Fresh off a Car-of-the-Year crown at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, the inaugural 2019 Volvo XC40 appears a solid entrant in the cutthroat American crossover segment. The smallest of Volvo's three SUV lineup, the XC40 fills a void in the small SUV/compact crossover range, providing a charming, youthful, and tech-heavy option. With little to compare it to, the XC40's success hinges on younger buyers opting for a luxurious vehicle, but with everything the XC40 has to offer, the Swedes shouldn't worry.
Trim Levels
For the 2019 model year, the Volvo XC40 comes in three trim levels with two available engines: Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription. The standard engine is referred to as the T4, while the available performance-based option is the T5.The Momentum starts with plenty of standard exterior features, including tinted windows, rain-sensing windshield wipers, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a head-turning white roof, a power tailgate, and roof rails. At the R-Design level, the XC40 adds dual exhaust, aluminum roof rails, and 19-inch wheels, while the Inscription rounds out the lineup with exclusive 18- or 19-inch wheels, a unique chrome grille, and a panoramic sunroof.Make a statement with one of seven colors for the XC40, including Black Stone, Ice White, Amazon Blue, Bright Silver Metallic, Onyx Black Metallic, Osmium Gray Metallic, and Fusion Red Metallic.
Engine
Regardless of trim, all T4 models come equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine that churns out a respectable 187 horsepower and up to 221 pound-feet of torque. However, the available upgrade to the T5 offer zippy acceleration and nimble handling. Beneath the sheet metal of this upgrade is a performance-tuned 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that delivers a whopping 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. With this beast leading the charge, the XC40 sprints from 0-60 in just 6.2 seconds with a top speed of 131 mph.Both engines pair with a smooth-shifting, eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available.
Performance
If you put a premium on fuel economy, both the T4 and T5 versions of the XC40 deliver. Although the T4 falls behind the T5 in terms of performance, it more than makes up for its shortfall with 36 mpg on the highway, 25 mpg in the city, and 29 mpg combined. That said, the T5 still pushes over the coveted 30 mpg range with 31 mpg on the highway, 23 mpg in the city, and 26 mpg combined.
Interior
The 2019 XC40 comfortably seats up to five passengers while still affording 20.7 cubic feet of storage space in the rear. For more room, fold the rear seats down to unveil an impressive 47.2 cubic feet of cargo room. Other exciting interior amenities are heated seats, a heated leather steering wheel, dual-zone electronic climate control, and the 9-inch Sensus touch screen to control the Volvo infotainment system.
Safety Features
Safety is still the top priority at Volvo, and the XC40 embodies this spirit with loads of standard safety features. City safety collision avoidance, collision mitigation support, oncoming lane mitigation, semi-autonomous driving with adaptive cruise control, and a tire pressure monitoring system round out the top safety specs of the 2019 Volvo XC40.