Bahrain Confidential went to Milan, Italy to review Volvo’s new XC40 and have a look at the new Volvo Studio Concept.
The Volvo Studio in Milan is its second location, after opening the first in Stockholm, Sweden. Inside this luxurious space, you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a bite to eat – it’s a really cool place to hang out. Volvo Studio Milan is not only showcasing the new XC40, but it is also highlighting their design products.
Volvo continues to impress with gorgeous new SUVS. We had the pleasure of testing the Volvo XC60 in Turkey a few months ago. The Volvo XC60 sits right at the heart of the big-selling mid-size crossover crowd. It’s handsome and luxurious and it wraps you in a safety blanket as comprehensive as the Swedish welfare state. From the front, the XC40 looks slightly feistier than the XC60. From the side is where these two siblings differ the most. Being 7.8 inches shorter than the XC60, the XC40 does without a third row of windows. The rear doors also angle up and give the XC40 wider looking hips.
The highly anticipated XC40 will complete the company’s SUV line-up that also features the full-size, top-of-the-range XC90 and the mid-size XC60. A muscular stance and tasteful design set the XC40 apart from competitors in the compact SUV segment. A variety of exterior trim options, that include an R-design package, will also be available.
Designed with urban living in mind, the XC40 combines a commanding road view with unparalleled ergonomics and a host of safety systems to safely intervene as soon as an imminent collision is detected, or even guide the driver safely back onto the road if the vehicle is drifting off-course. The XC40 also features a Volvo Cars 360° surround-view camera, to help it fit into even the tightest parking spaces.
Offered with a choice of diesel and petrol turbocharged four-cylinder engines, the XC40 can be optioned with a T5 petrol four-cylinder Drive-E powertrain, as well as with 3-cylinder, hybrid and fully electric powertrains later in the production run. Power is delivered to all four wheels via Volvo’s all-wheel drive system, keeping the XC40 sure-footed in all weather conditions.
During the test drive, they kept apologising to us because of the weather; it was really rainy and cloudy but to be honest, coming from Bahrain, it was really nice to see some rain. The only complaint, if anything was the on the tolls – the Italian toll system on the ‘autostradas’ (motorways). It was a nightmare for many of us who weren’t familiar on how to use it, causing those behind us to honk their horns. Overall, the cars were perfect a perfect example of Scandinavian luxury and comfort on wheels.