This week we are driving the new fully electric 2024 Volvo EX30. Let's see how this little SUV compares as a BabyDrive and put it through our family car testing…
BabyDrive Verdict
I am testing the Twin Motor Performance all-wheel drive model which has a range of 460km and priced at $71,290 excluding on road costs. The EX30 is also available as a Single Motor Extended Range model that is two-wheel drive with 480km range for $66,290.
We found the 460km battery range is plenty for our family life for everyday school drop-offs etc and a good amount between charges for a family road trip.
At the top of the media screen, below the gear displayed you can clearly see the battery and kilometres remaining.
The Volvo EX30 has a really interesting interior, it is very tactile and made with lots recycled materials. The attention given to the design is clear throughout this car and it is a real joy to spend time in the cabin.
One of the interesting storage features is the relocated glove box! Instead of being in front of the passenger's knees it is centrally located underneath the dash. I really like its position here, it fits my purse and means I don't have to lean across the central console to access it. There are two cup holders in the central console and underneath it is lots more storage…
… there's a double wireless phone charging pad…
… and more wired phone charging hidden under a trapdoor like hatch too.
The front door bins are narrow and will hold an iPad and a small disposable water bottle.
Storage for drinks is minimal in the back, where the door bins will hold an iPad.
In the back of the central console is a phone storage tray and two USB-C sockets for charging and a large storage drawer underneath.
There are map pockets in the back of both front seats that will hold an iPad and there are phone pockets in the top of them too.
In the boot, the new 2024 Volvo EX30 holds ten shopping bags from empty, which is two less than the EX30's bigger sister, the Volvo XC40 Recharge but the same as the Kia Niro which can also hold ten bags and five less than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 which holds fifteen shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…
…will fit in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with two shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…
…will fit in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with two shopping bags.
… with the back wheels off, it will fit in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with one shopping bag.
The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…
… fits in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with 3 shopping bags.
You can also fit two 90L Thule Chasm duffle bags in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30.
Or a small-medium sized dog.
When it comes to installing child seats in the 2024 Volvo EX30, there are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats.
They are not within plastic guides and easy to connect to.
There are top tether anchorages in the back of all three rear seatbacks of ther 2024 Volvo EX30. They are clearly labelled and not within plastic guides and easy to connect to through the boot.
Space in the rear seats when installing child seats is compact. I could surprisingly just fit three child seats across in the 2024 Volvo EX30 but you'd need to check your three child seats fit. I could not fit in the back between two child seats.
Legroom is very tight in the 2024 Volvo EX30 when you have rear-facing child seats. We found with a rear facing infant capsule installed we could only fit a 163cm driver in front.
With forward-facing child seats in the back a 180cm driver can sit in front.
The rear footwell is completely flat which helps with passengers access getting in and out and gives passengers good kickroom.
The shape of the 2024 Volvo EX30 is quite low at the back and the rear windows are not very deep and slope up at the back. Which does make the ceiling feel low in the back seats.
The glass roof makes it much lighter inside but it doesn't have a cover and it gets hot to touch and hot inside the vehicle.
Like the Volvo XC40 Recharge EV, there is no start button or ignition in the 2024 Volvo EX30! 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 2024 Volvo EX30 is a great car to drive, it has fast and instant acceleration so you can be very confident pulling out at roundabouts and junctions and overtaking in the highway. The ride is smooth and very 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!
Visibility is good out of the back with child seats onboard you can still see over the top of the seats.
The media screen in the 2024 Volvo EX30 is portrait orientation and when I tested it it didn't have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto but the company did say it could happen in the next technology update. Google Maps and YouTube plus access to other apps are available in the media system.
You can adapt the sound settings if you have noise sensitive kids.
You control everything about the car through the media screen.
Including opening the glove box and adjusting the side mirrors.
There are shortcuts for the media system and to the climate and heated seat controls are along the bottom of the media screen so they are easily accessible.
The reversing camera image is lovely and clear on the media screen and you get an overhead angle too.
The 2024 Volvo EX30 EV has no rear air-conditioning vents which makes it harder to keep little passengers at the right temperature in the back while driving along, especially with that big glass roof. You do have to point the front vents so they can blow into the back.
Overall the new 2024 Volvo EX30 is a great little fully electric car for families who are beyond the rear-facing child seat stage. The cabin's tactile nature and minimal design makes it a pleasure to spend time in and is a nice calm contrast to the usual chaos of kids! It is also practical fitting three child seats across for families that need to and a tandem Thule Sleek pram fits comfortably in the boot.
The new 2024 Volvo EX30 is yet to be given an ANCAP crash test rating. It has seven airbags as standard;
Dual-stage passenger airbags, driver airbag and side impact protection with inflatable curtain airbags
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30?
In the boot, the new 2024 Volvo EX30 holds ten shopping bags from empty, which is two less than the Volvo XC40 Recharge and the same as a Kia Niro which can also hold ten bags and five less than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 which holds fifteen shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…
…will fit in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with two shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…
…will fit in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with two shopping bags.
… with the back wheels on, it will fit in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with one shopping bag.
The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…
… fits in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30 with 3 shopping bags.
You can also fit two 90L Thule Chasm duffle bags in the boot of the 2024 Volvo EX30.
Or a small-medium sized dog.
How good is storage inside the 2024 Volvo EX30?
Storage in the cabin of the 2024 EX30 is minimal but well designed. One of the interesting storage features is the relocated glove box! Instead of being in front of the passenger's knees it is centrally located underneath the dash. I really like its position here, it fits my purse and means I don't have to lean across the central console to access it. There are two cup holders in the central console and underneath it is lots more storage…
… there's a double wireless phone charging pad…
… and more wired phone charging hidden under a trapdoor too.
The front door bins are narrow and will hold an iPad and a small disposable water bottle.
Storage for drinks is minimal in the back, where the door bins will hold an iPad.
In the back of the central console is a phone storage tray and two USB-C sockets for charging and a large storage drawer underneath.
There are map pockets in the back of both front seats that will hold an iPad and there are phone pockets in the top of them too.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2024 Volvo EX30?
It's not noisy because it's electric! The 2024 Volvo EX30 EV is a lovely 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.
Being fully electric you have all the benefits of being able to drive your kids to sleep and sitting with the aircon running while they are sleeping without churning through fuel!
The media screen in the 2024 Volvo EX30 is portrait orientation and when I tested it it didn't have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto but the company did say it could happen in the next technology update which is done over Wi-Fi like a Tesla. Google Maps and YouTube are available in the media system.
You can adapt the sound settings if you have noise sensitive kids.
You control everything about the car through the media screen.
Including opening the glove box and adjusting the side mirrors.
There are shortcuts for the media system and to the climate and heated seat controls are along the bottom of the media screen so they are easily accessible.
The reversing camera image is lovely and clear on the media screen and you get an overhead angle too.
The indicators are nice and quiet in the 2024 Volvo EX30 EV and didn’t disturb my sleeping child.
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 manoeuvring 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.
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!!)
The 2024 Volvo EX30 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 2024 Volvo EX30 EV?
When it comes to installing child seats, there are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats.
They are not within plastic guides and easy to connect to.
There are top tether anchorages in the back of all three rear seatbacks. They are clearly labelled and not within plastic guides and easy to connect to through the boot.
Space in the rear seats when installing child seats is compact. I could surprisingly just fit three child seats across but you'd need to check your three child seats fit. I could not fit in the back between two child seats.
Legroom is very tight in the EX30 when you have rear-facing child seats. We found with a rear facing infant capsule installed we could only fit a 163cm driver in front.
With forward-facing child seats in the back a 180cm driver can sit in front.
The rear footwell is completely flat which helps with passengers access getting in and out and gives passengers good kickroom.
The shape of the 2024 Volvo EX30 is quite low at the back and the rear windows are not very deep and slope up at the back. Which does make the ceiling feel low in the back seats.
The glass roof makes it much lighter inside but it doesn't have a cover and it gets hot to touch and hot inside the vehicle.
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the New 2024 Volvo EX30 EV? And How good is the Volvo EX30 to drive?
In the front of the Volvo EX30, the cabin is beautifully designed with a real tactile element and interesting recycled materials. It is minimal yet practical, just like in the Volvo C40 Recharge and Volvo XC40 recharge.
The seats in the front are very comfortable, in a white leather with gradient central panels. It might not be the most practical colour for most families but it's enjoyable for the parents and you can choose a different colour!
For a mum travelling in the back with Bub, the back seats are very comfortable.
The flat footwell makes kick room great.
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 accurate at both lower speeds and at higher speeds on motorways. However the buttons can be difficult to use due to their design which makes pressing them a bit vague.
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 no aircon vents in the back of the 2024 Volvo EX30 EV.
The side windows are not very deep in the 2024 Volvo EX30 so visibility is a little tricky however you can see surprisingly out of the rear windscreen with three child seats across in the back.
The rear camera view is very clear.
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 EX30 is very easy to park.
Aesthetically the New 2024 Volvo EX30 EV is a great looking electric car with a well designed interior that is practical for a family of four.
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
How safe is the New 2024 Volvo EX30 EV?
The 2024 Volvo EX30 so far has no ANCAP safety rating. It comes with seven airbags as standard that includes driver, driver knee airbags, side, side curtain airbags.
As standard, all models of the 2024 Volvo EX30 come with adaptive cruise control (ACC), adjustable speed limiter function, blind spot monitoring (BSM) with cross traffic alert (CTA), driver alert system, front and rear collision warning with mitigation support, intersection collision and oncoming mitigation with brake support, lane keeping aid, oncoming mitigation by braking, park pilot assist, pedestrian, animal and cyclist detection, post impact braking, steering support, traffic jam assist, tyre pressure monitoring and 360-degree camera.
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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About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.
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