In Early March PAUSE had the pleasure of attending the Volvo XC40 Lagom Launch Event out in the British countryside. For once, we were blessed with beautiful skies, although paired with some chilly winds, perfect for test driving Volvo’s latest offering. For those who associate Volvo’s with an older generation slash family orientated user, they will be more than pleasantly surprised. The XC40 is described as the youthful cousin to the other models with its striking design, semi-autonomous drive technology and fantastic interior.
But let’s start with talking through the exterior. PAUSE loves the contrast-colour roof, which is available on Momentum and standard on R-Design versions. It gives off a sportier vibe to the look, and is really on point. The concave front grille, LED headlights and alloy wheels (18″ to 21″) also add to the bolder Volvo style direction. The design has been so carefully thought out and not just through appearance, but in function too. As just one example, the doors extend to the bottom of the vehicle, overlapping the sills. This stops the user from getting dirty, when hopping in and out, as the sills will keep clean. Particularly useful for those trips to the football!
Moving on to the interior. The key thing of notice is the touch screen system. Operated like a smart phone, it is so quick and easy to use, and actually allows you to access most functions from your mobile, including calls/text messages/media. A PAUSE favourite is that their in-built modem allows the car to turn into a wifi hotspot (sick, I know!) so you and your passengers can connect to the internet when in transit, even in areas of poor coverage. The car also boasts apps, including Spotify, without having to use you mobile.
The Volvo XC40 low key best bits:
- Enough boot space for all of your suitcases – flat floor with no luggage lip makes loading easy too.
- Designated area to hold your mobile and charge it wirelessly.
- The glovebox has a fold out hook; perfect for those Friday takeaway pick ups, or Saturday Gucci shopping bags.
- Wifi Hotspot
- Cloud-based apps, including Yelp and Google Local Search.
- Volvo On Call – An assistance service, both for every day requests or emergencies. This function allows users to tap into the cars system from a smartphone, smartwatch or tablet. Drivers can lock/unlock the vehicle, turn on the heater, input routes into sat nav or even sound the horn remotely.
- The Harman Kordon sound system – we love that the system allows you to adjust sound settings for specific passengers or for everyone on board.
- City safety – great for Londoners as the sensors detect pedestrians, cyclists and even animals.
- Rear parking – again, perfect for those living in Cities.
Overall, the XC40 is a well rounded addition to the fleet. Not over the top, it possesses a perfect balance between style and function; Lagom.
Lagom is a Swedish word meaning “just the right amount”.
For more information on Volvo and the XC40, click here.
All Photographs by Sam Frost ©2018 – www.samfrostphotos.com
