Volvo EX30 review - Australia has a new cheap EV superstar!

Okay, so it might not actually be that cheap, but the Volvo EX30 is now the most affordable vehicle from the brand.

It's fully electric, has a couple of variants available including Single Motor and Twin Motor Performance versions, and I drove them all as a guest of Volvo Car Australia at the launch event for the new EX30.

It is a small crossover hatch - but it has plenty of EV driving range, loads of power, and a beautiful cabin design that makes it worth the asking price, just on its own.

There are some things that could be better, and you might be surprised about some of my findings. But watch the review and have your say in the comments!

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00:00 Volvo EX30
00:20 Is it the right price?
02:10 What are the best alternatives?
03:24 Is it the right size?
04:47 Interior
11:24 Under the bonnet
12:22 Range and charging
13:19 Driving
17:06 Efficiency
18:08 Is it safe?
19:01 Ownership
19:42 Verdict

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I am aiming to review every new car on the market that people actually buy, to help new-car customers like you, or curious car enthusiasts (maybe also like you) get the right steer when it comes to choosing a new set of wheels.

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[ralphgyoery]

Thank you for your review. The first Australian based one I’ve seen. I’m taking delivery of mine next week and have gone for the dual motor version. I have recently also test driven the car. I prefer it over other EVs I’ve tested mainly for its compact size, suspension setup and power delivery which to me feels more like a traditional car which suits me personally. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel its weight as much as other EVs that I tested. Anyway, just my 2c worth. Nice review.

[Steve-jxmh]

For over 60k you want the back seats to be useable, even if you dont have kids.
It really is a 2 person car who might use the back every now and then.
You have the kona, atto3, megane etc as better choices.
Like the megane this has great reviews across europe.
And the europeans prefer the mid spec also.

[chrisgeorghiou]

This car is ideal for us (retired) which will mainly be used by my wife for shopping, visiting the kids and me going to tennis etc. Our grandchildren are still very young and they will be the only "usual" passangers at the back, so certainly big enough. I test drove the car a couple of times (I am not a millennial IT guru) and did not find using the touch screen difficult at all so I can't see us having any difficulty in getting used to it, including the speedo which has large numbers on the side closer to the driver. It also drives as good or better than any other car I drove (and I drove a lot of hire cars through my work). We just can't wait to take delivery of it.

[Richard-slwe]

When is the Kia EV3 due to launch, I'm guessing a competitor to the Volvo EX30?

[androo]

Really like this little Volvo. I saw one the other day in this yellow and it looked incredibly good. Disappointing that they forgot to check people fit in the rear before creating the metalwork though...
Would be useful, when there's just a touchscreen in a car, if you could tell us/demo how well the voice activated stuff makes up for it, or doesn't.

[rickynellz]

Great review Matt. We were really interested in the EX30, but we ended up going with the Kona Extended range because of the size and availability!

[Harmz]

Hey Matt, tossing up between this ex30 (have a preorder + test drove and liked) and a polestar 2 standard. The polester just got a price cut in standard pack until eofy which now makes it cheaper on-road. Given this which would you pick?

[Martin-dxzs]

I ordered the Ultra twin motor performance modal, as in the UK, it’s only £3k to upgrade to the dual motor variant which is quicker than a Model Y Performance.

[theroadrunner]

All European designed cars are beautifully designed. The powers in this Volvo is icing on the cake.

[sa-pd]

Why do these car companies insist on not having a speedo. It’s just a really bad idea. Speed is one of those bits of information you need on a regular basis…. Why put it outside of your eyes view. I had a 1968 mini with the speedo in the middle too- hated it. This isn’t a new idea…. It’s just cheap, minis were cheap- I expect more from $70k+ car.

[mikemoros]

11:15 was that another yellow EX30 zooming past??

[yorttroy]

Test drove one yesterday, incredible car. Testing a BYD ATTO 3 tomorrow, as from the reviews I've seen - the other option (Kona) loses out to the Atto.

[jamesbuttigieg]

Love your reviews; very down to earth but still informative.

[rachelbailey]

Just wondering why the BYD cross overs never got a mention here. Same size - same spec. Great review - thanks so much.

[GabrielA-nfvz]

Seems like a great car and quite like the design. Have been driving a Tesla for over a year, so everything operated via the screen isn’t an issue. You do get used to it very quickly. This is one nice looking car.

[stevenswann]

"Volvo's middle name is safety". Then they hide most of the controls in a multi-menu touchscreen. Interesting that the Google connected services is for 5 years only. I assume a subscription service after that?

[gregturner_awod]

A nicely designed small Volvo EV, this one built in China, and as a small but powerful EV looks great. The software looks good, and the internal design looks excellent. The gear selector has the same functionality as past Tesla Model 3’s and current Model Y’s. A great two seater, perhaps small kids in the back. I’d love it as a second car. Mid spec is certainly the way to go, as said in the review, and what I like is unlike the XC40 Recharge which was originally designed as an ICE vehicle this was designed ground up as an EV. I love to free servicing you described, well done Volvo! An excellent and comprehensive review as always of an interesting new EV.

[robertjenner]

I have a 21 volvo V60cc- long time Volvo fan since my 240. Keen to test drive it, but worried about the space in the boot and back seat. Appreciate the awesome review 👌🏻

[thatsgoodcofffee]

The 8 year road side assist and battery warranty, 5 year no servicing cost, 24 month intervals, mid spec rear wheel drive, not bad I reckon ✅

[jamesmcbroom]

I looked at one of these (the dual motor variant) via leasing - current Australian Gov incentives mean EV and PHEV cars have the fringe benefits tax waived (until april next year I think, not really sure on that one). What I decided in the end is that I couldn't live with just a touch screen for everything. One, I'm not sure faffing with sub-menus while driving is all that safe. Two, my eyes aren't what they used to be and I don't really want to have to wear reading glasses perched on the end of my nose to see, for example, how far I have left until a recharge. Three, the charging infrastructure around where I live is not great. Looks like a nice little car though, and I applaude Volvo for making an EV that is in the "very nearly affordable" range.