Words Andrea Albertazzi / Photos Gian Romero

I have always associated Volvos with the image of a generous flagship ready to venture into the treacherous and wild Scandinavian roads. The most typical of families on board, pampered by maximum safety and that perception of indestructibility granted for decades at the top of the rankings of robustness and reliability. Things have not changed, except for the fact that Volvo has started to produce cars at the antipodes compared for example to the gargantuan XC90. We are talking about the smallest ever produced, also presented as the model with the smallest environmental footprint ever created by the brand. Here is the EX30.

This crossover is in fact positioned a step immediately before the EC40 and EX40, standing out for a minimalist look and that especially at the rear plays the card of a stylistic gamble that proposes square lines, exactly according to the current trend carried forward by the brand and its cousins ​​at Polestar. The EX30 tastes fresh, winking at the environment also thanks to a greater use of recycled materials for seats, door panels and dashboard, where the assembly remains impeccable even where there is a pleasant contrast between soft plastics and other more rigid ones. Let’s not beat around the bush, in its class it is a step above all the others precisely thanks to the perception of quality that permeates one of the best cabin ever.

The clean design, however, also translates into the substantial allocation of physical buttons. With the exception of some controls on the steering wheel, we have (touch) controls for the central locking and for the windows, which are the same for both front and rear ones, which is not the most practical thing in the world. Standing out in the middle is the large 12.3-inch vertical display that uses the Android system and divides the main screen into three portions, with the digital dashboard on top, the large box for the map (Google) or for the requested app and the shortcuts at the bottom, which are not always practical when driving, such as those for climate and headlights, which I would have preferred to be quicker to call up. You will notice the great care in the design of the door handles, as well as the lack of visible speakers, replaced by a Harman Kardon sound bar, for an optimal soundtrack that will have no background noise, not even the rolling of the tires, which in the version we’re testing are fitted with 20-inch rims.

Ok, let’s get straight to the point, this is in fact at the top of the list, namely the Twin Motor Performance which is equipped with two motors – obviously electric – and 64 kWh batteries. Each one supplies energy to the respective drive axle, with a permanent four-wheel drive that unloads 428 horsepower and 543 Nm of torque to the ground. The power is needless to say impressive, especially since the EX30 and its compact dimensions stop the scale at 1,885 kg. That said, we are talking about performances that can be partially kept under control by selecting a different four-wheel drive management and therefore having “just” 272 horses. The driving style can finally be perfected with One Pedal Drive, for better energy recovery during deceleration.

Innovative, practical and quite spacious, with the two front occupants with plenty of comfort and the rear ones who could just have some very small discomfort for their feet, still nothing that prevents an out of town trip, situation in which you can approximately clock 450 km before stopping at a charging stagion for a quick refill. The laminated glass roof then increases class and brightness in the passenger compartment, where we also appreciate the drawer that can be opened from the touch screen and a sliding storage compartment that integrates two cup holders. Staying on the topic of practicality, the rear trunk is perfectly roomy for everyone needs, while the front one –just 7 liters – has proven to be ideal for a pair of (silk) gloves.

But the EX30 is not primarily designed for long journeys and although it is able to do that without the slightest problem, the city and extra-urban context are its daily bread. The smallest Volvo in the catalogue confirms itself as an exceptional product and in this particular shade of yellow it enhances its lines that find their culmination in the light clusters: at the front with the inevitable Thor’s hammer and at the rear with a split horizontal development that I find brilliant.

And then it is a pleasure to drive. It is precise, without body roll and in the version with two engines and over four hundred horsepower it allows you to indulge yourself even where you would not have considered it necessary, perhaps with the most classic of typical family cars. Not this time, because the beauty of driving a car is precisely the fact of taking the longest route back from the office and with a truthful management of the residual range and a calculation of electron refills, the experience and coexistence with the EX30 is relaxing as rarely happens behind the wheel of a 100% electric vehicle. The EX30 starts at around €37,350 for the Single Motor and reaches almost 50,000 Euros for the Twin Motor Performance of our test. The good part is that even talking about the top of the range spec and bringing home an exorbitant power and the maximum in terms of active and passive safety, the EX30 still remains not only the best in its segment, but also one of the least expensive.

VOLVO EX30 TWIN MOTOR PERFORMANCE

Engine Electric with 64 kWh batteries Power 428 hp Torque 543 Nm

Traction All-Wheel-Drive Transmission Single Speed Automatic Gearbox Weight 1.885 kg

0-100 kph 3,6 sec Top speed 180 kph Price €49.150 Range 450 km ca.