Volvo C40 Recharge 2022 Review

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is available in two models: single and dual-motor versions.

The official names are C40 Recharge Pure Electric Single Motor and C40 Recharge Pure Electric Twin, although for brevity we’ll shorten it throughout this review.

The single-motor model is priced from $74,990 plus on-road costs, which is $2000 more than its Volvo XC40 equivalent.

The dual-motor version sells from $82,490 plus ORCs and brings some extra gear, as well as the additional electric motor.

Servicing is required every two years or 30,000km and Volvo covers the cost for the first three years or 100,000km. Adding an additional two years of warranty coverage – and extending the kilometre coverage to 150,000km – costs another $1000.

The C40 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery has a separate warranty that applies for eight years and 160,000km. It guarantees at least 70 per cent of the original capacity will be in play after that time.

Each 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge model shares the same basic body and look, with wheels and details providing differentiation. Much of the equipment mimics that in the XC40 that is closely related to the C40.

Standard equipment for the Volvo C40 Recharge includes smart key entry, panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, dual-zone ventilation, heated front and rear seats, power-adjustable front seats, wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise control and 19-inch alloy wheels with tyre pressure monitors.

The dual-motor – or Twin – adds 20-inch alloy wheels, 360-degree camera, 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer and various trim changes, including Fusion Microtech and Textile upholstery.

Both also include a home charging portable cable that plugs into a regular power point. There’s no spare tyre, with a repair kit beneath the boot floor.

The only option on each is the colour, with all eight choices available at the standard price.

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge comes with airbag protection all around – front, front side, centre front, side curtain and a knee airbag for the driver.

There’s also a suite of driver assist technology, including adaptive cruise control, rear crash warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking (AEB), the latter only operating when driving forwards, not in reverse.

There’s also pre-collision warning that flashes lights to try to get the attention of an approaching vehicle and prepares the seat belts and brake hold to minimise injuries in a rear impact.

The crash protection and safety assist systems earned the C40 Recharge a five-star ANCAP rating tested against the 2022 criteria.

A digital instrument cluster kicks off a solid tech story for the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge.

The screen measures 12.3 inches in diameter and can be tweaked using a simple collection of buttons on the steering wheel.

Various parameters can slot between the speedo and power gauge – the navigation display is handy, then allowing the centre screen to control the infotainment features.

The infotainment system incorporates a 9.0-inch central screen controlled by the Google-led Android Automotive operating system. It includes Google Maps and the Google Assistant as part of a data plan that is included for four years (beyond that there’s a subscription).

There are four USB ports – two up front and two in the rear – all of them the smaller USB-C size.

It’s only electric motors doing the driving for the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge. But buyers can choose whether they want a single electric motor or two.

The entry C40 Recharge Pure Electric gets a 170kW/330Nm motor driving the front wheels.

It’s powered by a 69kWh battery pack with 67kWh of useable capacity. Volvo claims a WLTP range of 434km.

If you opt for the C40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric (or dual-motor) you get another motor powering the rear wheels, making it an all-wheel drive system.

The peak combined outputs are 300kW and 660Nm, which is good enough to have it surge to 100km/h in a claimed 4.7 seconds.

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is claimed to travel up to 434km on a charge for the single-motor model, according to the WLTP standard.

Its battery pack has a useable capacity of 67kW, with average electricity use claimed at 16.8kWh per 100km (using the less accurate ADR standard).

The dual-motor model has a larger battery – with a useable capacity of 75kWh – but its heavier body means the range is slightly less, claimed at 420km (WLTP). ADR electricity use is claimed at 22.2kWh/100km.

Both can charge on a home AC charger at up to 11kW. Using a home power point it would take the single-motor model around 34 hours for a full charge while the dual-motor would be more like 38 hours.

An AC wallbox charger will lower those charge times to as little as 6.5 hours and seven hours respectively.

Faster DC charging can be done at up to 150kW, which Volvo says will provide a 10-80 per cent charge in as little as 32 minutes for the single-motor and 40 minutes for the dual-motor.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is very similar to drive to the XC40 Recharge. Performance is identical because the C40 is only 4kg lighter than the XC40.

For the C40 Recharge Single Motor that means respectable pull, albeit without the initial surge some may yearn for.

Having 330Nm channelled through the front wheels occasionally has the steering wheel tugging gently to one side with torque steer when accelerating hard. But it’s generally well behaved and has the dynamic nous to match its sporty looks.

Decent 19-inch Pirelli tyres deliver with traction and it sits nicely in corners.

The ride is more compliant than a Polestar 2 and does a decent job of dealing with imperfections. Larger bumps will occasionally have the body rearing in response, although it settles swiftly.

Stepping up to the 20-inch wheels of the dual-motor means it more obviously transmits the occasional sharp edge into the cabin. There’s also some tyre noise and low-speed suspension noise over bumps. It’s no deal breaker, but it’s not as silent as some.

The big step-up for the dual-motor is performance. There’s a lot more urgency off the line courtesy of 300kW and 660Nm. And driving through all four wheels adds surety that in turn dials up the fun factor. It’s hot hatch brisk, making for plenty of smiles.

But utilise all that extra punch and the chassis occasionally struggles with the excitement, leaning on its front wheels as the pace ramps up.

That’s hardly an issue around the suburbs but it’s more point-and-shoot than a car that deeply tickles the dynamic senses.

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is being pitched as an SUV, but it’s not an off-roader.

In dual-motor (or Twin) guise it’ll tackle slippery surfaces such as snow or gravel with added confidence.

But it’s not designed to venture far from the blacktop. The lack of a spare tyre reinforces that.

There’s plenty of XC40 in in the 2022 Volvo C40 cabin, with some key differentiators.

The trims and finishes, for example, are unique to the C40, which is all part of the move to position it as more of an eco warrior.

Tradition has to some extent been sidelined.

A strip across the dash and bleeding into the doors has an interesting rubber finish that looks like a stylised Swedish map, with place names to match.

The Twin changes it up with what looks like a topographic map finished in black plastic. It won’t suit all tastes, but in some ways it’s refreshingly different.

Metal highlights blend nicely with dark plastics for a simple but classy appearance. And the soft door tops are a convincing alternative to leather. Not quite as convincing as the steering wheel – which looks and feels like the real deal – but more than enough for the premium presentation elsewhere.

While Volvo is sprouting it as the brand’s first EV that will only ever be an EV, there’s still ICE DNA hidden beneath, something that can’t be ignored.

That is most obvious in the back seat, where a sizeable hump robs the middle occupant of foot space.

Those in the back will also notice less headroom than the impressively spacious XC40; that’s the price of the look of that sloping roof.

The roofline also takes its toll on boot space relative to the XC40. The 489-litre capacity is about 15 per cent less than its more traditional SUV sibling.

But there’s a 60/40-split folding rear seat function and some underfloor storage, which pairs with the binnacle under the boot as a hidey hole for valuables (and the charging cable).

Sitting alongside the XC40 in the showroom means the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge tugs more at the heart than the head.

It’s more expensive and has less back seat and boot space but is otherwise extremely similar to its EV sibling.

So it’s arguably one for those hooked by the look.

Like the XC40, the Volvo C40 Recharge mounts a compelling EV case that occupies the more affordable end of the premium segment.

Perhaps its biggest appeal is that unlike some potential rivals Volvo looks set to get a steady flow of vehicles, ensuring wait times should be weeks or a couple of months rather than a year or more.

That in itself could be enough to tempt someone into a brand with big EV ambitions.

2022 Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric Single Motor at a glance:
Price: $74,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 170kW/330Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 69kWh lithium-ion (67kWh useable)
Range: 434km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 16.8kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

2022 Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric Twin at a glance:
Price: $82,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 300kW/660Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 78kWh lithium-ion (75kWh useable)
Range: 420km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 22.2kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)