The Volvo EX30 Cross Country
When Volvo launched the EX30 Cross Country back in August, I remember thinking it was like an effortless conversation around a bonfire.
The idea for the vehicle is certainly to take it on those getaways and park it next to the bonfire while you enjoy time with family or friends. It’s a cool concept from Volvo and offers those who fell in love with the EX30 a chance to boost their vision of the car and take it wherever they please.
With roof racks to carry luggage or even to take your bicycles with you, I guess that is exactly why it’s called the Cross Country.
Now, it doesn’t mean that you are getting an entirely new car compared with the regular EX30 with some crazy off-road features, but it is certainly more capable of venturing off into the unknown than the regular version. That’s due to its 13mm of extra ground clearance and the softer suspension, which provides comfort off-road.
On launch, I certainly felt the comfort off-road around the countryside near Pretoria, but when I had it on test for a week, I wanted to experience the vehicle from a practical standpoint.
Yes, the ruggedness on the exterior really catches the eye, but with a car like this, how often are you actually going to take it off-road?
For example, the test model we had came with a roof rack and a roof basket. It looks so cool. Coupled with the mean nature of the car, it seems like you could just drive straight into Checkers and do your shopping without anyone saying a thing.
But from a practical perspective, those two items on the roof just contribute significantly to wind noise when driving on the highway. It started to annoy me at one point because it really detracts from the exceptional drive you are supposed to get from this vehicle.
Those items will also decrease the amount of range you get. This is a fully electric vehicle with a 69kWh battery, which is meant to give you 427km, but it won’t give you that much when carrying all of these extra items.
In terms of performance, it employs the same drivetrain as the top-of-the-range EX30, which delivers twin-motor output of 315kW and 543 Nm of torque.
It still throws you back in your seat when you floor it during takeoff, but because it is a heavier car than the regular EX30, it just doesn’t feel as agile when you are driving on the highway.
On the inside, Volvo has done exceptionally well to keep the minimalist theme of the regular EX30, but has also given the door panels and dash a much more rugged feel. I appreciated this, but if I am going from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds, I want a sporty feel as well.
On that note, the car itself, despite being called the EX30 Cross Country, is not more spacious than the regular EX30 by any means, so it’s not even extra space that you are paying for.
For me, this car sits in a very weird position. It’s not a sports car, nor is it a complete off-roader. It’s a soft-roader. It appeals to a niche market.
Don’t get me wrong. It is still the EX30 that I love and has a softer suspension, but it just didn’t get me going the way the regular EX30 did.
That in itself is a compliment to Volvo, because the only car I can actually compare the EX30 Cross Country to is its younger sibling.
It’s priced at R1 165 000. It’s not that I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, but I would rather save the R51 000 and purchase the regular EX30 Ultra Twin Motor Performance.
If you’re willing to sacrifice performance just to get into one, the Volvo EX30 range starts from R835 500.