Nother CarGuy

Volvo has finally pulled the wraps off the new XC40 in Milan, Italy, the company's new baby SUV. As expected from a previous leak, it mimics the styling of the 40.1 Concept, and it also carries some design features from the larger XC60 and XC90. Notice the familiar Thor's hammer DLRs, evolved grille, and "structured profile", which, along with up to 17 color combinations for the body and roof, and large wheels, should make it more appealing to young buyers looking for both practicality and style. Open the door and you will see a mix of new and familiar, with the 12.3-inch TFT instrument panel carried over from the XC60 and XC90, and a 9.0-inch infotainment screen sitting in the middle of the dashboard. Volvo claims that the XC40 "offers a radically new approach to storage inside the car", with spaces under the seats and in the doors, in addition to a fold-out hook for small bags, and even a removable waste bin in the tunnel console. Mo...

A single teaser image of the upcoming Volvo XC40 has emerged online, showing off the vehicle’s rear-end. This image, reportedly snatched from Volvo’s German website before being swiftly removed, shows that the rear of the small SUV will be very similar to last year’s 40.1 concept. Among the key features include a rooftop spoiler, LED brake lights flowing down the pillars and curving outward and an exhaust incorporated into the bumper. While recently discussing the vehicle, the Swedish manufacturer revealed it will be available in a broad and playful color palette and take design inspiration from city architecture, street fashion, popular culture and high-end designer goods. Underpinning the XC40 will be Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) and a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder T5 engine is expected to come standard. This powertrain uses hybrid technology from larger Volvo models and implements it into a much smaller package alongside a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. N...

Following those production body shots of the XC40 we saw back in February, we now have our first look at what this car is going to be like once you take a seat behind the wheel. Before we dive into the interior design, we need to mention that the exterior is wrapped in the same camo and cladding we saw on that model undergoing winter tests a couple months back. The cabin however is a lot more exposed, and we can tell it has a clean design, featuring a three-spoke steering wheel, portrait-style infotainment display, vertical air vents (smaller than on the XC60) and an overall simpler center console design. To be fair, we expected the XC40's cabin to look a bit less expensive than what we get with its larger siblings, especially since its main rivals will be models like the Mercedes-Benz GLA, BMW X1 and Audi Q3 - all of whom represent an "entry-level" step inside the small premium crossover segment. Another thing we can confirm is that the rear window design is d...

Volvo will unveil its  compact XC40  SUV in the latter half of the year says research and development boss Henrik Green. It has already been confirmed that the  XC40  will be based around the Swedish marque’s CMA architecture, also set to be shared with  Lynk & Co  for its 01 SUV. Launching as Volvo’s third SUV, it will target the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 and aims to capture some of the burgeoning demand for small crossovers and SUVs. According to Green, “There’s a big chance it’ll [the XC40] be one of the most successful cars in our line-up.” Following its debut, a new family of 40-series models will be launched including a replacement to the V40. Further SUV models could then follow the XC40, says Green. “To me, yes, three SUVs is a very good base. It’s an interesting bodystyle. It’s interesting what you can do with SUVs. They started as off-roaders, then moved to the city. What they gave customers was good ingress and egress, a good overview of traffic ...

Volvo has just shown two new concepts it says are big hints of what its  new 40 series  small cars will look like when they start to appear in 2017. The four-door sedan (40.2) and taller crossover (40.1) – likely to be labeled S40 and XC40, respectively – shown Wednesday in Sweden are the strongest hints at the new compact sedan and  compact crossover  the brand sorely needs to do battle with the biggest premium rivals in all of the crucial global markets. They're also the first new vehicle collaboration between the Swedes and Chinese parent company Geely, for its upcoming brand of cars also with global aspirations. Production versions of these cars will replace the current V40 sold in markets outside North America, though it's expected a new  V40 hatchback /wagon will make it to the U.S. and Canada by the end of the decade. Volvo says the upcoming 40s will be offered with a new T5 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain, using technology from the S90, V90 and ...

The Swede’s assault on the premium segment is getting really, really serious with their new  Audi A3  and Mercedes-Benz GLA fighters. And after the raving reviews of the  XC90  and the launch of the impressive S90/V90, we have high expectations indeed for the new 40-Series. Images teasing the new models were uploaded on Snapchat and were accompanied by the tag “Not your daddy’s Volvo” – just in case anyone has missed the latest XC90,  S90  and V90 that have already passed this message along. The new car will be fully unveiled at the company’s HQ in Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 18 and, although we have no official info yet, it is rumored that it concerns two models, the V40 hatch and the  XC40  compact SUV, which will be shown in concept form. Volvo's new design language has caught on with customers and reviewers alike, so it makes sense for the the C-segment newcomers to closely mirror the styling of the larger models. The signature “Thor’s Hamme...