autoX Awards 2023: The Volvo C40 Recharge emerged as, perhaps, one of the biggest surprises during our mega test. You see, Volvo has long been synonymous with safety, and rightly so, for their cars are renowned for being some of the safest vehicles in the world. The C40 Recharge, however, not only upholds Volvo’s commitment to safety but also surprises with its remarkable speed.
While Volvo might have claimed that they are not fixated on the idea of speed and, therefore, have electronically limited the top speed of all their cars to 180km/h. However, they seem to have ignored the acceleration potential of their own cars. A case in point is the C40 Recharge, which has a claimed 0 – 100km/h dash time of just 4.7 seconds, making it one of the quickest cars you can buy under the Rs 70 lakh mark. Powered by two electric motors – one at each axle – the C40 delivers a total of 402bhp and a massive 660Nm of torque, with 40% going to the front wheels and 60% to the rear wheels. The car is blisteringly quick in a straight line, which is not surprising. What is surprising, however, is its excellent cornering prowess. Its superb chassis and brilliantly-tuned suspension enable smooth and seamless handling of the car’s considerable mass. All of this really became evident while setting the hot lap on the track during our test – the C40 Recharge was second to only the Lamborghini Urus Performante.
Also Read: Volvo C40 Recharge Review: Bringing Sexy Back!
The C40 Recharge also secured perfect scores in the refinement and drivetrain categories; however, it did lose some crucial points in terms of practicality. With a massive glass panel on top without a sun blind, the car, while quite desirable, doesn’t seem to be very practical for our hot weather conditions. Also, being based on the XC40 Recharge, which in turn was based on the internal combustion engine-powered XC40, the C40 Recharge’s interior has begun to show its age – the interior layout and screens are in immediate need of a refresh. That said, you can’t really complain when you have a car this quick – one that can rival the performance of multi-crore supercars. It has an incredible ability to put a smile on your face every time you are in the driver’s seat, and sometimes that’s all it takes to win hearts.
- Volvo C40 Recharge (Lap Time: 01.05.5)
| PARAMETERS | POINTS | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| QUALITY | 5 | 3 |
| COMFORT / SPACE | 5 | 2.5 |
| REFINEMENT | 5 | 5 |
| DESIGN | 5 | 3.5 |
| DRIVETRAIN | 5 | 5 |
| RIDE & HANDLING | 5 | 3.5 |
| PRACTICALITY | 5 | 2.5 |
| X FACTOR | 20 | 13 |
| LAP TIME | 15 | 13.1 |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | 30 | 13 |
| TOTAL | 100 | 64.1 |
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