BUYER’S GUIDE: Volvo XC40

Performance

0-62mph/top speed

8.5 seconds/130mph

Running costs

40mpg (T4)

£78 fill-up

CO₂ /tax

163g/km

£155

FOR many years Volvo wanted to be premium, but its cars weren’t quite good enough to compete with rivals. Then in 2010 the Swedish brand was snapped up by Chinese company Geely, which went on to invest huge sums in making Volvos more desirable.

Since Volvo arrived in 1927 it has built a reputation for safety and environmental responsibility, and the company has never lost sight of that. Volvo’s products now look great, are impressive dynamically, plus they’re easy to live with in terms of their ergonomics, practicality and reliability. Like all premium cars the XC40 isn’t a cheap option – think of it as reassuringly expensive.