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| 2018 Volvo XC40 |
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| 2018 Volvo XC40 |
Good question, ladies and gentlemen, especially you speedo boys out there, I was about to say that but before that, what is "Care by Volvo" by the way? "Care by Volvo" is a monthly subscription service that makes having a car hassle-free than shopping one from haggling dealerships. It gives subscribers a wide range of digital concierge services meaning all the maintenance needs will be taken care of. You can even have them deliver to your doorstep to you. What's interesting is that after a year, you can even opt for another Volvo but it you're going to sign a new contract for this.
Yes, the Care by Volvo is about as wonderful as driving a rental car on a business trip and it all starts at 5,799 Kr (over $700/35,000 Php) per month. If you're a speedo boy, you wouldn't want to go for that trend because speedo boys love to work on their vehicle and making it theirs and if they're not a fan of this subscription service, they'd better keep it at a full price; 293,900 Kr (around $36,000 or 1,800,000 Php), which in luxury car terms, it's one of the most affordable luxury cars to buy right now.
The XC40 is a luxury car without the luxury price tag but what do you get in return? Take this design, for instance, and at first glance, they've drawn inspiration from the 40.1 Concept and because this is the compact Volvo to spearhead the new 40-series range, who knows, the XC40 might spawn other derivatives such as the successor to the S40, which draws its looks form the 40.2 Concept and a replacement to the V40 hatchback. Anyway, while the concept-turned-reality design is a clear example of why a few cars are doing things right rather than Subaru's, it's a bit boxy by the looks of it and it has a shape of a Tetris puzzle when you squint at it.
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| 2018 Volvo XC40 |
Because the XC40 falls victim to the "Russian doll" trend that luxury cars do, the interior is typical Volvo since the XC90 and you will be still greeted by the familiar but high-tech dashboard but for the first time, it comes with the available wireless mobile phone charging which is great but complicating if you got an older smartphone. Also, it comes with smartphone connectivity, and a Harman Kardon sound system. Although it's small enough to park, the spacing and comfort is very sedan-ish and the boot space is good enough to accomodate this week's grocery shopping or heaps of dirty laundry if you're going for the wash as long as it doesn't got piled up by stuff you bought from the thrift store last week.
Because the XC40 is utilized on a brand new modular vehicle architecture which will underpin upcoming cars within the 40 series, especially electric ones, it's very compact and very nimble enough to drive through city centers with confidence and despite being co-developed by the Chinese, even though now Volvo is owned by Geely, it feels right of being a city car for day-to-day use.
Question is, does it work as a car that can be used for TNVS purposes? Well, first, all of the engines are 2.0L four-cylinder units, mated with either a 6-speed MT or an 8-speed AT, with the most powerful being the T5 AWD variant with 247ps of power output, which is not bad for a crossover that weighs over two tons, but it's hard to distinguish whether if its a hatchback or an SUV because if the XC40 is nothing more of a jacked-up hatchback, then you're not allowed to use for TNVS duty such as Uber or Lyft or any ride-hailing service you know about because it is a jacked-up hatchback rather than an SUV so, no deal on using it for TNVS.
In the spirit of Volvo safety, the XC40 features Volvo's signature Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and the 360° Camera, which works in the modern traffic but for speedo boys, it's worth nightmarish to drive knowing that these tech can scare the little buzzers of their trousers but since we live in a future, the XC40 is all about being the future created by the modern men of today that can handle almost everything with confidence. That's the Swedish way, folks.
So, how to sum this car up? Well, technically, the XC40 excels at its affordable pricing not bad for a luxury compact crossover, its concept-turned-reality styling, and its performance, although what's not to like about is that you can't use it for TNVS because they know that this is a jacked-up hatchback rather than being a compact SUV, the new chassis feels good to drive but not as sporty as it seems, and in the case of speedo boys everywhere, the Care by Volvo. Trust me, speedo boys are not fans with this subscription service as they would rather own it for their own pleasure than this. Although late for the party, the XC40 is ready to take on luxury compact crossovers anytime.
Available colors: Black Stone Solid, Bright Silver Metallic, Osmium Grey Metallic, Fusion Red Metallic, Crystal White Premium Metallic, Bursting Blue Premium Metallic.
Photo: Volvo Cars
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| 2018 Volvo XC40 |
Question is, does it work as a car that can be used for TNVS purposes? Well, first, all of the engines are 2.0L four-cylinder units, mated with either a 6-speed MT or an 8-speed AT, with the most powerful being the T5 AWD variant with 247ps of power output, which is not bad for a crossover that weighs over two tons, but it's hard to distinguish whether if its a hatchback or an SUV because if the XC40 is nothing more of a jacked-up hatchback, then you're not allowed to use for TNVS duty such as Uber or Lyft or any ride-hailing service you know about because it is a jacked-up hatchback rather than an SUV so, no deal on using it for TNVS.
In the spirit of Volvo safety, the XC40 features Volvo's signature Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and the 360° Camera, which works in the modern traffic but for speedo boys, it's worth nightmarish to drive knowing that these tech can scare the little buzzers of their trousers but since we live in a future, the XC40 is all about being the future created by the modern men of today that can handle almost everything with confidence. That's the Swedish way, folks.
So, how to sum this car up? Well, technically, the XC40 excels at its affordable pricing not bad for a luxury compact crossover, its concept-turned-reality styling, and its performance, although what's not to like about is that you can't use it for TNVS because they know that this is a jacked-up hatchback rather than being a compact SUV, the new chassis feels good to drive but not as sporty as it seems, and in the case of speedo boys everywhere, the Care by Volvo. Trust me, speedo boys are not fans with this subscription service as they would rather own it for their own pleasure than this. Although late for the party, the XC40 is ready to take on luxury compact crossovers anytime.
Available colors: Black Stone Solid, Bright Silver Metallic, Osmium Grey Metallic, Fusion Red Metallic, Crystal White Premium Metallic, Bursting Blue Premium Metallic.
Photo: Volvo Cars