC40 retains Volvo’s trademark Scandinavian design language. While it’s not a dramatic leap forward from the current generation, it’s stylish, clean and instantly recognizable as a Volvo.
“We treat our design from electric and gas-powered vehicles the same way. We want them to look as modern as they can,” said Jim Baste, head of exterior design at Volvo Cars. “The idea was to elevate the XC40 into a more contemporary presence,” he added.
The upgrades are subtle and include the new 18-, 19- and 20-inch diamond cut wheels and new fenders.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The Swedish automaker, now majority-owned by the Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, revised its electrification plans two years ago as the switch to EVs was taking longer than many carmakers first thought it would. Now, Volvo is aiming for more than 90 per cent electrified sales by 2030. The key difference is that will include plug-in and mild hybrids as opposed to just pure battery electric vehicles.
The XC40, which is Volvo’s third best-selling vehicle in Canada behind the XC60 and just behind the XC90, will likely play an important part of the lineup for a number of years as charging infrastructure improves and drivers make the switch.
“It’s not a secret that different markets are transitioning at different speeds. Canada may be a little more progressive than the United States,” said Frank Vacca, Volvo’s director of vehicle product planning for the Americas.
“This represents a commitment from Volvo to give customers choice, for those who might not be ready for a pure battery electric vehicle,” he added.
The taillamps also get a new look for 2028.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The upholstery goes more upscale with light Arianne Cardamom leather on the display vehicle’s seats along with Brown Ashwood on the dashboard and centre console.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The exterior changes are subtle - there are new 18-, 19- and 20-inch diamond cut wheels, an upgraded front grille and new fenders, bumpers, front headlamps and rear taillamps. Volvo’s iconic signature front lights – dubbed Thor’s hammer headlights – have new Matrix LED technology with 15 segments designed to provide a wider and longer light pattern that won’t blind oncoming drivers.
Other safety tech advancements include a new advanced software and sensor platform, which adds front and corner radars, rear corner radars, a front camera, 12 new ultrasonic sensors and new parking cameras. The optional 360-degree camera has an upgraded 3D view so you can see all around the vehicle – you can even pinch and turn the vehicle on the centre touchscreen like an iPhone.
Another bonus, according to Thomas Broberg, senior advisor at Volvo Cars Safety Centre, is “it also shows you the distance if you have objects around [the car] so it will give you more confidence when you’re parking in tighter areas.”
The optional Pilot Assist system now has lane change assist so you can change lanes without touching the steering wheel; while a door opening alert system warns passengers when it’s unsafe to open the door if cyclists or other cars are passing by.
The XC40 also has other impressive technology such as Google Gemini, the next-generation artificial intelligence assistant. You can have a conversation with the system; it even asks the driver follow-up questions in response to the driver’s command.
Plus, it has over-the-air software updates, an updated wireless phone charger and a new generation of the mild hybrid system, which is designed to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. Powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged engine and an electric mild-hybrid system, the 2028 XC40 delivers 247 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive.
Even though the XC40 is smaller than Volvo’s best-selling XC60 SUV, it’s practical with excellent cargo and cabin space owing to a tall roofline that provides excellent head- and legroom for rear-seat passengers. The biggest change inside is a larger 11.2-inch touchscreen – versus nine inches in the 2026 XC40. It comes with Volvo’s next generation user interface, which is found in Volvo’s latest electric vehicles. The updated system makes interacting with the car faster and easier with fewer steps to access key functions like the climate controls. The graphics are also sharper and the colours crisper.
The upholstery goes upscale, too, with light Arianne Cardamom leather on the display vehicle’s seats along with Brown Ashwood on the dashboard and centre console. It looks posh, but if you don’t want leather, you can opt for the alternative - Nordico, a premium and durable material developed by Volvo. The vegan material is made of bio-attributed PVC and has a textile backing of 100-per-cent recycled polyester.
Volvo also uses a natural wool blend upholstery, which is made from 30-per-cent natural wool fibre and 70-per-cent recycled polyester. The cabin lighting is updated, too, for a more premium feel. While you can change the intensity of the lighting, you can’t change the colour. Some rivals such as the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 offer many shades of ambient lighting in the cabin.
The 2028 Volvo XC40 will be built in Ghent, Belgium and arrive in Canadian dealerships next year. Orders open in early 2027, with vehicles hitting showrooms in the spring. Prices will be announced closer to the sale date.
The tall roofline provides excellent head- and legroom for rear-seat passengers.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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