The EX30, Volvo’s upcoming compact, electric SUV, will attempt to do something no Volvo has done before: attract teenagers to drive and sometimes 20 years old. Obviously through a subscription model because what other way can young people afford a new car, especially a Volvo, in 2023? The interior certainly looks good though, in the thoughtful yet discreet classic way that Scandinavian designed things often do, and that’s what we’ve gathered here for today’s discussion. .
Volvo shared the first image of the EX30’s interior before the car’s full reveal on June 7. Two things immediately come to mind. First, yes – it’s a giant Harman Kardon soundbar that spans the whole thing dashboard, where the interior meets the windshield. That means it’s at least three times as wide as the soundbar I have underneath my TV. And second, Volvo has actually adopted a vertically-coupled iPad infotainment approach, a growing trend.
Normally, I don’t much for this look. There is currently a trend with certain luxury products where less advertised is more and it falls apart if you consider even for a second, again, What is the average price of a new car?. I also want some physical buttons. Here’s the problem, though: the EX30 is intended to be the starting point for Volvo’s electric range, and for the sake of keeping costs down, I somewhat understand minimalism. Honestly, I was also intrigued by the mottled material of the bottom dash, which looks a bit like granite but recycled and seems to have a soft sheen to it.
As with all current Volvos, the infotainment system runs on a custom version of Google’s brand of Android Automotive operating system. It looks good, but impressions from people who have used it and its Polestar themed cousin To be Mixso hopefully there have been improvements.
But let’s get back to the soundbar, because it’s a bit clever. Put all the speakers away in that strip makes wiring simpler and also returns some storage space to occupants, as the company explains:
The soundbar is a great example of clever design, by grouping speakers together in one component and reducing the amount of wires and materials. You might not even notice it at first, sitting under the windshield and seamlessly integrated into the cockpit design. But without installing speakers in the doors, we can provide you with more storage space. In the same vein, we’ve moved the window switch to the center console, so it’s easily accessible to both driver and passenger.
How will it sound? You would assume that things are worse with the drivers all in a row, although modern 3D audio post-processing can do a lot with a given space, if tuned correctly. Volvo is also proud of its center console design, which combines a sliding design with a pop-out cup holder and not one but a two possible places to put your smartphone. Also, the window switches are all centered.
The back door contains a “handy size guide”, according to the release, which Volvo says is useful for measuring “flat-packed furniture”, further promoting the theme of Swedish pride. . It’s unclear what form this guide exactly takes – if it’s a glorified ruler carved into plastic or the floor or what – but it sounds like a win for practicality. This is the final trailer before we see the full EX30 next week, so let’s hope the interior is packed with even more useful wacky features. Just like Ikea furniture.
