The new Volvo EX30 is something of a triumph for the Swedish brand. Billed as a ‘starter EV’ by a company that thinks of itself as a pioneer in all things electric, the EX30 – of which we took a first look earlier this year – is both the smallest Volvo now on sale and an explicit disavowal of the models that made company’s name back in the 1960s and 1970s – the sturdy saloon and estate cars.
The EX30 is a compact SUV. Before you scroll away in frustration, bear us out. It’s true that this particular genre of electric automobile is over-subscribed, but where the EX30 succeeds is in its blending of artful minimalism with no-nonsense functionalism, along with a drivetrain that is rather sportier than you might expect.
