2013 Volvo V40 Cross Country review, test drive

The exterior build quality is as good as, if not better than most competitors from Germany, and it’s nice to see consistent gaps and seams all around. The cabin isn’t as flashy as the exterior however. The design is a lot more restrained here and the Volvo parts bin seems to have been thoroughly raided; not necessarily a bad thing as most of the bits are well constructed and have a certain heft to them. What’s also retained from the bigger, more expensive Volvos is the look. The cabin is still a celebration of plain, IKEA-like surfaces and minimalist details, all tastefully trimmed in black and dull aluminium. Some large bits, like the floating centre console and the sculpted door-pads give the cabin a bit of a lift. Still, it’s not the kind of interiors that would give you feeling of luxury like an Audi cabin would. The bits which stand out are the shiny white central console and the transparent LED illuminated gear selector.  Other unique bits include a frameless rear-view mirror and a massive full-length glass roof.

The V40’s seats have the trademark Volvo levels of comfort. There is fantastic support for your back and thighs and this is especially noticeable if you’ve just climbed out of another car. Head, elbow and shoulder room at the front of the V40 is plentiful too. This is also a very practical cabin with plenty of space for water bottles and other odds and ends. 

Legroom at the rear is sufficient for most frames and since the rear bench seats are placed higher up, they give passengers at the rear a better view of the road ahead. Headroom for very tall passengers could be an issue though  due to the tight-fitting roof. The third passenger at the back is also unlikely to be very comfortable – space for the middle seat is minimal and there’s a tunnel for a propeller shaft (for the all-wheel-drive version) on the floor that reduces legroom even futher. And while boot space is generous, there’s no spare wheel. You only get a puncture repair kit and an electric pump that runs off a 12-volt jack.