Won’t fulfil its promise, but EX30 Cross Country is cool
When we tested the straight Volvo EX30 eighteen months ago, we thought it was bonkers. So stupid that we loved it. Roll on that long and not much has changed. Except now there’s this. And it’s even crazier and even more likeable as a result.
Rugged, refined, and allegedly ready for South African roads, the Volvo EX30 Cross Country allegedly expands Volvo’s electric adventure off the beaten track. Featuring raised ground clearance to complement XC30’s all-wheel drive, and tweaks to differentiate its dirt spirit from the standard bold styling, XC also carries over the city version’s 315 kW and 543 Nm Twin Motor Performance power pack.
Said to be a rugged, compact EV SUV designed for those who crave adventure without compromising on sustainability or style, its apparently good for navigating anything from icy Scandinavia to topping Sani Pass. Elephant in the room and all. But more on that anon. Pretty much a flagship EX30 in drag, it shares all we know with that car.
Cross Country brings rugged off road design
What Cross Country does bring, is rugged off road design. Starting with that 13 mm higher 190 mm raised ride height, Volvo’s styling team gave Cross Country a darkened arty front shield and boot lid, pronounced skid plates and wider wheel arch extensions framing 19-inch five-spoke alloys with matt graphite and black aero inserts .
For that ‘commanding and aggressive presence’. All pretty cool in this vapour grey. For the rest, read EX30. So nothing much changes from its cool Thor’s hammer LED lighting to ready for service attitude, splendid seats and superb build quality.
Bare to the bone minimalist, it still has no switches. That single 12.3-inch portrait display centre stage for both dials and infotainment packs Volvo's latest Google-based interface with Maps and CarPlay. Audio is cute too. Courtesy of a sound bar across the dash. Rather than individual speakers.
Buttonless cabin may be some people’s cuppa tea
Not everyone’s cup of tea, this system can be terribly annoying to use. Needs several ‘keystrokes’ to achieve anything simple, taking your attention off the road ahead to get anything else done.
Safe? We’re not so sure about that. There’s only one shortcut button on the wheel. It needs six. Just give us our knobs and buttons back and leave the talking to the car to people who are happy talking to themselves.
On the other hand, we love the golf kart get in and go simplicity of driving this car. No need to turn it on, just get in prod the lever to Drive and go. A boon for those who want a quarter of the fuss to get going.
Cross Country is basically an EX30 in drag
Which leads us under its ‘rugged’ Made in China skin. The 315 kilowatt 541 Newton-metre dual-motors are fuelled by a 64 kWh battery pack, for up to 450 km per charge at 18.0 kWh/100km. 80 percent of that charge is achievable in under half an hour at 153 kW on a fast-charging station.
Cool. If you live in Stockholm or Paris. Now go find a charging station. Let alone a 200 kilowatt one in South Africa. Good luck! LOL. However, if you do have a home charging system, or even better, a solar plant on the roof, it will work very well close to home. Just don’t sell that Disco if you really still want to wander.
Getting back to basics, this car is also stupidly quick. Supercar fast, in fact. We tested it 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. For all that, steering is quick but numb. But XC30 feels as neat and compact as its stubby looks suggest.
Fun to drive. On the road, that is
Fun to drive, its balanced and agile, if stiff and darty. A little bump steer requires focus. Keeps you wide awake while relishing in that supercar speed. Ride is solid but controlled. Damping better than decent. It isolates road shock well.
Which is where we come to the room with the elephant inside. Volvo warns against getting too far off the beaten track. A warning well heeded. Even in mildly slippery conditions or over reasonable ruts, climbs or tracks, this drivetrain’s limitations and quickly become clear.
Aviate a wheel and the car is lost. Its muddled software makes the going even tougher, that 190 mm woefully inadequate too. In fact Cross Country is even challenged crossing the lawn. The only thing worse than its Cross Country ability is that ugly, noisy, EV range thief Woolies trolley on the roof. Be sure delete option it. Unless it suits your pose.
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country will linger in our memory for three reasons. One, its bonkers fast. Two, its minimalist. So basic, it’s stupid. And three, it really shouldn’t be called Cross Country. Because it isn’t. Even if it’s so darned cool at it. – Michele Lupini.
Testing & Images: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Volvo EX30 Twin Motor
Cross Country Ultra
Motors: 2x electric
Output: 315 kW 541 Nm combined
Drive: Direct AWD
Battery: 64 kWh lithium-ion
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 1.83sec
0-100 km/h: 3.90 sec
0-120 km/h: 5.40 sec
0-160 km/h: 9.56 sec
400m: 12.2 sec @ 178 km/h
80-120 km/h: 2.67 sec
120-160 km/h: 4.16 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 180 km/h
Energy Use: 18.8 kWh/100 km
CO2: 0 g/km local
Range: 450 km
Warranty/Service: 5y 100K/5y 100K km
LIST PRICE: R1.16M
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