Volvo’s upcoming EV is big on style and even bigger on sustainability. But will it sustain in the cut-throat Indian market?
Volvo is planning to enter the competitive ₹50 lakh luxury EV segment with an all-new car — the EX30. The aim is to attract younger buyers while offering a premium badge backed by a strong environmentally conscious approach. But can it achieve that? Or is the EX30 perhaps a bit too European for the Indian market?
2025 Volvo EX30 exterior design and engineering: 8/10
Modern design language but with Volvo DNA and subtlety
The EX30 is Volvo’s first ground-up EV built on the Geely-owned SEA2 (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform. Dimensionally, it is shorter in length, height and width in comparison to Volvo’s next EV, the EX40. However, with no ICE counterpart to rely on, the styling is brand new and integrates the EV bits a lot better.
Up front, it carries over the Thor’s hammer LED DRLs, but with individual elements. The front otherwise remains closed off in typical EV fashion with vents in the sides that help with airflow. An active air flap is at the bottom of the bumper.
Over the side, you have 19-inch alloy wheels that look bigger in person and a shorter wheelbase than Volvo’s other EVs. What is interesting is the roofline and the form factor, which strays away from the traditional boxy SUV look and adapts a more new-age design.
Ground clearance is good, too, and there is no visible battery pack under the car since it has been tucked away into the floor.
The rear features C-shaped LED taillamps with elements that extend on the rear windshield.
The rear is fuss-free and a bit more restrained in comparison to the funky front.
Interestingly, getting inside can be either fully digital using your phone or a smart card that you need to tap on the driver’s side B-pillar.
2025 Volvo EX30 interior space and comfort: 6/10
Big on sustainability, but lacks space and some key features
Inside, the first thing you notice is the upholstery, which is not luxurious in the traditional sense, but there is solace in the fact that you are doing your best to help the earth. The dashboard is layered with recycled materials, with the only metal being on the vents or door handles.
Also noticeable is the raised floor that results in a knees-up sitting position even for the front passenger. What’s nice is the seats that are broad and comfy, and the driver’s seat gets power adjustment as well. Sadly, it misses out on ventilation, heating or massaging, which is usually a highlight on Volvo cars.
Storage options are in abundance as the door pockets are huge, there is a good amount of room in the lower half of the centre console and even cup holders that can be tucked away to open up access to the space below.
In the rear seat, space is tight, and adults above 6 feet will struggle for room. The floor height is significantly high, and while the floor itself is flat, the lack of under-thigh support and the knees-up seating robs away comfort. Shorter adults won’t struggle as much and will be fine for short city drives.
Width is also best only for two in the back, and while the seat comfort is good, the room is tight. The glass roof adds plushness, but with no blind or cover, it is bound to heat up the cabin on a hot day.
The boot at 318 litres is decent and accessible, and a unique touch is the diagram on the tailgate that shows what all it can fit. There is a 7 litre frunk, too, which will mostly be used up by the charging cabl,e and there is no spare wheel on offer.
2025 Volvo EX30 features and safety 6/10
Most features controlled via screen; basics are missed
Taking centre stage is a 12.3-inch vertically-mounted touchscreen that features all of the functions. There is not a single physical switch or button on the dashboard. Even adjusting the headlamps and ORVMs is done via the screens, and that takes some time to get used to. The screen itself uses Google software with a Snapdragon chip that makes it quick and responsive, and the default navigation is also Google Maps. Apple CarPlay is wireless, but the same does not go for Android Auto. There is a 360-degree camera too.
The lack of an instrument cluster means driving data is also embedded in the screen. It gets a dedicated section at the top of the screen for basic data like range, speed and ADAS notification.
Audio duties are courtesy of a Harman/Kardon sound bar that extends through the width of the dashboard and features tweeters and a subwoofer behind the dashboard. While the audio quality is good, it does not match the quality of Volvo’s Bowers and Wilkins systems.
In the rear seat, the EX30 misses out on AC vents and sunblinds and there is no option to recline the backrest either. What it does get, though, is Level 2 ADAS along with warnings for door opening and a drowsiness detector that scans your face, road and steering position.
2025 Volvo EX30 performance and refinement: 8/10
Good power, but drive is smooth and gentle
Globally, this EX30 is the Extended range, as there is a smaller battery pack option as well that gets LFP cells. This one uses NMC cells that are energy-dense and have longer life cycles. The battery is also liquid-cooled and gets an 8-year warranty. The 65kWh battery puts out 272hp and 343Nm. Refinement-wise, it is quiet and relaxed, apart from slight road noise and wind noise at high speeds at about 100 kph. Vibrations are very well contained, and the road damping is quite nice, too.
Volvo claims 0-100kph in 5.7 seconds, but there is none of that neck-snapping response and power delivery is linear, which makes it very easy to drive in day-to-day scenarios. Now, while that acceleration is nice and linear, you don’t have any drive modes to help you gain a bit more in terms of response, it is set in its default setting and that is what you get and the same goes for the regeneration as well, there is no selective regen on this car, so whatever recuperation happens is during braking. There is one-pedal driving mode too that makes it effortless in bumper-to-bumper traffic. However, all this means the EX30 is not the most exciting car to drive, and all you can do from behind the driver’s seat is manage the steering wheel.
2025 Volvo EX30 mileage: 7/10
65kWh battery pack claims 480km WLTP range
And then we come to the all-important topic of range, 480 kilometres is what Volvo claims on the WLTP cycle; obviously, real-world figures will be slightly different. At 95 percent, we were looking at about 360 kilometres of range when we started the drive. Of course, that depends on driving style and if the drive is in the city or highway. On our shoot day, the driving was mostly on the highways and not much in the city, so we weren’t able to get the most accurate number. That said, you can expect above 350 kilometres on a single charge comfortably, which is not too bad given the car is likely to do mostly urban runs, and once in a while, small intercity commutes.
The 400V battery architecture allows it to charge from 0-100 percent using a 7.4kW charger in 10 hours 30 minutes, using an 11kW AC charger in 7 hours and using a 150kW DC charger in just 25 mins.
2025 Volvo EX30 ride and handling: 8/10
Stable ride with good damping, but not a fun handler
Speaking of ride comfort, there is an inherent firmness to the ride with all that weight low down, but the damping is really good, so even over low-speed bumps, even though you move about slightly, there is none of that harshness or thuds seeping into the cabin. But where that slight firmness in the suspension helps is in the corners, as the EX30 remains relatively firm and relatively flat. There is minimal roll, and it is stable, but you won’t get much feedback from the steering, even though you have selectable modes between soft, medium and firm. The artificial heft added to the steering, especially in firm setting, helps it feel sharp, but the soft setting is the most preferred mode as you get the light steering in the city that aids manoeuvrability.
2025 Volvo EX30 price and verdict: 6/10
Pricing will have to be aggressive to fight with rivals
Pricing for the EX30 is likely to be aggressive and will undercut the EX40 and C40. In terms of the battery size, it will go up against the BMW iX1 LWB and Mercedes-Benz EQA, but around the Rs 50 lakh mark, it will also have to fight some strong EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, BYD Sealion 7 and even the Kia EV6, that pack a whole lot.
The Volvo falls short on rear seat space and misses some basic features, but its strong suits are its modern design, sustainable interior and the premium badge that will look to attract buyers. It has its strengths, but it also has its work cut out.
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