Volvo EX30 Cross Country review: a cool concept, but a very expensive and rather pointless one
July 07, 2025 by Darren Cassey
Car changing is a big deal
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country looks cool, with its rugged off-roader aesthetic, but mechanical changes are limited and it’s very expensive. Reviews editor Darren Cassey has driven one to see if it’s worth the cash
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is a cool small electric SUV given a rugged makeover for people who want to look like they’re outdoorsy without necessarily wanting to actually venture further into the wilderness than the local dog park.
Okay, that’s a bit unfair, because you do get a few changes to make the EX30 a bit more capable off the beaten track. The ride height has been increased to help dodge rocks and you can upgrade to knobbly all-terrain tyres for better grip.
Chunky skid plates, wheel arch extensions and more hard-wearing plastic covers front and rear complete the rugged aesthetic. And there are off-road accessories too, such as a roof basket, bike carriers, and all-weather mats.
Naturally, you get all-wheel drive, but this is where the concept starts to get compromised. Being all-wheel drive means the Cross Country is only offered with the EX30’s range-topping, performance-focused twin-motor system. So you get sports car-baiting performance – 428hp and 0-60mph in a ludicrous 3.6 seconds – paired with a tall ride height and softer suspension.
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Fortunately, the throttle pedal is really well configured, so it’s easy to drive slow and smooth when you want to, then call on that silly power when you need it. But unless your idea of off-roading is smashing out a rally stage on your way home from work, it all feels wholly unnecessary.
It also means it’s very expensive. You have to pair all of this with the fully loaded Ultra trim, meaning that prices start at about £47,000. The all-terrain tyres and 18-inch alloy wheels are about £2,000, so add them and the roof basket and you’re within touching distance of £50,000 – comfortably more than the much larger Tesla Model Y and Peugeot E-3008.
For that money you might be justified in expecting a bit more capability off road, but you don’t even get special driving modes buried deep within the menus – just extra ride height, cladding, and optional tyres.
There are upsides, though. The taller, softer suspension makes the EX30 Cross Country a bit more comfortable than the standard car, which is already pretty smooth and refined. And there’s little sacrifice on a twisty road, because the body doesn’t lean much in corners despite the higher centre of gravity – though we haven’t yet tested the car with all-terrain tyres, which are likely to be a little less grippy in corners, and a little more noisy at motorway speeds.
If it’s a stylish yet rugged-looking electric car you’re after, then there’s certainly appeal in the Volvo EX30 Cross Country. However, what makes the regular car so great is that you get much of that style for a surprisingly reasonable price – the Cross Country is very, very expensive, making it difficult to recommend. If Volvo introduces a two-wheel drive version for a chunk less cash it might be a different story.
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