This sporty-looking new fully electric 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge has some similarities, in the interior, with the Volvo XC40 Recharge I previously tested, but looks quite different on its exterior! Let's see how it compares as a BabyDrive and put it through our family car testing…
Well, being fully electric we found the New 2023 Volvo C40 does about 350km to a full battery range which is a great amount for modern family life. Allowing you to do a few days' commutes, Mum's taxi drop-offs and school runs before you need to recharge! There is a readout that is easily located within the media screen to tell you how many kilometres of battery range you have left too.
This sporty EV does not disappoint! Similar in size to the Volvo XC40 Recharge this modern and sporty SUV has a neat interior with a surprising detail in the dash and door panelling with embossed maps of the area of Sweden where the vehicle is designed.
Storage is good throughout the car for passengers to easily store water bottles and cups of coffee while travelling along. The door bins in the front and rear are lined with a carpet which stops things rattling in them while you are driving which is a lovely detail and especially good for families if they have kids little toys in them or if you have little kids sleeping in the back those rattling noises can really disturb them.
In the front there is a wireless phone charging pad in the central console, two cup holders and a fair size central console box and glove box that fits a wallet with the manual.
The rear passengers have a USB socket for charging devices and net map pockets on the back of both front seats.
In the boot, the new 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge holds twelve shopping bags from empty, which is the same amount as the Volvo XC40 Recharge. That is two more than the Kia Niro which can hold ten bags and three less than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 which holds fifteen shopping bags.
A twin pram fits nicely in the boot of the 2023 Volvo C40 with a shopping bag beside it.
For those that want to carry their fur babies in the boot, you would fit a medium size dog, Labrador size, in the boot of the 2023 Volvo C40 with the parcel shelf removed.
The boot floor of the 2023 Volvo C40 concertinas back to reveal an underfloor storage area for the charging cables and there are shopping bag hooks too which are really practical for school backpacks as well.
When it comes to installing child seats, there are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats. They are within plastic guides and easy to connect to.
There are top tether anchorages in the back of all three rear seatbacks. They are within plastic guides and easy to connect to through the boot.
I found the rear headrests difficult to pass the top tether strap and hook under when installing the rear child seats.
Legroom is good in the 2023 Volvo C40 and a 180cm driver can sit in front of a rear-facing Infasecure child seat.
The shape of the 2023 Volvo C40 is sporty and low at the back which doesn't equate to a low-feeling roofline when you are in the rear seats. However, the shape does affect the rear windscreen and visibility out of the back; it is very minimal even without child seats and it's pretty much non-existent with a central child seat installed.
Like the Volvo XC40 Recharge EV, there is no start button or ignition in the 2023 Volvo C40! You just sit in the driver's seat and select your gear and off you go! I've found it easier to get used to as I've experienced it before but I am still worried if my daughter sat in the front she could easily knock it into gear.
The new 2023  Volvo C40 is a great car to drive. The ride is smooth and quiet which makes it a pleasure to drive with my family on board. Being fully electric there are all the benefits like: I can drive my girls to school and to sleep knowing that I charged it at home using the power of the sun, which feels pretty good!
The media screen in the New 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge is portrait orientation and it has Apple CarPlay and Google Maps available in there too.
You can also add apps and access your own Spotify account, which we love with our kids while driving.
The reversing camera image I feel is too small on the media screen, it is shark mouth shaped too, which distorts the visibility.
The 2023 Volvo C40 EV has rear air-conditioning vents which are good to keep little passengers at the right temperature in the back. There are heated rear seat buttons located below the rear vents and out of the way of little passengers who might be tempted to fiddle with them!
Overall the new 2023 Volvo C40 is a great sporty electric SUV for families. It is enjoyable to drive, practical for fitting two child seats (and a third occasionally if you need to) and a single or double pram fits comfortably in the boot.
The new 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge gets a five-star ANCAP safety rating and has eight airbags as standard; Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags, as well as a driver knee airbag are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge?
The New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge has a very generous size boot just like the Volvo XC40 Recharge from empty, I could fit 12 shopping bags in the boot. Which is the same amount as the Volvo XC40 Recharge. It is two more than the Kia Niro holding 10 bags and three less than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 which holds 15 shopping bags.
A twin side-by-side pram fits in the boot of the Volvo C40 with one shopping bag beside it.
The tandem pram fits in the boot of the C40 with five shopping bags.
A sigle pram fits in the boot of the New 2023 Volvo C40 with five shopping bags along side it.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as Tulsi’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
A compact stroller fits in the boot of the fully electric C40 with nine shopping bags beside it.
A medium size dog will fit comfortably in the boot of the New 2023 Volvo C40 with the parcel shelf removed. The boot floor is nicely carpeted and flat which makes for a comfortable emergency nappy change!
The boot floor of the New Volvo C40 EV can concertina up to create a sectioned off boot so you can transport things without them rolling around all over the boot. There are also three bag hooks along the edge, good for holding school bags! There is space underneath the boot floor to store the charging cables.
How good is storage inside the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge?
Storage in the cabin of the New 2023 C40 EV is good, in the front there are two cup holders in the central console that will hold a re-usable or disposable coffee cup. In front of them is a wireless phone charging pad. Behind the cup holders is a good size central console box with a little storage slot in front of that.
A small shelf in the front passengers footwell is great storage for the passengers phone and the glove box is only large enough for a wallet with the manual.
Door bins in the front are lined with carpet which I love for stopping anything from vibrating or rattling around while you are driving. They will fit a refillable water bottle, wallet and iPad too. The handles in the doors are good lille areas for storage too.
In the back, the door bins are also lined. They are smaller than in the front and will only hold a 600ml water bottle. They do have the handle wells like the front.
We find we use the little space at either side of the rear seat base to store the kids drink bottles because they don't fit in the door bins.
There are net map pockets on the back of both front seats, in the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV, that will hold but not conceal an iPad.
There is a fold-down armrest in the central seatback with two cup holders, they will hold a disposable or reusable coffee cup.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge?
The New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge is a beautifully quiet BabyDrive! It is silent to start and throughout the drive. To start the car you just sit in the drivers seat and you move it into gear and off it goes! I do get scared my kids will sit on the seat and shift it into gear accidentally.
The New Volvo C40 EV is a lovely quiet and smooth car to drive.
Just like the media system in the Volvo XC40 EV, the New Volvo C40 has a large portrait touch screen which controls most things in the car that would usually be controlled by buttons and dials on the dashboard or central console.
It has Google maps and you can add Apps like your Spotify account etc.
It has Apple CarPlay which makes accessing Apps on your phone easy while driving.
The Range Assistant screen tells you your estimated battery range, what your consumption is etc while driving and also allows you to optimise your range which I found helpful on longer journeys.
When you want to charge the New Volvo C40 EV there is a charging screen, where you can set a charging time etc. There is also information in the drivers display screen.
The rear view camera isn't a broad enough view or a large enough image on the screen. It is a shark mouth shape image that I find isn't big enough to give good visibility when manoeuvring and parking, especially when you have child seats in the back.
Visibility is poor out of the back of the New 23023 Volvo C40 so a nice big, clear 360degree camera images like in the Volvo XC40 Recharge would have been much more helpful.
Volvo XC40 EV Recharge Camera
You can easily control the parking sensor beep on the screen and the rear auto brake, which is a great feature. You can also turn the camera on and off easily, by pressing the camera icon on the bottom of the screen.
The indicators are nice and quiet in the New Volvo C40 EV Recharge and didn’t disturb my sleeping baby.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
There are seperate door and window lock buttons in the driver's door control panel. These are fantastic for families because kids putting their windows up and down gets VERY annoying! Both the doors and windows are quiet to use and did not disturb my sleeping little passengers when opening and closing them. You can come to a stop with the engine and aircon still running and get out of the car without sounding any alarms.
Since becoming a mum I spend A LOT of time parked up somewhere with a nice view while my daughter is asleep in the back! If it's hot I need to leave the engine running and the aircon on but I do like to get out and drink my cuppa tea in the fresh air while enjoying the fact my limbs are free from said dangling child!!
So this is a very important test as I have found that sometimes I have been held hostage by a cars BEEEEPING alarms when I have taken off my seatbelt or opened the door while the engine is still running!! (I only stand outside the car, I am not a bad mother!!)
There is a clear seatbelt removal visual that appears in the drivers display screen if anyone takes off their seatbelt.
The New 2023 Volvo C40 EV is very quiet and smooth to drive, being electric it has instant acceleration when pulling off from lights or roundabouts.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge?
The New 2023 Volvo C40 has three top tether anchorages in the back of the rear seat backrests. They are all clearly labelled and easy to connect to through the boot. The central seats top tether anchorage is below the hatch door.
There are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats, they are within plastic guides and nice and easy to connect to.
Two Infasecure child seats fit really comfortably in the back of the New 2023 Volvo C40. In the outer seats I installed the Infasecure Attain More and Achieve More forward-facing. I could just squeeze the Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat between the outer two child seats when I needed to carry my daughters school friend which is great for flexibility. I would not recommend it as an everyday solution as accessing the central seatbelt buckle was quite tricky!
With a rear facing Infasecure Attain More in the back we could fit a 180cm driver in front. With forward-facing child seats installed we can fit a 186cm+ driver or front passenger.
Posting Bub into their child seat from inside or outside the car is really nice and easy in the New Volvo C40. Even with its sporty lower roofline at the back I didn't have any troubles posting my little one in and we had no bumped heads!
Australia being a country of weather extremes; blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
There is plenty of room to feed bub in the back if you only have one child seat installed.
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge? And How good is the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV Recharge to drive?
In the front of the New Volvo C40 EV, the cabin is minimal and practical, just like in the Volvo XC40 recharge. There is a great panel across the dash and in the doors with an embossed map of Sweden where Volvos are made.
The seats in the front are very comfortable, in a charcoal grey/black upholstery they have minimal fuss, stitching or panelling.
For a mum travelling in the back with Bub, the seats are comfortable at the sides but in the central seat I could feel the hardness of the drop-down armrest.
For the first year of my baby’s life when we would go out as a family, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with Bub so it’s important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
The steering wheel is fully adjustable in/out and up/down. Cruise control is very easy to use. The buttons are on the left on the steering wheel and I found it quite accurate at lower speeds and very accurate at higher speeds on motorways.
There are four long, portrait air-conditioning vents across the front dashboard; one at either end and one either side of the central media screen.
There are aircon vents in the back of the central console box in the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV which is great for keeping little rear passengers the right temperature. There are also rear heated seat controls and a USBC socket for rear charging, underneath the air vents, in the model I tested.
The rear interior lights are located above the rear doors in the ceiling I can reach one of the while driving.
I have found my babies do not like travelling in the dark in the car so if it gets dark whilst travelling then I reach back and turn the interior light on for her. So it’s really important for me that I can reach the rear ceiling light.
Also if I am traveling home and it is getting near to bed time and I DEFINITELY DON’T want her to fall asleep in the car as even a five-minute nap in the car means bed time is all over!!!! I lean back and pop the light on so it’s not dark and try to keep her awake!! Along with screaming/singing at the top of my voice!!!
It is also useful when there are lights situated above the doors where the handles are usually positioned. These are good for when putting baby into their child seats when visibility is poor, so you do not have to reach across them to a light situated in the ceiling centrally etc.
Visibility is a tricky one in the New 2023 Volvo C40. For little rear passengers in the back the windows are not very deep so it is hard for them to see out.
For the driver the rear visibility is difficult, the rear windscreen is very shallow and you only get a thin slice of a view out the back. If you then add child seats to the equation you really can't see much at all. The rear camera view is shark mouth shaped and small on the screen so it's not much help either.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Bub has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread parking new cars as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, being quite small the C40 wasn't too tricky to park.
Aesthetically the New 2023 Volvo C40 EV is a fantastic looking electric SUV with a sporty looking rear end while still being practical for families of three or four.
For Child Occupancy protection the Volvo C40 EV scored 89%.
ANCAP said of the testing: In the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection of the 10 year and 6 year dummies was GOOD and the Volvo C40 Recharge scored maximum points in these tests.
The Volvo C40 Recharge is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.
Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed most child restraints could be accommodated in most rear seating positions, though one of the selected booster seats could not be correctly installed in the centre rear seating position.
Seven airbags come as standard; Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags, as well as a driver knee airbag are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.
As standard, all models of the New Volvo C40 come with adaptive cruise control (ACC), anti-lock braking system (ABS), autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – Car-to-Car and VRU, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – junction assist, automatic emergency call (eCall), blind spot monitor (BSM), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), event data recorder (EDR), electronic stability control (ESC), emergency brake assist (EBA), emergency stop signal (ESS), fatigue reminder, fatigue monitor / detection, forward collision warning (FCW), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keep assist (LKA), pre-crash systems, rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), reversing collision avoidance (camera), roll stability system, secondary / multi-collision brake, speed assistance – auto / intelligent speed limiter, speed assistance – manual speed limiter, seed assistance – speed sign recognition and warning and smart (intelligent) key.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Tulsi’s asleep!
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