There are some cars that get you from A to B.
There are others that make you wonder whether A and B are really that important.
The 2026 Volvo XC40 Ultra B4 Mild Hybrid is one of the latter, as having spent quite a bit of recent time driving some of the latest Chinese SUVs, I’d become accustomed to cars stuffed with technology, impressive equipment lists and enough electronic wizardry to make you wonder whether you’d bought an SUV or a small branch of Currys.
And then I climbed into the XC40. Within a few miles I found myself doing something I hadn’t particularly expected. I was enjoying driving it.
Not because it’s some fire-breathing performance SUV. It isn’t, nor does Volvo pretend it is. The XC40 is a compact family SUV with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, mild-hybrid assistance, an automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive.
But there’s something about the way it all works together that makes the XC40 feel properly sorted. And, after the last few cars I’ve driven, that came as something of a relief.
It’s the way it drives
The first thing that struck me about the XC40 was the steering as it felt natural.
That sounds like an embarrassingly low bar to set for a car, but you’d be surprised how many modern SUVs don’t quite manage it.
The XC40’s steering isn’t dripping with feedback like a sports car, but it has a consistency and weight that makes it easy to place. You turn the wheel and the XC40 responds in a predictable, measured way. There isn’t that slightly artificial feeling you sometimes get with newer Chinese cars where you’re left wondering whether you’re steering the car or merely issuing it a strongly worded suggestion.
And then there’s the suspension
It has a suppleness that seems increasingly rare. The XC40 absorbs the rubbish that passes for a road surface in Britain without turning itself into a floating sofa. Potholes, broken surfaces and those annoying little ridges and imperfections that make some cars constantly fidget are dealt with remarkably well.
But the clever bit is that the suspension doesn’t completely disconnect you from what’s happening underneath as the whole car feels cohesive.
The steering, suspension, brakes, throttle and gearbox seem to understand that they’re supposed to be working together, which again sounds obvious.
The Chinese SUV effect
This is where my recent experience with Chinese brands has really highlighted what Volvo has got right.
Some of the newer Chinese SUVs are extraordinarily impressive. They offer masses of equipment, huge screens, clever cameras, impressive interiors and enough electronic assistance to make you wonder whether you’ve accidentally bought a small rolling data centre.
But when you actually drive them, there’s sometimes a slight disconnect between all that cleverness and the business of driving. The Volvo doesn’t feel like that, it feels engineered around the driver, and because of that, it’s a much more enjoyable experience. It’s the reason I kept finding myself choosing the longer, more entertaining route home.
As I said, it’s not because the XC40 is particularly sporty. Calling it sporty would rather miss the point, it’s because it’s enjoyable, it gives you enough confidence, enough composure and enough feedback to make driving interesting again.
And that’s something I didn’t realise I’d been missing.
197hp without the drama
The B4 mild-hybrid petrol is a good match for the XC40. It produces 197hp and 300Nm of torque, with a seven-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Volvo quotes 0–62mph in 7.6 seconds, so there’s certainly enough shove when you need it. But the engine isn’t really about outright performance.
It’s smooth, quiet and sufficiently responsive for normal driving, with the mild-hybrid system helping make pulling away and low-speed driving feel reasonably seamless.
The mild-hybrid system isn’t going to have you driving around town on electric power for miles. This isn’t a plug-in hybrid and there isn’t a great big battery lurking under the floor.
Instead, the 48-volt system assists the petrol engine and smooths out the stop-start experience. Volvo reckons the system can provide up to 15% fuel savings and emissions reductions in real-world driving.
The official combined figure for the B4 is 42.8mpg, although, as always, what you actually achieve depends rather heavily on how enthusiastic your right foot becomes.
There’s enough performance available to make overtaking and joining fast-moving traffic painless, but the XC40 doesn’t encourage you to drive everywhere as though you’re qualifying for the British Touring Car Championship.
I found it relaxing to drive, but when the road gets interesting, it wakes up just enough.
Off-road: a Volvo with a slightly adventurous streak
Now, before anybody starts planning an expedition across the Sahara in their new XC40, let’s get something straight. This is a front-wheel-drive SUV, not a Defender.
However, Volvo has given it a surprisingly useful Off-Road mode. It’s not intended for rough or difficult terrain, rather loose surfaces such as deep snow or sand. Selecting it changes the car’s behaviour and activates hill descent control, which allows the XC40 to control its speed more deliberately when descending steep slopes.
The system is limited to speeds below 25mph, and selecting Off-Road mode also disables the stop/start system.
It’s not going to turn your XC40 into a Defender. And frankly, if you’re planning to spend your weekends disappearing down axle-deep green lanes, you’ve bought the wrong Volvo.
But for a muddy track, loose surface, snow-covered road or rough access track, it’s a useful bit of extra capability.
Inside: Scandinavian simplicity
The XC40’s interior design remains clean and Scandinavian without becoming clinical. The seats are excellent, visibility is good and there’s a reassuring sense that everything has been designed around people rather than a technology demonstrator.
It feels properly comfortable, and the driving position is beautifully judged. You sit high enough to get a good view of the road without feeling as though you’re perched on the roof.
The Google-based infotainment system is straightforward once you’ve got your head around it, but during my week with the XC40, it appeared Volvo still hadn’t figured out how to get its aforementioned Google-based infotainment system to work properly with my iPhone. That was quite frustrating.
And then there are the screen-based heating controls.
Why?
Knobs and dials, that’s what we want.
Please, Volvo. Nobody likes prodding a screen when it gets a bit cold, particularly when you’re wearing gloves or trying to concentrate on the road.
I’m all for technology, but sometimes a physical button is a perfectly good invention.
On a positive note, switching ADAS off is fairly straight forward, which makes a pleasant change.
And then there’s the boot
Is there enough room for a proper Mud Life beach day?
The XC40 has a useful 443-litre boot with the rear seats in place, measured to the window line. Load it higher and the available volume increases to 569 litres.
Fold the rear seats down and Volvo quotes up to 1,319 litres in the relevant MY26 specification.
That’s respectable rather than enormous, but the XC40’s boot is nicely shaped, with a relatively flat floor and a wide opening that makes loading easier.
There’s no awkward load lip to negotiate, which is particularly handy when you’re chucking heavier equipment into the back.
The underfloor storage is handy for keeping smaller items out of sight, while the boot floor can be adjusted to help accommodate bulkier equipment. And, should you decide to bring half the beach home with you, the XC40’s practical load area should make cleaning up relatively straightforward.
Although I’d strongly recommend a boot liner. Sand has an uncanny ability to migrate into places you didn’t know existed, and Volvo’s lovely Scandinavian interior probably doesn’t appreciate being treated like a seaside bucket.
The XC40 isn’t a van, nor is it designed to swallow the contents of a camping shop. But for a couple or a small family heading off for a day outdoors, there’s plenty of useful space.
The Mud Life verdict
The XC40 Ultra B4 has reminded me that there’s more to a good car than how much stuff the manufacturer can fit into it.
Excellent chassis, lovely steering, comfortable suspension, refined engine, beautifully judged driving position and a genuine sense of quality.
It’s a thoroughly enjoyable car to drive, whether you’re heading across the country, negotiating the daily commute or taking the longer route home simply because the road looks interesting.
The Off-road mode is useful, but don’t confuse it with four-wheel drive. This is a road-biased SUV that can cope with the occasional muddy track rather than an off-roader wearing a Volvo badge.
And while the boot isn’t the biggest in its class, it’s practical enough for everyday family life, camping equipment and a decent day at the beach.
There are a few frustrations, particularly the infotainment connectivity and those irritating screen-based heating controls.
But they’re minor annoyances in what is otherwise a very well-rounded package.
Sometimes it’s simply about how a car feels when you turn the wheel. And sometimes the best thing a car can do is make you take the long way home.
Which, in the case of the XC40, is exactly what happened. And that’s a pretty good result.