Volvo EX30 2026 review | Too much touchscreen tech spoils this great EV

What is the Volvo EX30?

The Volvo EX30 is the Swedish brand’s smallest electric car, sitting below the popular Volvo XC40 petrol and EX40 electric SUVs. Notably, it’s another Volvo that will only be offered as an EV – there will never be a petrol-powered EX30. It is being positioned as the affordable family car option in Volvo’s electric-only range of cars.

The EX30 sits on the ‘SEA’ platform co-developed with China’s Geely, and which also underpins the Smart #1. Other chief rivals include the Kia EV3, Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600e, BYD Atto 3, Nissan Leaf and Cupra Born, along with anything else that falls into the increasingly busy £32,000 – £42,000 family EV arena. In fact, at 4.2-metres long, the Volvo is one of the smaller options in the class.

There are two battery options available with the single-motor rear-wheel-drive P5 model; either 51kWh or 69kWh Long Range lithium-ion NMC batteries with claimed combined range of 209 miles or 303 miles, respectively. That same 69kWh Long Range battery is also offered with a punchier twin motor P8 AWD powertrain option for frankly outrageous 0-62mph accelerative performance of 3.6sec, and a range of 279 miles.

There is also a Volvo EX30 Cross Country version, with slightly jacked-up suspension and more rugged body styling. It’s only available with the implausibly powerful twin motor AWD setup and the differences over a regular EX30 aren’t huge. Oh, and for business users, there's a Volvo EX30 Cargo, which is a two-seat commercial vehicle van version of the EX30, which is great for saving tax.

How practical is it?

Given its compact dimension, the Volvo EX30 is practical enough when it comes to space and versatility, but nothing special. While there’s enough space in the rear seats for a couple of average-height adults to sit comfortably behind those up front, the floor is quite high so you end up with your knees bent upwards. There’s very little foot space under the front seats and, bizarrely, there’s no centre armrest for those in the back, either. This also means a lack of cupholders in the rear – many will find this infuriating.

The 318-litre boot capacity is less than you get in the Kia EV3, Jeep Avenger or VW ID.3, but you’ll get a lightweight buggy or a decent weekly grocery shop in there no problem and there’s a variable height boot floor as standard. There’s also a small cubby in the nose of the car that’ll be ideal for storing a charging cable. The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split to leave a smooth, slightly sloped loadbay.

Overall, it is all rather middle-of-the-class when it comes to space and versatility: your kids will have more room in the back of a Cupra Born or Kia EV3, for sure.

But, the material finish and clever storage up front in the EX30 is a real selling point. There are three trims in the EX30 – Core, Plus and Ultra – but there are different ‘rooms’ (known as interior finishes, outside of Volvo boardroom meetings) available on each. Both the darker finish – which was complete with an intriguing flecked blue trim that’s made out of waste material created in the production of denim – and the pale, textured textile finish that we experienced, felt unmistakably Volvo; minimalist yet appealing.

The EX30 has also been designed with all of its control features and storage space centralised in the cabin. Even the glovebox – opened via the touchscreen – is in the middle of the dashboard, while a ‘floating’ central armrest has the window switches and a couple of cupholders that can be completely retracted back into the armrest. There’s more storage beneath that armrest, which can also be accessed from the back seats via a through-space.

The purpose of centralising all this is to cut manufacturing costs, as does the single, huge touchscreen placed in the centre of the dashboard. What’s clever is that it also enhances the look and feel of the car.

But – and it’s a big but – while appearance and the space freed up by this setup is impressive, the ergonomics are not good. There’s no driver’s readout behind the wheel: you have to read the speed from the top corner of the central touchscreen, just like in a Tesla Model 3. Again, like the Tesla Model 3, there’s not even an optional head-up display to project the speedo onto the windscreen in front of the driver.

While Volvo’s safety and interface experts will tell you that it takes the same time to glance at the centre screen as it does to glance down at a standard driver’s readout behind the wheel, it’s not an intuitive thing to do. The EX30 would definitely benefit from an optional head-up display – or, dare we say, an extra screen in front of the driver, like in so many other EVs?

Not only that, but everything from the steering wheel and mirror adjustment to the drive modes and climate control is housed in the touchscreen. This ensures that it’s not just about entertainment and nav; you must interact with the screen to do even the most essential driving position adjustment. There are other major annoyances, too, like having a single pair of window switches in the front, which control both the front and rear windows by toggling a separate button. It's easy to accidentally hit the wrong button on the haptic-touch, piano black steering wheel switches, too, and key features that the driver needs access to quickly and easily, such as lane-keep assist and brake regen settings, are buried far too deep in the touchscreen systems.

In short, the Volvo EX30 is fine but unexceptional for practicality, is better than the norm for interior materials and aesthetics – and is perhaps one of the worst in its class for driver ergonomics.

What’s it like to drive?

Volvo openly admits that the EX30 is not a hot hatch, and has no sporting pretensions at all, despite a 0-62mph time of 5.7sec even in the entry-level rear-wheel drive P5 model, and 3.6sec in the P8 AWD. So, don’t be fooled by the pace on offer; the EX30 is set up to be confident and comfortable, and that’s what it is regardless of which model you choose.

We’ve driven the Volvo EX30 in both P5 and P8 AWD guise, and both have really lovely, cushy ride comfort. There’s a bit of thump and heave over bigger potholes around town, especially in the top-spec P8 car on large 20-inch alloy wheels (the P5 we tested rode on 19-inch wheels), but generally the Volvo irons out poor road surfaces better than most of its rivals. It’s also very refined with minimal wind- and tyre noise. Things get even better in the Cross Country model, whose slightly jacked-up suspension emphasises the SUV-ness of the EX30, and has a slightly floatier ride as a result.

The steering response is a touch quick as you initially apply steering lock, so you can sometimes find yourself having to correct a line into a corner, and the steering can feel a touch too reactive on the motorway, too. The variable steering settings (accessed through the screen) only affect steering weight rather than steering speed, but it does feel very light in the lowest setting, while the mid- and heaviest settings both feel similar to each other. Overall, we found leaving it in the mid-setting was just fine.

Even the P8 AWD model is – most of the time – driven only by the electric motor on the rear axles, in order to prioritise efficiency; it’s only if it senses some slip that it engages four-wheel drive. You can also select the performance setting, which shuns efficiency in favour of permanent all-wheel-drive traction and the full 422bhp. Even if you do that, this isn’t a car that eggs you on. Rather, the EX30 is a car that you can sling gamely through some corners and enjoy tidy body control, plentiful grip and enough response and feedback through the controls to feel confident doing it.

In fact, we enjoyed the handling of the 268bhp single motor model just as much, if not a little more. It turns into corners just as keenly, feels a touch lighter (it does weigh 110kg less, at 1,775kg) and is just as slick and easy to enjoy whether you’re settling in for a relaxing, long journey, winding through town or enjoying a fun road.

Otherwise, brake feel is very good, and regenerative braking is fairly moderate and easy to predict in its default setting. You can select a ‘one-pedal’ regen mode, which means that you can drive the Volvo EX30 around at town speeds without using the brake pedal at all, as the regen system slows the car to a complete stop when you lift off the accelerator.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

The Volvo EX30 gets a huge, 12.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen that is your portal to everything in the car. It has Google software built in, rather like in the Polestar 2, albeit with a bespoke Volvo interface. This is a great system, as it gives you really accurate estimates for what battery charge you’ll have remaining when you arrive at your destination. Live traffic updates and alternative routes are standard, and you can search for a destination by the name of the business or the category (such as supermarkets or charging stations) simply by typing it in. We also like the screen’s ‘quiet’ mode, which removes any unnecessary features, and makes it less distracting. There’s Google-driven voice control, although in our test car it wasn’t particularly effective; this may improve with future over-the-air software update.

For 2026, Volvo has added Plug & Charge capability to the EX30. Once set up, it allows drivers to simply plug in at a compatible charging station, with charging starting automatically – without having to use apps, cards or other extra steps. The tech is delivered via an over-the-air software update.

Elsewhere, as we’ve mentioned, the critical vehicle systems are far too hidden in the system to be conveniently accessible while you’re driving, but the nav and media systems are relatively straightforward, the graphics are crisp and the screen responds quickly enough.

You also get an extensive suite of safety systems in the EX30, with Volvo’s latest Pilot Assist systems including a semi-autonomous lane-change. With Pilot Assist activated via the stalk on the steering column, the EX30 will maintain your chosen speed, keep its distance from the car in front, stay in its lane, respond automatically to corners and speed limit changes, and also execute a lane change if you tell it to, making this as advanced as Tesla’s driver assist systems. It’ll stop- and start automatically in traffic jams, too.

The system works well, and generally responds smoothly, but don’t forget that no vehicle is currently fully autonomous, and it is still the driver’s responsibility to be in control of the car at all times. The EX30 will remind you of this by telling you to keep your hands on the steering wheel, and if it detects you’re not looking at the road, it will remind you to pay attention. Which is ironic, as it’s generally the car’s touchscreen that you’re looking at when it gets a bit nannying about this…

There are three trim levels to choose from, called Core, Plus and Ultra. All are well equipped for the money. Entry-level Core – which was introduced a little later than the others – comes with LED headlights with automatic high beam, single-zone climate control, part-leatherette upholstery, rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors, a reversing camera, and pretty much the full suite of safety and autonomous driver aids, aside from lane change assist.

The mid-range Volvo EX30 Plus gets quite a bit more, mind, and is more popular. It gets the all-important heated steering wheel and seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, a seven-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with soundbar, unlimited mobile data (to run the in-car software and apps) for four years, rear USB ports, a powered bootlid and more.

Top-spec Ultra trim adds a semi-autonomous parking aid, panoramic glass roof, 360-degree cameras, electric seat adjustment, and more interior finishes to choose from. Volvo EX30 Ultra models are also the only ones to come with a heat pump as standard.

There's also a Cross Country version (only available with the most powerful drivetrain and in high-end Ultra trim, making it very expensive) that adds more rugged SUV styling touches, in much the same way as Cross Country variants have done on Volvo's estate-car models over the years. However, this approach seems a bit odd when the EX30 is already an SUV…

Volvo EX30 running costs

The Volvo EX30 has a broad price range for a broad model range, but for the performance, driving range and equipment on offer it is fairly competitively priced whether you’re a cash buyer or paying on a PCP monthly finance contract. This is despite it not qualifying for the Electric Car Grant, due to it being built in China; Volvo is looking into localising EX30 production here in Europe.

You used to be able to buy the Volvo EX30 on a subscription basis, which meant you don’t pay a deposit and you could change or cancel your subscription without financial penalty, with only three months’ notice. However, you also paid a lot more each month for a subscription: on a PCP finance basis our favourite Volvo EX30 Plus Single Motor Extended Range cost around £500 per month after a £5,500 deposit, while the subscription on the same car comes in at close to double that monthly payment. You were paying for the flexibility and convenience offered – which is why it didn’t prove popular, and Volvo no longer offers subscriptions.

Given the equipment, the premium appeal of the Volvo badge and how good the car itself is – along with the current lack of Electric Car Grant eligibility – the EX30 seems well priced. Even next to rivals like the Kia EV3, Hyundai Kona Electric and Peugeot e-2008 that you would perhaps assume to be more affordable, the Volvo is competitive on monthly PCP and list price.

The exception is the Cross Country version. It's only available in high-power Twin Motor Performance form, and in high-end Ultra trim, and that makes it ludicrously expensive for a car of this size.

Volvo EX30 reliability

The Volvo EX30 is too new for there to be any data or feedback from owners, and it sits on a totally new platform. However, Volvo has a fairly average reputation for reliability – rated as a brand rather than for any specific model – with it ranking 21st out of 30 brands in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey. It sits just above fellow premium brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

There has been a notable Volvo EX30 recall recently as well. This focused on certain 69kWh Long Range models built between 2024-2026. Cars were called back to dealers "as soon as possible" and, in the meantime, Volvo asked owners to limit charging to no more than 70% capacity. When charged to a high level, said Volvo, affected batteries could overheat which, in a "worst-case scenario", could result in a battery fire. However, added Volvo, only 0.02% of affected cars had actually suffered an incident, so the risk should hopefully be low.

The Volvo EX30 warranty covers the vehicle for three years and 60,000 miles, while the high voltage lithium-ion battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). That’s a fairly standard warranty cover, and rivals from Kia, Hyundai and even MG have longer standard warranties.