Eric's Autos: 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo used to be the go-to brand for safe vehicles that lasted a long time. Then everyone else began making "safe" vehicles, chiefly because the government was mandating that.

Other-brand vehicles also became as or even more reliable than Volvos used to be.

Now Volvo is making electric vehicles like the 2024 XC40 Recharge -- and hoping people will get a charge out of them.

What It Is

The XC40 Recharge is a compact, five-passenger electric crossover based on the XC40 -- which still has an engine (paired up with a mild-hybrid system).

It's more expensive -- $52,450 to start for the base Core trim with a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive versus $40,100 for the base B5 Core trim XC40 with all-wheel drive.

And it doesn't go as far on a charge (293 miles of range is standard) as the mild-hybrid XC40 can go on a tank (340 miles in city driving, 426 on the highway).

But you might get a charge out of not having to get gas again.

And from the acceleration that you can get from the dual-motor version of the XC40 Recharge, which offers 402 horsepower versus the regular XC40's maximum of 247.

You also might get a charge out of the fact that Volvo doesn't ask much more money for all that additional horsepower. You can pick up a dual-motor version of the XC40 Recharge for $54,200 to start. That's only $1,750 more than the MSRP of the base Core trim with the single-motor setup.

A top-of-the-line Ultimate with the dual-motor drivetrain and an efficiency-augmenting heat-pump (rather than electric hot-wire/baseboard style) cabin heating, 20-inch wheels, a premium Harmon Kardon audio system, crystal shifter knob and a panorama moonroof stickers for $60,550.

The price you pay for all that extra power is less range -- 248 miles versus 293. But if you don't need to drive farther than 248 miles at a time, you might not miss not having the range to go farther than that.

Especially when you can go much faster.

What's New for 2024

Volvo has added several trims and lowered the base price of the XC40 Recharge by $1,100 versus last year -- when the least expensive version of this electric crossover stickered for $53,550. However, the new-for-2024 lower-priced base trim no longer comes standard with the dual-motor setup or the 402 horsepower that used to be standard.

On the other hand, more range is now standard -- for those who don't need 402 horsepower.

What's Good

-- A bit more cargo capacity (25 cubic feet) than the nonelectric XC40 (20.4 cubic feet).

-- Costs less to start this year than last year.

-- Option to choose more power -- or more range.

What's Not So Good

-- Standard single-motor iteration doesn't offer the impressive acceleration that is the main selling point EVs have versus gas-engine vehicles.

-- Nonelectric XC40 costs $12,350 less to start ($49,100) and comes standard with AWD.

-- Maximum towing capacity even with the optional twin-motor drivetrain is just 2,000 pounds versus 3,500 pounds of standard towing capacity for the XC40 that doesn't need to recharge.

Under The Skin

Last year, the XC40 Recharge came only with the dual-motor drivetrain (Volvo calls it "twin" motor) and -- like most EVs -- it emphasized power and performance, which comes at the cost of range. Last year's XC40 Recharge -- with the standard twin-motor setup and 402 horsepower and the ability to get to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds -- had only had 223 miles of indicated, best-case range.

This year, the twin-motor version advertises a bit more range -- 254 miles -- and the same performance. And you can buy a new XC40 Recharge with a single motor that goes as far as 293 miles on a full charge. That's not just 45 miles more driving range; it's 45 miles more margin.

On the downside, the single-motor XC40 Recharge's performance -- in terms of how quickly it can get to 60 mph -- is on par with that of the regular XC40 that comes standard with about the same power -- 247 horses out of its turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine versus 248 for the single-motor Recharge -- and you still have less range and a longer wait.

On The Road

The new single-motor iteration of the XC40 Recharge sacrifices power/performance for the sake of increased driving range -- which greatly increases its practicality as a vehicle. That is to say, as something you buy to drive -- that gets you where you need to go and back again.

As opposed to something you buy to drive fast -- which is fun but greatly decreases the practicality of the vehicle.

But that also has the downside of taking away what's usually an EV's most attractive selling point.

The twin-motor iteration's acceleration, on the other hand, can make you forget all about how far it doesn't go -- and feel good about what you're paying extra for -- every time you put your right foot down.

At The Curb

One thing you do get when you buy the Recharge is a little more cargo space: 25 cubic feet versus 20.4 for the XC40 that doesn't recharge -- which is interesting given the Recharge has that big electric battery pack under its floorpans and that electric motor out back, also underneath the floorpans. It's more usually the case that an EV -- especially one converted from a preexisting non-EV -- has less cargo room on account of the room taken up by the battery pack and motor(s).

The Recharge has that extra bit of cargo carrying capacity because there's space under the hood -- where there isn't an engine.

So that's a plus.

One thing that's a negative -- for a prestige-brand vehicle with a base price of more than $52,000 -- is that a power front-passenger seat is not standard, and to get it, you have to pony up $55,000 to get into the Plus trim.

The reason why probably has to do with weight -- and draw. Manual seats weigh a little less and draw no power from the battery, which is always a concern with EVs given the range/recharge issues.

The Rest

The top-of-the-line Ultimate gets a more efficient, home heat pump-style cabin heater, which uses less power to keep the cabin warm when it's cold outside. But you have to spring for the Ultimate -- which starts at almost $60,000 -- to get this range-increasing (in the winter) feature.

The Bottom Line

The increased range of the single-motor version of this small electric crossover increases its appeal as a more practical EV. But its modest performance may make some buyers wonder what they're paying $12,350 extra for -- relative to the XC40 that doesn't need to recharge.

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Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.