Yeah, this is a little awkward. When we drive Volvo EX30 2025 in Midwest Automobile Association (MAMA) Spring ConventionIt was destined to come this year. Volvonew level of tram. Then the US government imposed large tariffs on Chinese-made cars. EX30 currently under construction in Chengdu, so Volvo decides to postpone sale date to next year when production could begin in Ghent, Belgium, potentially making the US-bound EX30 a 2026 model. So the question here isn’t whether you should buy one, but rather, is it worth the wait?
We think so. It’s a bit small, and cost-cutting has led to some ergonomic issues, but the EX30 looks and drives like a premium small car. intersection should be priced lower than the premium price.
Be sure to look closely at the details.
Volvo really hit the mark with the design of the EX30. It gets minimalism pretty much right. At first glance, it’s simple from every angle; a basic box that doesn’t even have a grille. Look closer, though, and you start to notice interesting and even attractive details. The embossed Volvo emblem on the front; the curved panel gaps in the exact same way as the wheel arches; all the lines on the headlights and taillights. And that’s just the beginning. The interior follows the same philosophy. While it may seem a little basic at first, with its open dashboard and single central screen, you’ll eventually notice the metal door handles that are actually extensions of the door trim, and a host of other attractive materials. Including the speckled recycled plastic in my test car or The textile style Road Test Editor Zac Palmer experienced in SwedenThere are little ribs here and there to add some visual interest, and the matte finish on the vents is another nice touch. It all makes the EX30 feel more interesting, but also more premium, than its low price tag would suggest.
Volvo appears to have cut control costs
However, what is disappointing is that Volvo seems to have followed suit. TeslaAnd to a lesser extent CarThe cost-cutting model. The central screen handles everything. And yes, that includes the instrument cluster. Now, that’s something you can get used to, but then there are plenty of less-than-ideal things in life that you can get used to. Adaptive doesn’t mean good. Having the speedometer and other important information right in front of you is still better, whether it’s a head-up display or just a small additional screen like even VW offers. Of course, not having those things makes things cheaper, both because there are no parts and because you don’t have to swap everything for left- and right-hand drive markets. The screen also houses all the controls for the climate control and stereo — even the glovebox can only be opened via the touchscreen. That’s annoying, even if the touchscreen itself is well done.
The buttons on the steering wheel are also touch sensitive, and whether it’s a VW or Mercedes carWe were never convinced by these controls. At least there’s a wiper and turn signals.
Another area where cost cutting shows up is in the window switches. They’re located on the front center console, which isn’t unheard of – old BMW had them as they are today Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Ford Bronco – but like Vehicle code VW4You need to toggle between front and rear windows to select which set of windows you want to operate. The combination of the unusual location and dropping the two switches seems like an overkill.
The EX30 is also quite cramped (in terms of space)
Despite its low, hunched appearance, the EX30 actually feels very airy inside. The low dashboard helps a lot, along with the high seating position. Unfortunately, passenger space is limited. Front occupants have reasonable legroom and headroom, but the way the center stack juts out to support the screen really intrudes on legroom. I bumped into it quite often.
The back seat, meanwhile, is really cramped. The only way I can fit in the back of my 5-foot-11-inch car is by spreading my knees wide, one knee between the front seat and the B-pillar, the other knee facing the center console. Volvo doesn’t provide dimensions for the space behind the rear seats, but at least there’s a decent amount of cargo space. Look quite usable even with the seats up. So skip the EX30 if you’re looking for a real family car. This one’s for singles and couples who only need the occasional use of the back seats.
Drives pretty well
And I’m not just talking about it being a comfortable and quiet commuter, which it certainly can be. The EX30 is genuinely fun to drive. The one I sampled was just the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive example. It makes 268 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque, and Volvo says it can get the 4,100-pound hatchback-crossover-SUV to 60 in 5.1 seconds. It feels as impressively powerful as that number implies, which makes it more likely that you’ll be perfectly happy to skip the dual-motor upgrade. Of course, it’s understandable to be tempted by the prospect of 422 horsepower just by adding that extra motor. Even more so when Volvo only expects the extra motor to reduce range by 10 miles.
In addition to the acceleration, the single-engine model has a light and agile nose, again very similar to the Code 4makes it fast on narrow roads and in the city. However, the steering is too light and numb, which is disappointing when it feels so agile. And as we mentioned, the ride is smooth and body lean is limited. A good all-rounder with a penchant for fun.
It’s a great value, regardless.
Volvo has announced that the EX30 will launch for $36,145. That would make it one of the most affordable EVs on the U.S. market, before tax credits. However, that price was also announced with a much earlier launch date, and it’s likely that the price will change once the EX30 starts rolling off the assembly line in Belgium, where higher labor costs could inevitably lead to price increases beyond the Chinese-made DOA model. Still, even if Volvo eventually raises the price by a few thousand dollars, it’ll still be a great deal. Yes, there are more spacious options, like Vehicle code VW4But the Volvo has a level of style and fun that makes it a solid choice, even if it doesn’t stay as cheap as expected. And if the price stays the same, it’s just a much better deal.
