- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
Perm Magnet, LI
- Engine Power
NA
- Fuel
32h 45m chg, 462km range
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Red'n Gear
- Warranty
5 Yr, 160000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2024 Volvo EX30: Australian first drive
Volvo’s first ground-up electric vehicle is also its smallest and quickest. James heads to Adelaide to take a look the compact EX30 SUV.
- Stylish inside and out – even in tennis-ball yellow!
- Superbly comfortable seating for all occupants
- Sporty, but impressive ride quality even on big wheels
- Minimalist approach to the interior takes some learning
- Touchscreen-only interface takes even more learning
- Did this really need to be Volvo’s fastest ever car?
2024 Volvo EX30
The automotive marketing world loves a superlative. It seems every car somehow needs to be the best, biggest, and most something-or-other in order to cut through the field and appeal to consumers.
Case in point, the 2024 Volvo EX30 electric SUV is bandied as the Swedish brand’s first (ground-up electric), smallest (SUV) and quickest (well… ever!) vehicle. All of these are true points and may represent good ice breakers in the showroom, but as a premium yet compact electric SUV, are these the competitor topping attributes that customers are really looking for?
To instead position the EX30 as stylish, fun, modern and accessible may not deliver peak marketing flex, but delivers a message that feels more aligned with the little Volvo’s true buyer intent.
This is a car that doesn’t need superlatives to impress, as it can trade on one key factor to win hearts, minds and wallets – merit.
It looks sharp and modern, from the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlamps and subtle but muscular arch flares to the floating D-pillar ‘EX30’ badging, slimline rear window and stacked LED tail lights.
Sensors and cameras seem integrated. Paint quality is clean and deep. It doesn’t scream ‘different’ but it is personable enough to feel far enough away from generic to carry the Volvo lettering on the tailgate with approachable, Swedish confidence.
The EX30 is expected to make up 40 per cent of Volvo’s sales in Australia, attracting both new and returning buyers to the brand with its city-friendly footprint and touring-friendly range.
The friendship is clearly aimed at a younger audience however, as you need to welcome the EX30 with an embracement of technology, sustainability, and in the case of our Moss Yellow car, a bit of bold confidence thrown in.
Command your inner youth though, and the most superlative Volvo ever might just win you over.
How much is a Volvo EX30?
The Volvo EX30 is priced from $59,990 before options and on-road costs and there are three variants available.
The entry-level EX30 Plus features a 69kWh lithium-ion battery pack and rear-wheel drive with 200kW output and a claimed 480km range. For $66,290 (a $6300 increase), buyers can step to the EX30 Ultra which maintains the same rear-drive hardware but adds a panoramic sunroof, additional driver assistance features (rear AEB, and automatic parking), a 360-degree camera and more interior goodies (power and heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and tinted rear windows).
Things get decidedly more punchy under foot with the $71,290 (a further $5000 increase) EX30 Twin Performance Ultra, which keeps the same 69kWh battery but adds a front motor for a wild 315kW output, 3.6-second 0-100km/h sprint time and 460km claimed range.
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For context, that’s faster acceleration and more power than a 996 Porsche 911 Turbo (4.2-sec and 309kW), in a cheery-faced Volvo SUV. The bowls hat will need to be securely fastened to the parcel shelf now.
There are five colours (light blue, black, grey, white and the greeny-yellow in our photos), all of which are no-cost options. There are four interior choices (except with yellow exterior where the Breeze option is not available), that offer a blend of leatherette and fabric or full-fabric trims, matched with appropriate colour and textured up-cycle plastic elements.
The two-tone roof is standard, as are 19-inch alloy wheels on the Single Motor and 20-inch on the Twin (although you can add the bigger wheels as seen on our photo car as an accessory). As expected for the price point, premium elements like a power tailgate, a strong array of driver assistance features, keyless entry, and Harman Kardon sound system are standard on all models, but missing seat heating and power adjustment on the rear-drive Plus feels a bit cheeky.
In terms of market positioning though, if you are looking for a comparable electric SUV, only the BYD Atto 3 (480km range version priced from $51,011) and Hyundai Kona (505km version priced from $58,000) are more affordable. Further, the rear-drive Tesla Model Y with 510km range is only $1000 more ($60,900) than the base EX30.
Sure, the Volvo is slightly smaller than the BYD Atto 3 and Hyundai Kona EV, and significantly smaller than the Tesla, but that Swedish flag sewn into the seats brings a level of badge prestige rivals can’t always match.
Key details | 2024 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Ultra |
Price | $66,290 plus on-road costs |
Colour of test car | Moss Yellow |
Options | None |
Price as tested | $66,290 plus on-road costs |
Drive-away price | $74,112 (Vic) |
Rivals | Tesla Model Y | Hyundai Kona EV | BYD Atto 3 |
How big is a Volvo EX30?
It’s a strange thing to lead with, but the alloy door handles on the inside of the EX30 are really slick to look at and remind you that the Volvo’s Scandinavian heritage is still influencing the design and implementation of this car.
Volvo have made a lot of noise about sustainability on their path to becoming a net-zero business by 2040, and the interior of the EX30 speaks directly to this. Lower door and dashboard trims are made from recycled plastics, but rather than disguise this by adding a veneer layer or treated finish, Volvo has made the useage obvious by leaving the imperfections in the material, adding an element of modern responsibility to what is generally an overlooked area of the car.
These aren’t touch points or focal surfaces, so they are well suited to the ‘greener’ approach to material choice.
Where you do look, touch or generally interact with the car, Volvo has used softer and more tactile materials (as evidenced by the metal door handle finishes) to offer a sensible blend of premium sustainability.
Our test car, with its warm and welcoming fabric seats, includes an upcycled plastic trim piece that looks woven from afar, but seems more like a 3D printer’s self-aware sketch up close. It’s neither prestigious nor offensive, but in some way helps keep the EX30’s cabin interesting and multi-dimensional.
Other interior options offer different materials for these same dash and door trim surfaces, the one that looks like a cross between a galactic starfield and an old gym mat is… interesting.
As noted, the fabric seats in our car are brilliantly comfortable, but good seats are a bit of a Volvo trademark so there’s no real surprise there.
The power adjustment is easy to work with, and any changes are automatically prompted to be stored in your user profile (which matches the key) but more on that shortly.
Storage is good, with a three-stage pull-out cup holder integrated into the central armrest, a clever ‘stand up’ phone tray with a single wireless charge pad, plus a lower tray with a false floor allowing USB-C (two points) cables to be neatly tucked away.
Worth noting that the glovebox, which is also centrally located, can only be accessed by the touch-screen (more on that later too) and the window switches are a little awkwardly placed in the centre console. The mirror controls are, well, they’re accessed from the screen as well, and there will definitely be more on that later.
Remember the EX30 is a compact SUV, it goes without saying that it is pretty cozy in the back for a 190cm adult. Loading it up some pre-teen children, pets or just shopping bags may make more sense. For example, it’s a good size for a younger or older couple but not ideally suited to a growing family, or even one where you need larger (twin) strollers and the like.
That said, the rear bench is just as comfortable as the front seats. Passengers have a pair of USB-C ports and window controls on the back of the centre console, as well as a storage cubby that is blissfully easy to remove and clean.
There are map pockets on both front seats, ISOFIX points on both outside seats, but no armrest or cup holders. The bottle bins in the rear doors are quite small too. Probably good, as I wouldn’t want to try and clean a spilt hot chocolate from those lovely fabric seats.
The full-length panoramic roof has no sun blind, and it can get a bit warm in the back even under South Australia’s autumn sun. Being electric means you can prime and run the air-conditioning even when the car is parked, but I’d still recommend parking in the shade on a hot summer’s day.
The boot offers a compact but usable 318 litres, which includes a 61 litre cavity below the floor. You can fold the rear seats in a 40:60 configuration to offer up to 904 litres and there is an additional 71 litre cubby under the bonnet to help store charging cables and the like.
If you aren’t sure if you latest Ikea or random Facebook Marketplace purchases will fit, in typical Volvo fashion there is a fun diagram on the inside of the boot trim that shows an array of items and measurements to aid in your packing.
For convenience, there is a 12-volt outlet, shopping bag hooks and four tie-down points.
2024 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Ultra | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 318L seats up 904L seats folded 71L under bonnet |
Length | 4233mm |
Width | 1836mm |
Height | 1549mm |
Wheelbase | 2650mm |
Does the Volvo EX30 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Dominating the dashboard of the EX30 is a portrait-oriented 12.3-inch LCD touch screen. Dominating may not be the right word though, perhaps ‘conquering’ is more correct because the screen isn’t just the commanding presence on the EX30’s dashboard, it’s the only presence.
Nearly every function is controlled via the screen.
Yes, you can hop in (no on-button here, as in the XC40 Recharge) and drive by using the column shift (looking at you, Tesla), and manage wipers, high-beam and basic driver assistance and audio functions from the steering wheel… but that’s it.
Climate control, volume, and even mirror adjustment need to be accessed using the comprehensive tablet interface.
There isn't even a driver display, with the traditional instrument cluster replaced by a driver attention sensor. Speed and other crucial ‘on the go’ information is presented to your peripheral vision on the top of the infotainment display.
While this sounds a bit daunting, particularly if the EX30 is going to be your first new car in a while, it’s not all bad. In fact, for the most part, everything works quite well.
Speed is easy to see by flicking your eyes to the left. The current speed limit, gear selection and both headlight and wiper settings are persistent, as is a live ‘sensor’ illustration that shows what and how your driver assistance functions are up to.
Heated seat and temperature adjustments are quick and easy to access on the bottom of the screen, and there are some quick-access buttons – like the glovebox – but it does take a bit of getting used to.
Things like headlamp configuration and your mirror setup need to be done here, before you drive, and that’s kind of the key. This is a setup and drive car, rather setup while driving car. It’s a different approach, one that will necessitate a significant training and handover program for buyers, but the thinking (and arguably, the reality) is how often do you really tweak things like your mirrors while driving?
I agree and support that it’s nice to be able to do it – just in case – better to have access and not need it rather than the other way around, but in my 300km test drive of the EX30, which included a couple of three-point turns, I didn’t need to adjust them once.
For what it is worth, the mirrors themselves are rimless and well-sized.
Note too that all your settings are saved to your key profile, so in a two-driver household, whoever unlocks the car scores the settings, which does make life easier when sharing a car. As noted above, adjustments made in the car can be saved to your profile, which is handy.
Everything else works well in the system – particularly the Google-backed voice activation system. This can handle car-based functions as well as navigation and audio, and even supports additional applications that can be downloaded to the car from the Google app store. Apple CarPlay support is coming and will be activated via an over-the-air update in due course.
The screen is sharp and the display crisp, and with due recognition that this is the only source of feedback to the driver, the amount of information portrayed cleanly at any one time is as good as I have seen in any car.
One fun point is the audio system, where a nine-speaker, 1040W Harman Kardon sound system has been integrated into a home-theatre-like soundbar at the base of the windscreen. You can see how this has reduced complexity in the way the audio system has been integrated into the cabin of the EX30, and while it isn’t as thunderous as the Bowers & Wilkins stereos gracing other high-end Volvos, it provides a genuinely impressive level of sound and immersion in such a little car.
Is the Volvo EX30 a safe car?
As of writing the Volvo EX30 has not been tested by ANCAP or the European EuroNCAP equivalent agency.
2024 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Ultra | |
ANCAP rating | Untested |
What safety technology does the Volvo EX30 have?
Adaptive cruise control with traffic queueing, lane keeping and blind-spot detection functionality are all included as part of the standard technology package on all EX30 models.
Volvo includes the full array of occupant protection technology in the car as well, including intersection auto braking (AEB), door opening alert and run-off road mitigation which will apply the brakes if the car leaves the road for whatever reason.
There is a driver monitor sensor where the tradtional instrument cluster would normally be that operated correctly with both sunglasses and regular glasses on (as well as no eyewear).
The cruise control is easy to operate and adjust with steering wheel controls, although the lane keep can initially feel a bit ‘ping-pong’ as the car aligns itself if you lessen grip on the wheel.
That said, it managed to negotiate well marked lanes around corners at 80km/h well enough.
At a glance | 2024 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Ultra |
Warranty | Five years, 160000km |
Battery warranty | Eight years |
Service intervals | 24 months |
What is the range of a Volvo EX30?
During my time with the EX30 we drove from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley on rough B-roads and completed the loop via the freeway. The car averaged out at 17kW/100km, which isn’t groundbreaking, but also isn't disappointing.
It definitely differs from the claimed 14.5kWh. However, given this car will most likely find itself in a suburban driveway, tackling commutes on days its driver is in the office, we want to withhold our judgments until we can get this car through our garage.
Energy efficiency | 2024 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Ultra |
Energy cons. (claimed) | 14.5kWh/100km |
Energy cons. (on test) | 17.0kWh/100km |
Battery size | 69kWh |
Driving range claim (WLTP) | 480km |
Charge time (11kW) | 6h 58m (estimated) |
Charge time (153kW max rate) | 28m (claimed 10-80%) |
What is the Volvo EX30 like to drive?
On the hop, the EX30 feels sprightly and willing around town, and genuinely entertaining on country runs. It’s a very easy car to get used to and I would argue, offers more than ample performance in its single-motor setup, so much so that the mixture of 200kW performance and 480km range is a very agreeable combination for buyers.
Ride quality, even on our test car’s 20-inch wheels, is hugely impressive. It feels sporty and taut, but even over some properly ordinary surfaces and bumps, felt composed and manageable even at high speeds. I can only assume the ride is even better on the 19-inch wheels.
Configuration aside, once you are moving, your brain gets used to the speed display on the central screen and despite the slim rear window, vision out is clear and easy to manage.
The electric driving experience is kept simple too, there are no variable regenerative braking settings, just a one-pedal mode on and off. It works well too, with our country driving feeling natural and responsive through the pedal.
Coasting doesn’t elicit the sensation of ‘frictionless runaway’ that some electric cars provide, nor does the regeneration feel like you’re driving through molasses. It’s nicely tuned, and with the car’s rear-drive setup, makes the EX30 quite fun to drive.
Road noise isn’t particularly intrusive, and that was on coarse-chip surfaces at touring speeds. I’d expect most EX30s will live around town where tyre roar will be easily supplanted by the Harman Kardon blasting away.
While our drive (approximate 300km loop) was predominantly on touring B-roads and highways, the car averaged around 17kWh/100km which isn’t groundbreaking but nor is it terrible. The system provides significant data for the trip and life of the car, so those looking to improve their efficiency have some nice charts to work with.
We’ll spend more time with the EX30 when we have a chance to run one through the Drive garage and see how it performs around town.
Key details | 2024 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Ultra |
Engine | Single electric motor |
Power | 200kW |
Torque | 343Nm |
Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
Transmission | Single-speed |
Power-to-weight ratio | 110.5kW/t |
Weight (tare) | 1810kg |
Spare tyre type | Tyre repair kit |
Payload | 430kg |
Tow rating | 1600kg braked 750kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 10.6m |
Should I buy a Volvo EX30?
The Volvo EX30 has landed at a relatively opportune time for Australian buyers.
The next generation of electric cars are here, where decent power and range are being offered at relatively accessible prices. The $60-80K bracket is where most of the electric action can be found, and with the EX30 positioned at the lower end, it offers a lot of upside for those shopping for smaller runabouts with a prestige badge.
The styling and packaging of the EX30 is great, the ride and performance impressive, and the overall sense of ‘niceness’ balanced well with cost management and sustainability messaging for the brand.
That you have to learn and essentially teach the car isn’t as daunting as it sounds, although I say that without being caught in traffic needing to adjust a mirror quickly while reverse parking. More time spent with the car will see if this is an unfounded fear of the new, or an overlooked position where ‘needing but not having’ turns into a real problem.
This is a very likeable and polished little EV that offers plenty for both younger and older buyers, then add the ability to have a Volvo for Hyundai money and you have something that is really very appealing.
How do I buy a Volvo EX30? The next steps.
In terms of which EX30, the Single Motor Ultra is the pick for me, despite sitting closer to its more powerful brethren than the range entry-point in terms of price. I had a brief stint in the twin-motor version, and while there is plenty of ‘watch this’ acceleration showboatery fun available, the real question is why you even need that level of performance in a car like this.
Save the $5K, enjoy a longer range capability, and drive a car that is just as pleasant. I’d personally pass on the tennis-ball-yellow and go for a nice light blue one with the light fabric interior.
Your next steps on the purchase journey are to check the Volvo website for stock of your preferred EX30 variant. You can also find Volvos for sale at Drive Cars For Sale.
We strongly recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before committing because personal needs and tastes can differ. Find your nearest Volvo dealer via this link. We’d also recommend test-driving the Hyundai Kona electric because it is popular with consumers and is a good benchmark.
If you want to stay updated with everything that's happened to this car since our review, you'll find all the latest news here.