It’s such a cliche, but there really is something special about driving a Volvo. The brand exudes opulence, without being ostentatious. It says look at me, without saying look at me. If a Volvo pulls up next to a Mercedes or BMW at the traffic lights, people won’t be comparing horsepower, tech or alloy wheels – because that’s not what you’re buying with a Volvo.
You’re buying brand prestige and exclusivity – because let’s be honest, there’s lots of German car brands, but not many Swedish ones. And that’s why Volvo can get away with putting those tiny Swedish flags on its seats.
That’s not to say Volvos are the last word in luxury or astronomically priced for that matter. In fact, I’d bet that those same German cars you roll up next to at the traffic lights are, like-for-like, pricier than whatever Volvo you’re driving.
Choosing a Volvo over the regular crowd shows people that you’ve made an active decision to not conform. And that’s cool.
I recently wrote about how I feel plug-in hybrids are a little niche in the current new car market. Even brand-new plug-ins feel somewhat antiquated, unless you’re a specific type of buyer, with a very specific daily commute. Driving the Volvo EC40 has made me double down on this.
The driving characteristics of EVs make them naturally lean more towards luxury. They are smooth, quiet, refined and quick. Combine those attributes with the allure of a certain Swedish brand, and there really is no reason why you wouldn’t want to drive a Volvo EV.
And that brings me to my current set of wheels, the Volvo EC40. It’s always interesting getting a car around a busy time of the year, as you spend less time sitting on the driveway and playing around with buttons, and more time jumping in and out of it and throwing it in the deep end. Annoying niggles tend to rear their head very quickly in this arena.
So far, however, the EC40 handled everything the busy Christmas period has demanded of it. Hectic shopping trips, wintery walks, prams, bikes, dogs. Neither of these has been an issue. And the cold December weather has been a moot point too, with electric range unperturbed by its bite.
Aside from impressive cold weather performance, range anxiety isn’t a hurdle for me anymore. Electric cars – and the UK’s charging network – have come an incredibly long way in a short period of time.
In the Single Motor Extended Range EC40 for example, you’re looking at an official WLTP range of 341 miles – which will, realistically, get you around 250-300 miles. That’s enough to get me pretty much anywhere I need to go – and I actually find myself looking forward to my mid-journey, 30-minute coffee stop recharge.
Although I haven’t been driving the EC40 for very long, there has already been a few small things that, from a family perspective, have earned it huge brownie points. Our pram fits in the boot sideways, there’s heated seats in the front and rear, the touchscreen has a large portrait layout, the reversing camera is high quality and the infotainment system has Google Maps built-in.
I am looking forward to plenty of long-distance drives in the EC40 this year.
| Model | Renault Symbioz E-Tech Hybrid Iconic Esprit Alpine 145hp |
| P11D price | £58,300 |
| As tested | £58,300 |
| Official WKTP range | 341 miles |
| Our average consumption | TBC |
| Mileage | 1,024 |
Standard equipment: 9in centre console touchscreen with voice-activated control, Google Automotive Services, wireless mobile phone charging, city safety with steering support, automatic LED headlights with active high beam, rear parking sensors, rear parking camera, heated front seats, cruise control and intelligent speed assistance, two-zone climate control.
