Volvo has also added a new drive mode selector button, although for the moment this is only for 2026 and Twin Motor cars. That means I also don’t get the new Relax mode reclines seats, dims lights, closes windows, plays soothing noises that’s available when parked.
Other updates include some extra low-battery warning alerts and the charging display screen, a change to where the car draws power from if pre-conditioning when plugged in, and a new snowflake symbol that appears when the battery is cold.
In all, there’s nothing really transformative with this update and, yes, maybe some of those functions should have been offered from launch but, in total, my EX30 is ever so slightly better than it was.
Volvo isn’t the only car maker that issues over-the-air updates, but it’s still interesting to see them in action, especially when they make a small but significant difference to how the car actually drives.
And really, I’m very much enjoying driving the EX30. I’m not waking up on a weekend with an urge to hunt down a B-road to attack with gusto, but the EV offers plenty of zip, its steering is direct yet light and it’s pleasingly refined.
And here’s the most important thing: it’s very definitely a car. I may spend a lot of time looking at the touchscreen and pondering software updates, but the thing I’m enjoying most about the EX30 is driving it. If a software update makes that a bit better, I’m all for it.
