Exclusive: Volvo EX30 First Drive Review: Baby Swede, Big Bite?

The EX30 is Volvo’s smallest, most affordable EV yet, and also, arguably, quite important for India. Why? Because the premium EV game here is finally getting exciting—and the EX30 is all set to stir things up. The EX30 was the 2024 World Urban Car – and with good reason.

It’s based on Geely’s SEA platform and is being positioned as a global urban EV. In India, it could also be the most affordable Volvo you can buy. So time to pay attention!

Volvo EX30 Review: Design

When you look at it, you straight away know it's a Volvo, but the split taillight is a nice reinterpretation of the vertical Volvo, which has become iconic to the brand. You can still straight away know it’s a Volvo, but if you didn't, you have the VOLVO lettering to tell you. Overall, the proportions of the car are what really grab me. When I saw the pictures and the videos, when the car first broke cover, it looked compact. It looked more like a hatchback. But when you see it in person, you can make out that it’s an SUV, but a compact one. It still has that little bit of that SUV character that kind of shines through when you see the car up front. I also like the exaggerated fender, which grows into the wheel arch, almost bulging into the hood. I like that too, because again, it's an SUV character. The wheels kind of tell you it's an EV, and it's very stylish. This one I drove is finished in Cloud Blue, which kind of looks like white or a light gray. But I can promise you it has a hint of blue in it, it's very Scandinavian. I know that sounds clichéd, but it kind of works. And I think it looks really nice because it makes the car stand out. 

In front, you see the new face of Volvo’s EVs. This is the new design language that you're starting to see. And, especially the headlamp, which is still the Thor's hammer, but it's got its own new interpretation with the little rectangles that kind of form the overall shape. It's very nice. We saw it first on the EX90, and now the EX30 has it as well. The iron mark also has the new look, but it's kind of like what you've seen on the EC40 and the EX40. And this particular car that with us is a US spec. But of course, there's going to be different versions of it. And I can tell you straight away that in terms of just being very apt and very suited to our market, I think it ticks a lot of boxes.

Volvo EX30 Review: Interior

This is where the EX30 goes full Scandinavian. The cabin is quirky, clean, and feels like it was designed in a Stockholm design studio using 100% recycled coffee cups.

Volvo has been talking about sustainable materials and fabrics; you see that in the seats and on the dash. There’s a recycled plastic that’s been integrated with a granite look to try and give it, well, Swedish granite feels, and that’s all very quirky and nice. But when it comes to a premium brand product, there are certain things that start to look just a little too spartan. The fact that you don’t have an instrument cluster, the fact that the door is so bare, there’s absolutely no controls except for the door handle, even the window switches are in the centre console. You can operate the rear ones by pressing ‘Rear’ and then using the same buttons. So it’s different, it’s quirky, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. 

Now the big 12.3-inch vertical screen is what obviously gets all of your attention, it’s packed with a whole lot of stuff we’ve seen on previous Volvos – Android Auto is integrated because it runs on Google, and none of that is surprising, so I’m not gonna waste my time on it. It works well but it takes getting used to. The part that’s irritating again is that no instrument cluster, means you gotta keep looking here for all the vehicle dynamics when you’re driving as well.

But here’s the cool part: storage is clever. Think IKEA-style solutions: sliding panels, hidden cubbies, multiple USB-C ports, and dual wireless charging. There’s no traditional glove box but you get just tons of space in the centre console, there’s two wireless chargers, I should say, and we’ve got little bit of a hidden space at the bottom of the centre console, which also has two USB-C points. It has huge amounts of space, which is nice. The materials are kind of soft to the touch, and things don’t slide or bounce around, that’s quite nicely done. 

You’ve also got a hidden storage space, right underneath the armrest. Now that’s clever because you’ve got the two cupholders, or just slide the top panel back, leading to lots of space for your stuff. Don’t want that? Well, you can even just go half-way, or just bring out the cupholder for a single drink. That’s all very cleverly done and the material quality is pretty good. It fits and moves and connects to everything in a really good way. So, you expect that from Volvo and that’s what you get – comfortable seats, surprisingly spacious, but at the end of the day, this is a small car.

Yes, it feels a bit spartan at times, but also incredibly smart. It’s a car designed for Gen-Z sensibilities with a premium twist.

Volvo EX30 Review: Safety

It’s got 5 stars from Euro NCAP as well as multiple airbags, stability control and ISOFIX. ADAS, though, is optional in international trims. No surprise here – it’s a Volvo. Safety is basically part of the branding.

Volvo EX30 Review: Performance

Now there are multiple powertrain options with the EX30 globally. There’s a single motor version and a more powerful dual-motor version. The single motor also has an extended range version. So many choices but which will come to India? 

I drove both the single-motor extended range and dual-motor AWD versions across LA and Sweden. Power delivery is smooth and predictable – perfect for urban crawls and highway glides. Steering is light but accurate; cornering feel is composed, not clinical. Dual-motor version adds zing, but unless you crave all-out acceleration, the single-motor is enough for India.

This baby Swede drives with quiet confidence. It doesn’t scream for attention – it just shows up, delivers, and leaves the room cooler than it entered.

That extended range variant, with its claimed range of around 475 km and its 69 kWh battery, makes the most sense for India as that battery is already being used for the EX40 too. It’s got decent figures too – 268 bhp and 343 Nm, that’s good enough frankly!

Volvo EX30 Review: Verdict

It’s urban appeal really sets the tone then for the baby Volvo but at the end of the day, it’ll all boil down to the price of the car!

For the last few years, all the EVs we've been seeing, especially from the premium brands, they've been all about being sort of technology showcases. So, they're really sort of premium in terms of their pricing. They're luxurious and they're big. But buyers don't necessarily always want cars like that. They want something that's more practical. Which is why when the EX40 came to the market and then the EC40, they really stood out because they were compact, they were practical and they were EVs. With the EX30, I feel like that conversation is going to become even more relevant because it's cars like these that people really want to actually drive. It's cars like these that people really want to buy, and then they're interested in EVs, but they don't want to be alienated by a really huge sticker price. So, Volvo has played that part really smartly in the context of what happens if this car was to come to our market. Of course, I know the duty structure puts a lot of question marks on it in terms of how much you could price it. But then we have the EC40 and the EX40, and we've seen the kind of pricing that they've been able to bring, which has been fairly aggressive. So, the expectation with something like this becomes really interesting, really exciting.

So, do the BMW iX1 L, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, BYD Atto 3, and Mercedes EQA have a worthy competitor? If Volvo’s pricing game is on point with this one too, yes indeed. This baby Swede has all the makings of a cult hit. It’s the kind of car that millennials will Google and Gen Zs will pin on mood boards. If that’s not market potential, I don’t know what is!