The EX30 Cross Country Ultra Twin Motor Performance model on test this week is the new range-topper of Volvo’s best-selling compact EV crossover range, with about 406 units of the EX30 sold in SA in 2024, making the Swedish brand the top-seller in the low-demand battery-electric niche.
The new Cross Country is a single model that shares a lot of its tech with the regular EX30, and both offer end-to-end excellence as electric crossovers.
The main differentiator is the raised 190mm ground clearance of the Cross Country model versus the 177mm of the conventional car. In other words, it’s an off-road version with the requisite black body cladding against mud splatters.
Inside, the brand’s “Sensus” interface, which combines almost every conceivable button function into a digital menu system, endures — and I must concede it was a struggle to reacquaint.
But once in the groove of living with the car for a few days, everything becomes more intuitive inside the airy and minimalist cabin. Amenities include air-purified climate control, heated seats and a tinted panoramic glass roof that filters the sunlight flowing into the cabin.
The inherent quietness of electric cars elevates the comfort and driving peace of mind, but this was not the case in our EX30 Cross Country experience thanks to the fitment of a roof basket used for carrying the spare wheel rather than luggage.
The R17,300 accessory roars and whistles loudly on the move, and I’d recommend stowing it at home when not conducting wilderness expeditions.
The 400l boot capacity is sufficient to carry a nuclear family’s luggage or weekday grocery shopping. The rear seats also fold to create a total 1,000l area for loading larger cargo. It’s perched on black 19-inch alloy wheels shod with regular rubber.
You can fit knobbly tread for off-roading purposes, and the 315kW and 543Nm twin electric motor drivetrain provides permanent all-wheel drive traction. Driving modes include Normal, Range and Performance but no off-road setting. The former mode balances speed and preserving driving range.
It takes about an hour to fill up the 69kWh battery pack from 10% to 80% using a high-speed DC charger.
When it comes to driving range, expect to achieve a real-world figure of 400km in our hotter climes and less in the colder winter months. The performance mode allows the EX90 Cross Country to scorch from standstill to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds, as quick as a Porsche Panamera GTS, regardless if it’s on wet or dry surfaces; such is the clean response of the all-wheel drive.
The traction is phenomenal, and the car didn’t experience any wheel slippage under full-bore take-off on a wet surface. I did not take it anywhere beyond the remit of modern crossover bumper departure angles to test out the capabilities, but Volvo says it can wade in water up to 500mm in depth.
Volvo’s Pilot Assist system enables impressive autonomous cruising and self-steering inside marked lanes behind a lead car. The dampers soak up surface imperfections and add to the overall comfort felt behind the wheel. As expected of the Swedish brand, safety is not compromised, and the EX30 is fitted with an alphabet soup of safety acronyms.
At R1,165,000, the Cross Country costs R51,000 more than the standard Volvo EX30 Ultra Twin Motor Performance model and a R55,000 premium over the MINI Countryman SE All4, the only electric rival with a quasi-off-roader purpose. The Countryman is less powerful and slower to 100km/h than the Volvo but more spacious with a superior 202mm ground clearance.
Volvo’s intentions to add a model that can plug its way past rough terrain to reach remote places make sense. The extra height is useful to the initial EX30 recipe. It’s sold as standard with respective five-year/100,000km and eight-year/160,000km vehicle and battery warranties.
Volvo EX30 Cross Country vs rivals
MINI Countryman SE ALL4, 230kW/494Nm — R1,110,000
Volvo EX30 Cross Country Ultra Twin Motor Performance, 315kW/543Nm — R1,165,000
BMW iX1 xDrive30 xLine, 225kW/494Nm — R1,205,000
Mercedes-Benz EQA250 AMG Line, 140kW/385Nm R1,232,400
Mercedes-Benz EQB350 4Matic Progressive, 215kW/530Nm — R1,384,300
