When I first set eyes on the Volvo EX30, I wondered if this EV SUV could really carry Volvo’s weighty legacy. It’s just over 4.2 metres long, about the size of a Creta, and yet it arrives with the responsibility of being the brand’s newest gateway EV for India. Parked under a pale morning sun, the stance reads more hot hatch than hulking SUV: short overhangs, that familiar Thor’s Hammer signature up front, and crisp, pixel‑styled tail lamps. Quirky? Absolutely. But behind the playfulness sits a very serious little Volvo.
Quirky Scandinavian Design & Clever Details
Slide inside and the brief is obvious: radical minimalism. Copenhagen‑cool, less‑is‑more minimalism. The EX30 deletes almost every conventional control and consolidates your world around a single 12.3‑inch vertical touchscreen. There’s no instrument binnacle behind the wheel; speed, range and navigation live at the centre. It looks futuristic and it opens up the dash visually, though the lack of a head‑up display means you do glance sideways more than you’d like.
The surprises keep coming. There are no speaker grilles on the doors because there are no speakers in the doors. Instead, a 1,050‑watt Harman Kardon soundbar runs the width of the dashboard, freeing the doors for massive storage pockets. The glovebox sits centrally under the screen and opens from the infotainment menu. Even the frameless mirrors are adjusted through the screen, using the steering wheel buttons as directional inputs. Door window switches migrate to the centre console to simplify wiring. It’s all very clever, occasionally confusing, but undeniably different.
Look closer and you’ll see Volvo’s sustainability ethos everywhere. The textured dash panel is flecked with recycled plastics; upholstery spun from reused fibres; the uniquely styled air‑vents carry translucent accents that tie into the chosen interior theme. The overall effect is modern studio meets tech lounge – calm, airy, distinctive.
Practicality hasn’t been forgotten. There’s a deep open cubby beneath the console, vast door bins (thank you, soundbar), a removable storage box for rear passengers, and a neat slide‑out tray that becomes a dual cupholder. The brand’s sense of humour pops up in three Easter eggs – one hidden in that tray, one moulded into the boot trim, and one in the tiny frunk.
Ergonomically, living with this extreme reductionism takes a bit of a learning curve. The screen logic is friendly enough, and Google‑built software helps, but basic tasks – popping the glovebox, adjusting mirrors, tweaking climate – need a beat of thought. Once settled, the simplicity feels refreshing. Until then, it feels like learning a new phone.
Performance & Driving Experience: Quick, Calm, Engaging
The car wakes when you tap the keycard on the B‑pillar and drop it on the charging pad. No start button drama. Just select drive and roll away in silence. This single‑motor, rear‑wheel‑drive EX30 develops 268 bhp and 343 Nm, and with its 69 kWh battery (480 km (WLTP)) it claims 0–100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. In the real world that translates to brisk, unflustered progress. At 80 km/h, a squeeze of throttle makes overtakes a breeze. It’s hot‑hatch quick but filtered through a Volvo lens of maturity.
There’s a natural balance to the chassis since the weight of the battery sits low. It doesn’t dance its tail on dry tarmac since stability control is ever‑present, but on loose surfaces there’s a hint of playfulness, thanks to the RWD layout. Steering is light by default and quick enough to make the car feel smaller than it is. There’s a selectable Firm mode that adds weight at speed. I left it on for my drive since our route mostly comprised of highways. Feedback is filtered, as you’d expect in a modern EV, but precision is good and the car goes where you point it without dithering.
One‑pedal driving can be toggled. In its stronger setting the regen will bring you almost to a stop, which takes the edge off commuting. Switch it off and the car coasts cleanly with mild regen, making the transition to the brake pedal smooth and predictable. Either way, the calibration feels natural within minutes.
Ride Comfort & Rough‑Road Composure
The EX30, surprisingly, rides like a larger, pricier car. Our route included pockmarked stretches, broken edges, and the kind of potholes that unmask lazy tuning. The suspension simply irons out the worst of it. Sharp hits arrive as a muffled thump and vanish; longer undulations are controlled without float. Body roll is modest, and at triple‑digit speeds the car feels planted. You sense the short wheelbase only over repetitive small ridges where a slight bob can creep in, but the recovery is immediate.
Compact dimensions, light steering and instant torque make the EX30 a natural urban tool. Visibility is good, the turning circle encourages U‑turns you wouldn’t dare in bigger SUVs, and the throttle calibration is smooth enough to creep in traffic without neck‑snapping lurches.
Space & Practicality: Best Up Front
The EX30’s honest compromise is the second row. The floor is high because of the battery and the seat base is short, so you sit a little knees‑up. Two adults will be fine for city stints; three across is wishful thinking. There are two USB‑C ports, but notably no rear AC vents. None of this will bother an owner‑driver, but those who prefer to be chauffeured should look elsewhere.
At the front, it’s a different story. The seats are comfortable, the driving position is easy to tailor, and the cabin brims with useful storage. You get that deep open shelf under the console, giant door pockets, the removable rear box, and the slide‑out tray that morphs from storage to cupholder. The boot is a sensible 318 litres, expandable via 60:40 split‑folding seats, with a useful lower compartment for cables. There’s also a 7‑litre frunk – realistically for the charging lead and not much else – but it makes you smile every time you open it thanks to the easter egg.
It wouldn’t be a Volvo without the full suite of active safety. The EX30 gets refined ADAS that behaves predictably in Indian traffic, a door‑open alert that warns of cyclists, and the expected array of collision‑mitigation and parking assists. The structure feels stout, and the way the car shrugs off messy surfaces adds to that underlying sense of protection. Tech‑wise, Google‑based infotainment keeps navigation, voice and apps familiar; wireless phone charging and multiple USB‑C ports cover the everyday.
Verdict
On our roads, the EX30 lands as a tidy answer to a very specific brief: a compact luxury EV that’s easy to live with. Pre‑bookings are already underway, and pricing will be announced at the end of September. When it goes on sale, this could be Volvo’s most affordable EV in India – a point that matters, because it opens the brand to buyers who might otherwise default to other badges. If Volvo puts it in the right window, the EX30 could lure shoppers cross‑shopping everything from premium compact crossovers to design‑led EVs from mainstream brands.
It also is fun to drive. On loose surfaces there’s just enough slip to keep things interesting; on tarmac it remains composed and quick. Pair that with a cabin that looks like it stepped out of a Scandinavian design magazine, and you have a car that feels fresh in a segment obsessed with screen inches and spec wars.
The EX30 is not trying to be all things to all people. It’s not a lounge on wheels, and it won’t flatter the chauffeur class. What it is, is a compact, thoughtfully designed, fun, fast and practical electric SUV that slots neatly into everyday Indian life. The ride quality is genuinely impressive, the design is subtly futuristic without trying hard, and the safety and driver‑assist tech are also reliable. The minimalism will divide opinion, and you should look elsewhere if seating three at the back is one of your priorities. Some of the screen‑based controls feel like change for change’s sake – but you adapt.
If you’re looking to enter the luxury‑EV space without the footprint or the fuss, this little Volvo makes a compelling case. It is likely to be the brand’s most accessible electric model, yes, but it could also be one of its most likeable.
