Volvo says it is in SA to stay despite recently cutting its local footprint from 19 dealers to seven.
Newly appointed Volvo SA MD Grant Locke plans to reopen dealerships in Gqeberha, Bloemfonetin and Mbombela to expand the Swedish brand’s presence, and is launching new vehicles, starting with the EX30 Cross Country, which reaches local showrooms this week. It follows the recent introduction of the EX90 luxury SUV, while other new Volvos coming soon are the ES90 luxury electric sedan arriving in the first quarter of 2026 and the electric EX60 midsize SUV in 2026 or 2027.
Volvo had planned to have a fully electric range by 2030, but due to the slowdown in global EV growth it has revised this to having 90% of its range electrified (either full electrics or plug-in hybrids) by that date, with the other 10% made up of mild hybrids and internal combustion engined cars.
The new EX30 Cross Country is an adventure-focused version of the EX30 compact crossover, which was launched in February 2024 and sold 406 units last year to become SA’s most popular electric car.
It is the first Volvo electric car to wear the Cross Country badge and is what Volvo calls an “experience” vehicle, rather than a hard-core off-roader for the wilderness - not least because you’re unlikely to find a charger in the bundu.
Priced at R1,165,000, the Cross Country is available in a single, high-specced Ultra all-wheel drive model that carries a R51,000 premium over the flagship all-wheel drive EX30. The price includes a three-year/60,000km maintenance plan, a five-year/100,000 km warranty, an eight-year battery warranty and five years of unlimited roadside assistance.
Two years’ free public charging, a home wallbox and 10GB of Vodacom data per month for three years are also part of the deal with all electric Volvos sold in SA.
With a ground clearance of 190mm the Cross Country rides 13mm higher than the EX30 and has pronounced skid plates and widened wheel arches to give it a more rugged, off-road inspired look. The design is further muscled up with exclusive 19” five-spoke alloy wheels finished in matte graphite, a front shield and boot lid finished in darker tones, and a front shield decorated with the contours of Sweden’s Kebnekaise mountain range.
Standard LED headlights with active high beam are part of the package. There are five colours to choose from: Sand Dune, Cloud Blue, Crystal White, Onyx Black and Vapour Grey.
Like the EX30, the Cross Country has an uncluttered and heavily digitised interior, with physical buttons kept to an almost obsessive minimum. The Ultra spec lays on high-end features such as a heated steering wheel and front seats, a fixed panoramic sunroof, two-zone climate control, a nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system and electrically adjustable front seats.
The car is suitable for young families as the back seat is a tight fit for adults, and there’s 318l of boot space, with the rear seats able to fold down to expand cargo capacity. Customers can choose from various finishes inside the vegan cabin, which uses recycled and renewable materials.
Like the flagship EX30, the all-wheel drive Cross Country is powered by two electric motors - one each at the front and rear wheels - for peak outputs of 315kW and 543Nm. The 3.7 second 0-100km/h time is one-tenth slower than the EX30, and the car has the 180km/h top speed mandated across the whole Volvo range.
The 69-kWh battery pack delivers a claimed electric range of up to 427 km. On a fast charger the battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% in as little as 26 minutes, says Volvo.
I drove the EX30 Cross Country at the media launch in Gauteng earlier this week and the vehicle acquitted itself well on a rough gravel road, where its yielding ride, all-wheel drive traction and raised ground clearance attested to its mild off-roading abilities. The car whisks silently and effortlessly with the typical lag-free power delivery of an EV, and has sportscar-like acceleration when you punch the throttle.
It is a very pleasant drive in terms of refinement, performance and ride comfort, and it has sufficient range for short-distance adventure trips.
Factors like long charging times and range anxiety make EVs a very niche segment in SA where they make up less than 1% of new-car sales, but Volvo believes that owning a lifestyle electric vehicle such as the EX30 Cross Country is getting more feasible with the growth of the DC fast-charging network.
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