Volvo ES90 review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

Volvo’s premium ES90, launched last year, is a mix of saloon, liftback, and crossover. It is the sixth fully electric model in the brand’s line-up. 

One glance confirms excellent design: a confident stance courtesy of a long wheelbase, aerodynamic lines provide a commendable drag coefficient of only 0.25, big 22-inch wheels and raised ride height providing a commanding view of the road. I always like the brand’s unique LED headlight design, inspired by the mythical hammer of the Norse god Thor, which helps excellent night-time visibility. The coupe-like style looks swell, but results in a letterbox view in the rear view mirror. At the back are C-shaped LED tail lamps. 

The cabin is ‘business class’ all the way with full attention to detail. Volvo uses recycled and natural materials for sustainability, helping lower production CO2 emissions. Some 29% of all aluminium and 18% of all steel used is recycled, while wood panels come from FSC-certified wood. 

My car had beautiful leather upholstery. There’s plenty of head and legroom front and rear. Front seats are sculpted for comfort and designed to ease shoulder strain, and with ‘almost’ integrated headrests. They come with power adjustments, lumbar support, and cushion extensions for extra thigh support. They can be heated and ventilated, depending on specification. 

The 14.5-inch portrait touch screen is quite intuitive to use, but I had to go through it to adjust the side mirrors and steering wheel, and to open the boot and glovebox, which I didn’t appreciate. Thankfully, there are real controls for favourite shortcuts and the audio volume. Apps include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, integrated Google Maps, and Google Assistant. There’s a wireless phone charger, and two C-Type USBs front and rear. 

The customisable 9-inch driver’s cluster sits on top of the steering column, but I mainly relied on the Head-Up display for my current speed. You can choose from three views of Calm, Navi, which shows a detailed map, and Surround, that shows vehicles around. The multi-functional, three-spoke leather steering wheel is lovely to hold, and has voice and remote audio controls. Transmission selection is off the steering wheel, with the parking brake to the side. 

The top two grades include a panoramic roof that runs almost the entire length of the car - there’s no need for a blind as the tinted glass is coated and laminated to reduce glare. Other stand-out features are the double screen, rear-view camera; the 360-degree parking Surround View camera with 3D view; and Volvo’s excellent blind spot alerts on side mirrors. I’m sometimes at a loss to understand why designers include some nerd-like features in some new cars. With the ES90, the key-fob battery is rechargeable, and needs to be regularly placed on the phone charge space. Why not use a normal key fob? 

The three rear seats can all recline individually and have extended cushions. Outer ones can be heated and ventilated and include ISOFIX attachments with top tethers. The rear armrest lowers to reveal two cupholders and a hatch through to the boot. The flat floor makes foot space easier for the person in the middle seat. 

The wide liftgate and high boot floor make it easy to load and unload even large items. Luggage space is up to 424 litres with the rear backrests up; you can fold them individually or together to acquire up to 1,427 litres of space. There’s no spare, just a tyre sealant kit and compressor. A 12-volt outlet in the boot can power an electric cooler, air mattress pump, or camping stove. There’s a 27-litre front frunk to store the charging cable or washer fluid. 

The entry Core grade includes a heat pump, four-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats, and heated steering wheel; Plus adds the head-up display, 360-degree camera, interior illumination with back-lit wood decor; while the top Ultra (my review car) adds the electrochromic panoramic roof, tinted rear windows, ventilated front seats, active air suspension, and a Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 25 speakers throughout the cabin, including in the headrest and ceiling. Features include Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Park Pilot Assist. 

My car was the Single Motor Extended Range Ultra RWD, but buyers have the option of Twin Motor or Twin Motor Performance variants, both with AWD. Charging from 10% to 80% can be achieved at fast charging stations in around 22 minutes. While the claimed range for my car is around 696kms, my driver’s screen showed 50% of battery charge represented another 280kms in real-world driving over all types of routes, which would give a 100% charge allowing around 560kms. I appreciated how sublime and comfy the car was to drive, the 333hp power and huge torque of 480Nm which make it capable of 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds. 

The car proved a very refined drive and was very quiet on the road; the large wheels and high ground clearance as well as the suspension, added to comfort for all on board. The car’s safety system sensors includes five radars, seven cameras, twelve ultrasonic sensors, and a lidar. These safety systems are designed to detect obstacles even in darkness, and activate safety measures. 

The ES90 has not yet been tested by Euro NCAP. PRICE: A practical car for those who can afford it. The Core Single Motor Extended Range starts at €82,100; Plus from €89,900, and Ultra from €102,400. Annual road tax is €120.

A practical car for those who can afford it. The Core Single Motor Extended Range starts at €82,100; Plus from €89,900, and Ultra from €102,400. Annual road tax is €120.

Volvo ES90 review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

The radiator grille was traditionally a very important element in car design, writes Brian Byrne. The radiators behind them, keeping the engine from overheating, were all similar, but the grilles allowed designers to convey an ethos of the car concerned. The fronts of the cars I grew up with all immediately denoted brand and model identities. 

When the electric car arrived, some stylists emphasised the elimination of the radiator by providing bland frontages. Smooth painted metal, sometimes just the brand's logo in the centre. Flat surfaces that quickly showed dirt and squashed insects. Among these, Ford's Explorer EV is a case in point. I think there's a pushback, though. Audi never went for the flat look, nor did BMW, and Mercedes-Benz is very much back in the grille identity business with the upcoming electric C-Class. 

Volvo is somewhere in the middle, particularly with their big ES90 lift-back saloon. It's a car that could look very imposing if it had a grille that gave it frontal presence. There's still the diagonal bar through the main badge that has identified the brand for a long time, and the lower bumper air management design is quite strong. But the shiny part above it softens things somewhat. 

Otherwise, the ES90 is a handsome car. A full five metres long, it’s big too. The semi-coupe look with the lift-back offers a sporty ethos. The light styling front and rear is distinctive, and the rear three-quarter look is a modernised echo of Volvo saloon styling since the S80 launched the brand into the space age in 1999.

Inside, it's all high-quality, verging on opulence. In my review car, it was ivory leather and toning grey trim with an elegant amount of brushed aluminium detailing. A portrait centre screen with Google's excellent operating system is large but doesn't loom over everything. Though the climate controls are also on-screen, the virtual buttons are large and on permanent display. There's a physical roller volume control underneath. The driver information screen marries simplicity with large graphics, and the overall digital operation is pleasing.

Seats for all are sumptuous and stylish. There's enough room for the rear-seat passengers to stretch out and cross their legs, in an airy ambience thanks to the full-length panoramic roof in my Ultra grade review car. That glass is electrochromic — which allows changing the transparency at the touch of a button. The liftback boot has a good capacity of 446L, adequate for the luggage of a full passenger complement on a weekend away. A small visibility observation: due to the rear window and roof angle, the centre seatback needs to be left down in the armrest position if not in use so the driver can see through to following traffic.

This is an electric-only Volvo. My version was the Single Motor with 333hp and a comfortable 0-100km/h capability of 6.6 seconds — the ultimate is the Twin Motor Performance version with 680hp and a 4.0s sprint. It's to be expected that the car performs very smoothly, but I was quite impressed with the relative silence too... wind and road noise seemed exceptionally well insulated away.

I don't write much about driver assist and safety systems these days, taking it as a given that all cars have them. Volvo has taken one step further: the ES90 comes pre-prepared with the software to operate an alcohol lock — a third-party system that is not part of the car's specification.

My time with the ES90 coincided with one of my occasional day trips to the west for family reasons, where I do a total of 400-plus kilometres there and back. The mix of roads makes it a very good test of real range in an electric car. While Volvo suggests a WLTP rating of up to 664km combined, my actual experience was something a little more than 500km, which tallies with my standard rule of thumb for most electric cars of 20 per cent less than the WLTP range claimed. Related, I charged the car from 20 to 80 per cent in half an hour at a standard 150kW charger, giving me a nominal 300km in that time. 

All in all, the ES90 is a fine and quite practical car, for those who can afford a price tag that, for most of us, is as out of this world as was that famous 1999 astronaut advertisement for the S80. But there's a car for everyone in their own financial space.

PRICE: From €79,995; review car €102,595. WHAT I LIKED: The smooth, premium feel. 

Volvo begins production of electric EX60 SUV

Volvo Cars has started production of its new fully electric EX60 SUV at its Torslanda plant in Gothenburg, Sweden, with customer deliveries set to begin in early summer, writes Brian Byrne. The company says strong early demand has already prompted plans to increase 2026 production.

The EX60 is Volvo’s first fully electric car designed, developed, and built in Sweden. Volvo positions the model as a major step in its EV strategy, citing a range of up to 810km and fast-charging capability from 10 to 80 per cent in 16 minutes.

Major upgrades at the Torslanda site include a new battery assembly plant and mega casting capabilities. 

Volvo upgrades EX90 for 2026

An upgraded Volvo EX90 is now on sale for 2026 delivery from €99895, writes Brian Byrne. Faster charging and improved safety and driver support are features.

Thanks to a core computer upgrade, the car will come with connected safet alerts for slippy roads, hazards ahead, and accidents ahead. Emergency Stop Assist will bring the car to a controlled stop in its lane if the driver fails to respond to attention or hands-off warnings, for example due to sudden illness. Once the car is stationary, the new e-call feature will automatically connect the car to an emergency call centre linked to Volvo Cars.

A new 800V architecture reduces heat generation during charging, enabling faster charging speeds. The charging performance is further improved by in-house developed battery management software.

Volvo Car Ireland also introduces a new Single Motor, rear-wheel-drive version and Plus trim level. The new Plus trim level is available for both Single Motor and Twin Motor versions

 

Volvo reveal ES90 pricing and specifications

Volvo reveal ES90 pricing and specs Volvo's ES90, its latest all-electric premium offering, has a start price of €82,100, writes Trish Whelan. 

The introductory Volvo ES90 Single Motor Extended Range has the refined elegance of a saloon, the adaptability of a fastback, and the spacious interior and higher ground clearance of an SUV. 

It is the first Volvo car with 800V technology for a longer range and faster charging than any previous electric Volvo. The ES90 can add 300kms of range in 10 minutes at 350 kW fast charging stations and offers a driving range of up to 700kms. 

Three grades are offered. Core is priced from €82,100; Plus from €89,900, and Ultra from €102,400. The ES90 is now available for order from local Volvo dealerships.

 

The XC60 is best-selling Volvo car of all time

Volvo’s XC60 is now the best-selling Volvo car ever, writes Trish Whelan. With more than 2.7 million cars sold, the model has surpassed the iconic Volvo 240 as the best-selling Volvo ever. 

The XC60 mid-size SUV made its debut in 2008. Initially built exclusively in Europe, the model later became the first global Volvo model to also be produced in China. In 2018, it was named World Car of the Year. 

The current generation XC60 introduced plug-in hybrid drivetrains to a broader audience and it was the best-selling PHEV in Europe last year. 

For the 2026 model year, the SC60 has undergone a significant refresh with a modernised design, more intuitive user experience, improved comfort and a more responsive infotainment system.

 

New multi-adaptive safety belt to debut in Volvo EX60

A new multi-adaptive safety belt, a world-first technology aimed to further enhance safety for everyone in real-world situations, will debut in the upcoming fully electric Volvo EX60 in 2026, writes Trish Whelan. It marks a major upgrade to the modern three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention introduced in 1959, estimated to have saved over a million lives. 

The new safety belt is designed to better protect people by adapting to traffic variations and the person wearing it (their height, weight body shape and seating position), thanks to real-time data from the car’s advanced sensors. 

In less than a blink of an eye, the car’s system analyses the unique characteristics of a crash - such as direction, speed, and passenger posture - and shares that information with the safety belt. Based on this data, the system selects the most appropriate setting. This means a larger occupant in a serious crash will receive a higher belt load setting to help reduce the risk of head injury while a smaller occupant in a milder crash will receive a lower belt load setting to reduce the risk of rib fractures. This is achieved by managing the force applied to the occupants in the event of an accident.

 

Volvo announce pricing and spec for new model year

The all-electric Volvo EX40 and EC40 now have a new start price of €48,900 representing a price drop of €3,255 from the previous model year, writes Trish Whelan. 

Volvo Car Ireland say this new price point provides a more competitive offering to its customers as demand increases for electric cars. New exterior colours for the EX40 and EC40 are Aurora Silver, Forest Lake and Denim Blue. Both come with Google built-in and smart interior storage. Each offers a range of up to 576 kms and 569 kms respectively. EX40 and EC40 models are pictured above. 

This comes at a time when Volvo Car Ireland relaunches its bestselling model, the Volvo XC60. The significant refresh features key updates in design and comfort along with a faster and more responsive infotainment system. This refreshed plug-in hybrid starts at €67,145. New exterior colours are Mulberry Red, Aurora Silver and Forest Lake. 

Volvo Car Ireland have now expanded the Black Edition offering on each of these models to include new exterior colour options. Black Edition models include high gloss black badging, 20-inch five-spoke alloys in high gloss and a microtech charcoal interior. 

 Each of these models are now available to order for July delivery.

 

Volvo reveals ES90

These are the first images of the Volvo ES90 on the model's debut day, writes Brian Byrne.  The car is slated to arrive in Ireland later this year.

The ES90 is the sixth fully electric car from Volvo and in styling is deliberately a cross between sedan, liftback and SUV. The first Volvo car with 800V technology, it comes with a claimed longer range and faster charging than any electric Volvo before. The ES90 can add 300km of range in just 10 minutes at 350kW fast charging stations and offers a driving range of up to 700km under the WLTP testing cycle.

The car is a 2-row, with a cargo capacity under the liftback rear of up to 425L, expandable to 733L with the rear seats down.

Irish prices and specifications will come closer to launch. 

Longer range, faster charging from Volvo's ES90

The upcoming ES90 electric car from Volvo is claimed to provide a driving range of up to 700km, writes Brian Byrne. It will also be capable of adding 300km of range in just ten minutes at an appropriate 350kW charging point.

The faster charging is due to an 800v electric architecture combined with new battery management software. The ES90 will be the first Volvo with the 800v system.

As part of the company's sustainability effort, 29pc of aluminium and 18pc of steel used in building the car is recycled product.

 

Volvo upgrades XC60

Volvo are refreshing their best-seller XC60 SUV for this year, with styling tweaks and improvements to the user experience of the central screen, writes Brian Byrne. Full details and pricing for the Irish market are yet to come, but the car will be available to order from early March.

The plug-in hybrid XC60 will come with revised front-end detail and new colours as well as different wheel design options. The big changes are inside, with a larger screen and a new version of the operating system with Google features used by Volvo. The display is higher definition and graphics generation is faster.

The interface will also be rolled out to other Volvo cars built since 2020.

Changes to Volvo models pricing structure

New pricing has been announced by Volvo Ireland for the brand's EX40 and EC40, the new names for the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, writes Brian Byrne. The new pricing matrix also adds performance upgrades, and new colours outside and in for the all-electric cars.

The EX40 starts at €54,250 and the EC40 from €54,250, including grants. Both twin-motor versions now have a Performance software pack offering up to 436hp and both also have a a Black Edition in their range.

The EX40 has a rated electric range of up to 569km and the EC40 up to 576km.

Latest XC90 for Ireland in November

A new generation Volvo XC90 has debuted in plug-in hybrid form with smart new styling and 7-seat capacity, writes Brian Byrne. The car will be available to order in Ireland in November.

The PHEV battery offers up to 70km of electric only driving, and the combined range of the battery and petrol engine is some 800km.

The new XC90 also has a redesigned interior, improved suspension, and the latest in advanced driver assistance technology.

Air suspension is an option. 

Volvo EX30 review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

I was a little iffy about the Volvo EX30 before I picked it up, writes Brian Byrne. Largely because of mutterings from colleagues, who had concerns ranging from sudden blacking out of the screen to an inability to access the car when the key card failed to open it. Now I'm wondering if that was a general problem with the one particular car? Because they gave me a different one, and when I left it back I'd not only had no trouble, but had grown to like it very much.

It's the smallest Volvo available and is electric only.  Similar in size to a Renault Captur but wider and a little lower. And for those who are familiar with it, based on the same platform as the Smart #1 joint venture between Chinese company Geely and Mercedes-Benz. Which makes a lot of sense, as the majority owner of Volvo Cars is the same Geely.

The EX30 is truly a good looker. Obvious cues from companion in the brand range XC40 but with some cool style details like the missile shaped headlights, a snappy treatment at the cabin's rear quarter, and a back hatch panel the detail of which enhances further the width of the car.

Inside is the minimalism in line with the current Volvo ethos. And the vertical centre screen idea first introduced by the brand back in 2014 now has a revised design and interface. But it totally replaces any other instrumentation, so the driver has to look all the way to the centre for basic speed and energy supply information. This is very much a Tesla way, and that doesn't really say it's a good thing.

If you read me regularly, you know my feelings on the distraction issues with centre screens. While driving this car, on a few occasions, I looked across to try and sort out where to tap for some function, and the system monitoring my driving immediately beeped at me to get my eyes back on the road! On the one hand the car forces you to look away, and then reprimands you for doing so. I rest my case.

That said, I was pleased that the screen uses the Google operating system. The navigation part has that neat trick which, when you key in a destination, it tells you what level of battery you'll have left when you arrive. Surprising how reassuring that little tweak is. The system also responds well to voice commands.

The accommodation in the car is unexpectedly ample for what is a segmentally small car, in part due to the width. Good headroom, reasonable space in the back seats, and very comfortable seating. In the review car, a single knob on each of the front seats electrically operated all the movements, and if you change a setup it immediately offers you an opportunity (on the screen) to save it.

The flecked trim on my car — they call it Flax Deco — certainly looked different, and even though a technically hard surface it looks soft. The light coloured artificial leather seating enhanced an interior already bright under a panoramic glass roof, which comes with the top spec Ultra grade.

The motor in my review car drove the rear wheels, had an output of 276hp, and was powered by the 69kWh extended range battery. The 480km claimed range seemed as usual a little ambitious for my mainly beyond city driving, but I'd expect real world 410km, and a lot more if my driving was primarily non-motorway. Goes without saying the EX30 is a smooth and capable drive. My energy consumption was 16.5kWh/100km. There's a 2-motor AWD version available.

There's no key-fob, just an NFC card that you tap on the door frame to open and lock things, and which you must lay against a spot on the centre console to light up the powertrain. Again very Tesla-esque and, given the number of times in my life that I've had to traipse from a hotel room to reception to have a key card gone dud reactivated, it's not a very reassuring thing.

But, especially since everything worked absolutely well for me, I got to like this smallest Volvo very much indeed. I think I could learn quickly to live with my few perceived negatives.

PRICE: From €38,596; Review car €54,995. WHAT I LIKED: The style and comfort. 

Volvo XC40 Recharge Review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

The Volvo XC40 is a well designed, family-friendly 5-seater SUV that is a really useful and comfortable car to transport a family for their everyday use. 

My latest Volvo test drive was the XC40 Recharge Single Motor electric extended range variant, with a rated WLTP range of 556kms. Volvo cars expanded their all-electric XC40 Recharge compact SUV line-up in 2021 by adding the single motor version. It joined the dual-motor XC40 Recharge Twin that comes with all-wheel drive. The car looks almost the exact same as its ICE and PHEV siblings, except for the blanked-off body colour front, as a grille is not needed in an electric car. I really like the 'Thor’s Hammer' headlights design, a distinctive feature on many Volvo models down the years, inspired by the Norse god Thor in a T-shaped LED. My car also had posh 20-inch diamond cut/black alloy wheels which looked the part and in-built roof rails. Front fog lights had a cornering function which I always appreciate. Getting in and out for my tall 6.2-inch hubby was a lot easier than with many cars. 

The interior is far bigger than you’d expect from the outside and everything is nice and simple and of high quality. The tilt and slide panoramic power sunroof in my Ultimate spec XC40 extended the length of the cabin and provided lots of light. No leather is used in the interior, just beautiful sustainable materials for upholstery and trims. However, the interior was a bit on the dark side for my taste and needed a bit more silver or other light accents to brighten it up. At night, though, a panel on both front doors lit up to provide light relief. 

Seats are hugely comfy, including lumbar support. Front ones had power adjustments, the driver’s had two memory seat and mirror settings. Front seats can be heated — ditto the steering wheel. People in the rear enjoy very good head- and leg-room, but, even though this is the all-electric version, there's a high transmission tunnel for the person in the middle seat to have to contend with. The two outer rear seats can be heated. Boot capacity is 419 litres, expandable to 1,295 litres with rear seats folded to give a flat floor and no lip, making it easy to lift items over. The floor was covered with a removable rubber mat and had a small space below. My car had a power tailgate. 

Centre dash has a 9-inch portrait style touchscreen, not as large as in many other SUVs but big enough for most users to feel comfortable with. Just tap and swipe to select the feature you require. The standard Google-based navigation system is one of the best around. Thankfully, there are some physical buttons including a huge volume control knob below the central screen. The large instrumentation cluster shows speed, power-charge indicator and you can choose to have the navigation shown here, as I did. There’s no Start button, as the car goes to 'Ready' as you sit in. Just select Drive or Reverse and drive away. When the journey ends, press the P for Park button and leave. 

The 252hp available provides decent acceleration, useful when joining a motorway or clearing busy junctions. But remember, driving the motorways at 120km/h will eat into range (as it does with any fuel) so it’s more economical to keep things at around 100-110km/h. Lower speed will pay off in the long run. 

When it comes to charging, a 150 kWh fast charger allows a 30pc-95pc 'fill' in around 35 minutes. Charging my car to 61pc gave me an indicated range of 240kms. Parking is helped by big side mirrors, reversing camera and a 360deg visualisation. You can also select on the front, side or rear of the car icon to show which viewpoint you require. However, I felt the rear camera view to be quite limited vertically. 

My Ultimate grade added the keyless drive/start, Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving, and Adaptive Cruise Control, rear Park Assist Camera, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, excellent Blind Spot warming, Premium Sound by Harman Kardon, and 20-inch alloys as well as a wireless charging pad. The car receives automatic over the air updates, so features are always up to date. 

Start price is €58,210 (not incl SEAI grant).; my car €65,910.

 

Volvo EX90 here in the autumn

Volvo in Ireland have given a static preview of the EX90 flagship electric car, coming to Ireland in Q3, writes Brian Byrne.

The 7-seat car will bring the fully electric range from the company to four models, joining the EX30, EX40 and EC40, those last two recently renamed from their previous nameplates.

Volvo's ambition is be fully electric by 2030, and the percentage of its models sold in Ireland last year that were EVs was 27pc.

Pricing for the EX90 will begin at €117,910. It will be initially launched in a twin-motor format with up to 517hp output, powered by a 111kWh battery. The preliminary WLTP range quoted is up to 600km according to the company. 

Volvo to introduce 'Accident Ahead' warning system in some markets

A new safety feature is being rolled out by Volvo which can warn of a crash or a breakdown ahead, writes Brian Byrne. It will initially be available in Denmark before being extended to other European markets.

Called Accident Ahead Alert, the system anonymously shares real-time data gathered by local traffic management centres, using cloud technology for connectivity.

Where it works, drivers will get a warning about a stopped vehicle ahead. In compatible models and markets, Volvo cars can already warn each other of slippery road conditions and other hazards, as experienced by traffic ahead.

Mercedes-Benz has similar technology in some models and markets, able to issue warnings about a range of hazards and incidents, and other carmakers are also working on their own systems.

The technology may become mandatory for all new cars in the future. 

Volvo XC40 Recharge review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

It's just a year since I last reviewed the Volvo XC40 Recharge, and at first look the most recent version doesn't seem to have changed so much, writes Brian Byrne. The original blocky style, which a number of other carmakers seem to be taking on now, still looks well. The visual changes are simple enough — new shapes to the headlights, and revisions to the grille area (no grille, of course, as it is electric) and to the front bumper.

The XC40 sits midway in its compact premium space between the Range Rover Evoque and the BMW X1, and if you want to compare the dimensions with a more common car, the Volvo is marginally smaller than the Peugeot 3008. A 4-5 seater, the XC40 has decent enough width in the rear for three teens, and as a premium level standard-size family car it should work fine. The driver's position offers view from a height, and both front occupants have plenty of space around them to keep long journeys very comfortable.

The dashboard and related components are familiar now to anyone who has driven Volvos of the last few years. I remember that the brand was one of the first to provide a large centre screen for infotainment management, but in the XC40 that looks small nowadays compared to many others out there. It remains, though, one of the easiest to manage. That nice large volume knob just underneath it is also one of those Volvo constants that make me happy. The driver instruments, and the controls on the steering wheel, are at my preferred level of informative and usable simplicity. Overall, the driver's space has the sense of fitting like a really good glove.

The oddness of there being no start button or key to turn — the car comes 'alive' when you sit in it — has now worn off and I didn't feel any of the bother it caused me when I first drove a Volvo with that system. The XC40 Recharge is, of course, electric, and there's no need to light up or switch off an engine.

On electrics, it's no harm to put this car and the brand in 2023 perspective. This year the model is the second biggest seller for Volvo, behind the mostly PHEVs XC60. Four out of five XC40s are all-electric, while EVs represent more than a fifth of all Volvo models sold here this year. It is telling that that just over 5pc of the company's sales this year were diesel, plummeting from last year's 13pc. Five years ago, almost nine in every ten Volvos sold were diesel-powered. Volvo ranks 17th in brand sales in Ireland, and 12th in sales of electric cars. 

Back to the review car, and the rated range is 556km on a full charge — it was the Extended Range version. The 252hp offers a quite silent swish to 100km/h in just 7.4 seconds (and you can take 2.5 seconds off that if you opt for the twin-motor model). For those to whom such things are important, the single-motor XC40 is now rear wheel drive.

If I listed the safety and comfort things in this car we'd be here forever, so just take it that the XC40 Recharge provides everything you need. Including the excellent Google infotainment-navigation system that to my mind is one of the best out there.

Nobody reading this is likely to be old enough to remember when Volvos were worthy and exceptionally safe, mostly large wagons, but were at the same time very boring. They've come a long way.

PRICE: From €58,210; review car €65,910. WHAT I LIKED: That I'd be very happy with this car for myself. 

Volvo EX30 available for pre-order in Ireland

The new Volvo EX30 small SUV, recently revealed, can be pre-ordered in Ireland now at a starting price of €38,596, writes Brian Byrne.

The new car is expected by the company to be one of their biggest-selling models in coming years, leading a strategy which will see Volvo selling only electric cars by 2030.

The EX30 will be offered in single- and twin-motor variants, with two battery sizes.

Volvo say the 200,000km of driving carbon footprint, including emissions from manufacture, is the lowest amongst any of its competitors. 

Updates to Volvos give longer range

Volvo has updated its C40 and XC40 Recharge electric vehicles to provide longer ranges and faster charging rates, writes Brian Byrne.

The company now rates the two cars' ranges at up to 578km and 570km respectively, while the maximum charging rate has been increased from 150kW to 200kW where available. This cuts nine minutes of previous charging times.

The changes were achieved by changing the FWD single-motor cars to RWD, and on the AWD versions providing larger batteries.

Both cars are available to order now from €61,715, with deliveries expected from July.