Volvo EX30 Review & Prices

Blurring the lines between a hatchback and an SUV is the Volvo EX30, a small electric car with a jacked-up ride height that’s super comfy to drive and looks fantastic. The tiny back seats, small boot and disappointing efficiency could put you off, though.

But even with its flaws, the EX30 is a deeply charming car. Like a swanky one-bed, city-centre apartment with minimalist furniture it may be lacking in space, but it’s just so…cool.

That wow factor means it holds its own amongst some pretty talented alternatives, too. The Nissan Leaf has an easier-to-use interior, the Kia EV3 is even more striking, the Toyota C-HR+ is pretty much as comfortable and the Skoda Elroq offers far more interior space than the Volvo. The Aion V and Geely EX5 are also worth considering, with plush cabins and plenty of standard kit.

Volvo EX30: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 279 - 296 miles
Efficiency: 3.6mi/kWh - 3.7mi/kWh
Battery size: 51kWh / 69kWh
Max charge speed: 134kW / 153kW
Charge time AC: 9h 30mins, 0-100%, 7.4kW / 11h 30mins, 0-100%, 7.4kW
Charge time DC: 26mins, 10-80%, 134kW / 28mins, 10-80%, 153kW
Charge port location: Left side rear
Power outputs: 272hp / 428hp

That being said, the EX30 looks better than any of the aforementioned cars. Sure, most Volvos are massive, imposing things, but the Thor’s hammer headlights, minimalist creases and intricate taillights all work brilliantly on the small yet brilliantly-proportioned SUV. The Cross Country version looks particularly tough with its additional body cladding.

It’s not just the outside that impresses, because the EX30’s cabin is very easy on the eye too. Okay, it may be a bit too minimalist for its own good with a total lack of buttons and a reliance on the infotainment display for all of the car’s functions, but the seat fabrics and funky dash materials both look and feel very posh. The solid metal door handles are particularly delightful to use.

Less delightful is the EX30’s glitchy software which is pretty annoying given your total dependence on it. The lack of back seat space is pretty annoying too, even if the front seats are hugely comfortable with loads of storage solutions. The 318-litre boot is tiny, over 100 litres down on the Kia EV3 and even the smaller Cupra Raval hatchback.

Battery range varies from a claimed 214 miles in the entry-level car to 296 miles in Extended Range versions, with the ballistic Twin Motor Performance and Cross Country models splitting the difference.

While we managed 89% of the claimed figure in an Extended Range EX30, that dropped down to just 77% and a poor 68% in Performance and entry-level cars - an alarming degree of inconsistency.

The little Volvo excels at town driving, not just on account of its smooth motors and tight turning circle, but because its suspension does a brilliant job of smoothing out bad roads. It’s comfortable on the motorway, too, but don’t bother with the awful, fidgety and oversensitive active cruise control. It’s pretty capable on a country lane, too.

Verdict

Don’t go into an EX30 expecting a big, lumbering Volvo of old, because it’s a funkier variety of car. It’s far more comfortable around town than a BYD Dolphin and more stylish than a Kia EV3, but its tight cabin means it’s best for a family of two.

Have a look at the latest Volvo EX30 deals, EX30 lease offers and used EX30s to choose from through our trusted dealer network on Carwow. There are other used Volvos for sale, too, and Carwow can even help you sell your current car, when the time comes to switch.

The EX30 is exceptionally well-priced, especially when you consider that Volvo is a pukka premium badge. It’s actually slightly cheaper than the Kia EV3 in its most basic form, although the Kia has better range (actually as much as the Extended Range EX30 as standard).

A BMW iX1 is considerably more expensive than the EX30, but again it comes with more range and quite a bit more cabin space as standard. The new Renault 4 E-Tech is actually something of a worthy rival to the EX30 too, and it’s more affordable, comparable in range (just about) and similarly stylish to look at, while the new Nissan Leaf is comparably priced, nice inside, roomier, rangier, and just lacks the premium badge appeal of the Volvo. The same goes for the Skoda Elroq.

The Volvo EX30 is really comfortable, but although it can be fun on a twisty road it doesn’t feel particularly sporty

In town

The Volvo EX30 feels perfectly at home when driving around town. The low dashboard means visibility is great, even if the front pillars are a bit chunky and the rear window is quite small.

Regardless, it’s really easy to place in a tight spot and the light steering means it takes little effort to work your way through rush hour traffic. This is also helped by one-pedal driving that will bring the car to a complete stop when you lift off, even though the braking isn’t as strong as some EVs.

Most impressive of all is the way the EX30 handles bumps in the road. It’s really comfortable and there’s no crashing or thudding through the cabin if you hit a pothole or speed bump. It has the relaxing, refined driving experience of a bigger, more luxurious SUV.

On the motorway

That comfort continues onto the motorway, where the lovely seats also help to make big miles a breeze. This is a small SUV but because it’s comfortable and has an airy interior, you don’t feel like you’ve been cooped up inside after a few hours behind the wheel. There is a little wind and tyre noise to contend with, but it’s nothing to complain about.

Particularly in the more powerful Performance version, the motors respond instantly to you pressing the throttle, so if you need to pull off an overtake or move out into traffic it’s easy to get up to speed. The single-motor version isn’t quite as rapid but has enough power to get the job done.

Adaptive cruise control comes as standard as part of Volvo’s Pilot Assist system. This also includes a lane-keeping assistant, which does a good job of keeping you in your lane without being annoyingly intrusive, though the adaptive cruise is spooked from time to time and will occasionally slow you for no reason before quickly getting back up to cruising speed.

On a twisty road

Despite its clear focus on comfort, the Volvo EX30 is actually pretty good fun on a twisty road. If you go for the Performance version, it has so much power you can’t help but smile when accelerating out of corners but it does feel over-powered, and there are no additional suspension tweaks to help cope with the extra power.

If you try to drive it like a sports car, the tyres will struggle for grip and the body leans quite a bit, which doesn’t give you a lot of confidence. The steering is also incredibly light, which makes it tricky to be smooth at speed. Digging into the settings to change the steering to 'firm' helps, but it's fiddly to do on the move.

These complaints can largely also be attributed to other small electric SUVs such as the Smart #1, but if you want maximum fun in the bends then the Kia EV4 is your best bet – although none are wannabe sports cars.

Space is decent in the front and there are some useful practicality tricks, but rear seat kneeroom is tight

Front seat space is good overall, with plenty of adjustability in both the seat and the steering wheel making it easy to get a good driving position. Taller drivers might find the central dash impacts where their left knee can rest. The central glovebox is a curious choice that works well, but annoyingly you have to open it through the touchscreen.

A complex centre console features for those in the front, also hiding a couple of cupholders that emerge at the push of a button and can be positioned so you have either one or both accessible, which is a neat touch. Rubber grips keep big or small bottles in place, and can also be quickly retracted for further storage.

Beneath this is a long tray that’s good for storing loose items, and it can be opened up to reveal more space that’s hidden from prying eyes. There are a couple of USB-C slots here, while just ahead of this is a wireless charging area for two smartphones. The door bins are quite deep but a bit narrow, so bulkier water bottles might not fit.

Space in the back seats

While front seat space is good, those in the back have to sacrifice some comfort. Kneeroom in particular is tight, with barely enough space for a six-footer to sit behind another six-footer.

The cutouts in the front seatbacks don’t really help. You won’t want to carry three passengers in the back for too long, as while middle seat passengers have decent space for their feet, knee and shoulder room is a bit of a problem.

Despite these complaints, headroom is decent so it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic, and the seats are very comfortable. Still, if you regularly carry passengers in the back, the Smart #1 is a more spacious option.

It's easy enough to fit a child seat, with easily accessible ISOFIX mounting points and a relatively large door opening. However, the lack of space means you will probably have to push the front seat forward.

Boot space

Boot space isn’t fantastic, either. The overall capacity is 318 litres, which is already some way behind other cars you can get at this price point, but this figure also includes about 60 litres beneath the floor.

The good news is that that’s a useful space to store items you don’t regularly use, and it’s easy to put the parcel shelf in there if you need to. The bad news is that means the actual boot space is more like 260 litres.

It has a useful square space, and should be enough for a typical family’s weekly shop, but sports equipment and weekends away will really push its capabilities. The nine-litre front boot is just about big enough for a charger cable.

The MG S5 has a vastly bigger boot at 453 litres, and it’s a much more affordable car - if nowhere near as fancy. The Cupra Born is also a similar price to the Volvo and has 385 litres.

The interior looks cool and upmarket, but there are plenty of cheap materials to be found and controlling everything through the screen can be frustrating

The EX30 has that typical Volvo minimalist appeal, with a swooping lower dashboard section and little else bar vertical air vents and a 12.3-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen.

Where bigger Volvos have a serious, sophisticated essence, the EX30 is a bit more characterful. Depending on specification there's a speckled trim piece that runs from the doors and right across the dashboard, which gives the cabin a fun little lift, or you get hessian-like material that's cool and quirky.

There are some more design touches that make the EX30 feel worthy of the posh Volvo badge, such as the floating arm rests in the doors and metal door handles. The steering wheel feels quality in your hands, as does most of the stuff you touch regularly.

Once you start prodding around you'll find some scratchy plastics, such as in the lower dashboard and door trims. These don’t feel like deal-breaking sacrifices when you consider this is such an affordable electric SUV.

The infotainment system is a mixed bag. The screen is big and bright and the menus are easy to navigate. Having an integrated Google system works well, as you get Google Maps (with a display to estimate your battery charge on arrival at your destination) and Spotify right out of the box, with other apps available to download.

You won't miss Android Auto, even though you will still need to connect your phone through Bluetooth to make phone calls, while wireless Apple CarPlay is included.

The bad news is that it's a bit annoying that you have to control everything through this display, from the glovebox to the door mirrors, meaning it's not intuitive to quickly change things. The speedo being off to the side at the top of the display isn't great either, as you're constantly glancing away from the road to check your speed and the fonts used are tiny. A head-up display would be useful.

There are three motor and battery combinations to choose from, with the entry-level model being the Single Motor. This sends 272hp to the rear wheels and has a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds, so performance is still pretty brisk. You get a 49kWh battery that results in a range of 209 miles.

Step up to the Single Motor Extended Range version and it uses the same single-motor setup as above, but it’s paired with a 69kWh battery with a 296-mile range. The 0-62mph time drops to 5.3 seconds, too.

At the top of the range is the Twin Motor Performance, which has a motor on both axles for all-wheel drive. The output is 428hp and the 0-62mph time is just 3.6 seconds, which makes it one of the fastest electric cars at this price point. Although it does come with the bigger battery, this extra oomph impacts range, with official figures suggesting 279 miles is possible between charges.

During our time with the Performance version, we averaged 3.5 miles per kWh, which would result in a range of about 221 miles, or 77% of the claimed figure, which is okay but not great.

In the Extended Range Single Motor model we saw 3.9mi/kWh, which would be a real world range of 247 miles. Solid efficiency and an impressive 89% of the claimed figure - but with predominantly motorway use in the entry-level Single Motor model we saw 2.9mi/kWh which is a poor 68% of the claimed figure. City-focused driving should bring that figure in line with the other models though.

All versions are subject to the minimum rate of road tax and come in under the luxury supplement threshold of £50,000 for EVs. For company car drivers, the EX30 sits in a low Benefit-in-Kind band, too.

Volvo EX30 Euro NCAP score (2024): 5/5

Adult occupant: 88%
Child occupant: 85%
Vulnerable road users: 79%
Safety assist: 80%

The Volvo EX30 scored a five-star safety rating when tested by Euro NCAP in 2024. It scored well across the board, with particularly high adult and child occupant safety scores but commendable road user and safety assistance scores too.

Speaking of which, the EX30 comes with loads of technology, including various collision avoidance systems and adaptive cruise control. Top-spec Ultra models also get a system that will park for you and a 360-degree camera view to make it easier to navigate tight spots.

*the basic XXX-year warranty is extended by a year with each approved service

Volvo came 14th out of 30 manufacturers in the 2026 Driver Power survey, a middling and unremarkable result, but at least it’s in the top half of the table. Volvo has only issued one recall for the EX30, but that was in 2024 so all affected cars should be up to date now.

As standard you get a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, though this can be increased to four years through an extension package. This is on par with most European alternatives, but far behind Kia’s seven-year fare and Lexus with its 10-year offering.

With six months and 5,000 miles behind the wheel, we’ve had plenty of experience living with the Volvo EX30. Here are a few thoughts from our times using this EV as a daily driver.

What we liked

There’s a ‘want it’ factor about the EX30 that you can’t really quantify on paper. We think it’s the neat styling, quirky but beautifully put together interior and the fact it’s just so likeable to use every day that contributes.

It’s a car that makes you feel good, whenever you walk up to it and get in, which is enough by itself to make you feel like you’ve made the right purchase.

What we didn’t like

Some software issues proved a real headache during our time with the EX30. Those included a buggy keyless entry that only activated half of the time, and without a physical button on the key, that proved incredibly frustrating.

A buggy touchscreen proved problematic early on, but over-the-air software updates eased that eventually and showed the strength of how easy it is for manufacturers to update cars these days.

Our final thoughts

If we were in the market for a small electric SUV, the Volvo EX30 would have to be right at the top of the list.

It’s beautifully built, wonderful to drive and looks cool. Sure, some of it drove us a little mad at times, but the trade-offs were worth the inconveniences. If charm and character are important to you, it’s worth considering.