Hannah and her family tried out the Volvo EX40(Image: )
I’m something of an unlikely carfluencer. I only passed my test, while pregnant, in May 2024, aged 34. But as a mum of two and now daily driver, I’ve quickly learned what makes a good family motor. In my normal life, we have a Honda CRV. It’s about 800 years old but still running, and we love it. That said, it’s always a real treat when a brand new car, shiny as anything, and with no rust or duct tape in sight, gets dropped off on our driveway.
For our latest adventure, Volvo were kind enough to lend us an EX40, in chic Vapour Grey*, a fully electric vehicle (EV) which retails at about £58,110. “We hope this makes any travelling you need to do less stressful,” my friends at Volvo told me as they handed me the keys, glancing sideways at my irate 18-month-old, Poppy, angrily yelling at me for more snacks.
I smiled. Yes, I thought, let’s hope so. You see, we had a family trip from our home in Manchester to my partner John’s parents’ home in Newcastle coming that weekend. Would the Volvo make it a breeze? We would soon find out.
View 4 ImagesWould the Volvo provide moments of calm for the family?(Image: )
First up, however, was a week of school runs. Which I have to say, the Volvo handled beautifully. It’s incredibly responsive to drive, comfortable and spacious. The boot fit our big Bugaboo pram with ease, and the Cybex car seats were easily slotted into place. The interior - blacker than black - and super sleek, felt incredibly luxurious. Far too luxurious for my endlessly-crumb-creating five-year-old, Molly.
The Volvo EX40 offers comprehensive safety through advanced driver assistance (ADAS) like BLIS , Cross Traffic Alert , Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Collision Avoidance with auto-braking.
There are also multiple airbags (front, side, curtain, knee), strong structure (SIPS, WHIPS), and ISOFIX child seat mounts, all designed to protect occupants and help prevent accidents. It also includes smart cabin features like air purification and child locks, emphasising a holistic approach to safety for passengers and drivers.
View 4 ImagesHannah and Molly enjoy the ride(Image: )
We hoped this would provoke a sense of calm as we set off that weekend for Newcastle. And, reader, it did. Cocooned in the comfort of the backseats, both children fell asleep minutes into the three hour drive and only woke up once we stopped at Wetherby services for snacks - and to charge the car.
Now for me, this will always be a sticking point for electric cars. As someone with young children, an EV is actually a brilliant option because chances are we’ll be stopping anyway to change a nappy or to buy a box of raspberries. But if you just want to ‘get on with it’... well, you can’t go anywhere with a flat battery.
It’s not as cheap as it was easier, as electricity prices have doubled since 2022. That said, but the time we’d stocked up at the services and all emptied our bladders, the Volvo had enough juice to go. “That’s a smart looking piece of kit,” John’s dad Kevin said on our arrival.
View 4 ImagesSleek and chic: the Volvo's interior(Image: )
Over the weekend, the Volvo handled our little trips out to the coast and to friends’ housed with ease and didn’t need topping up with power until the third day, which impressed me.
Then, just as we were getting ready to return home, it began to snow. In the Honda, which has a somewhat erratic heating system due to its old age, I’d have been slightly worried that if we had to stop we’d freeze to death. But the Volvo handled the sleet like a champ. We cranked up the heating, warmed up all our bums with the seat heating, and ploughed on back to Manchester.
So, did the Volvo really manage to reduce our road trip stress? Well, yes. On the way back, after playing Baa Baa Black Sheep on repeat through the sound system, Poppy fell promptly asleep, quickly followed by Molly. Switching nursery rhymes for Noel Gallagher, John and I nattered all the way back home in peace.
*The XC Black Edition combines Volvos signature minimalist design with a bold, dark aesthetic. While the Black Edition name refers to its distinctive exterior detailing - including a gloss black Volvo Iron Mark, black rear badging and black alloy wheels - the model is available in a range of exterior colours, allowing customers to personalise their XC40 while retaining the striking Black Edition look. We opted for the Vapor Grey option and loved it.