The Volvo XC40 is already a popular subcompact SUV, but the Swedish brand is far from calling it finished. So, when we spent a couple of days in London with Volvo, we got a good look at what the brand is calling “the best version of the XC40 yet.”
Mostly, it’s what you expect from a big model refresh – an exterior makeover, an interior update, technology updates, and, as this is Volvo, meaningful safety updates.
Thor’s Hammer Outside, Sharper Within
2028 Volvo XC40Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
The design trend is moving away from having a lot of detail in the headlights and into less complex and “bolder” visuals, and Volvo is following along. The new XC40’s headlights are darker behind, and Volvo’s Thor’s Hammer signature running lights motif is solid, simplified to the point you could replicate it with a piece of paper and a marker. As is customary on a refresh, the XC40 also gets a new grille, new LED rear lights, an upgraded tailgate, and a redesigned rear bumper.
Wheels are now new 18-inch, 19-inch, and 20-inch diamond-cut designs. Overall, the exterior makeover has done a brilliant job at keeping the nearly ten-year-old design contemporary and attractive. While other automakers are keen on making each iteration of their SUVs look more aggressive, Volvo is willfully avoiding that and sticking with elegance.
2028 Volvo XC40Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
Volvo is consistent with its design brief, being that the interiors should be evocative of a Scandinavian living room. However, I’m reminded more of a Scandinavian coffee shop, and that feel carries through inside the XC40. The interior upgrades are subtle with new upholstery and decor options, including “Arianne Cardamom leather upholstery paired with Brown Ash wood decor elements across the interior.”
What About Tech And Safety?
2028 Volvo XC40Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
Volvo says it’s a new, larger, and crisper 11.2-inch screen that sits in the center of the dashboard, and a quick hands-on with the one in the XC40 confirms that. Having just come from the current Volvo XC60 as a test car, it’s clear that the user experience (UX) designers have been iterating – fewer taps are needed to access key functions, and the contextual menu didn’t seem to get confused.
Like all new Volvos, the XC40 will benefit from over-the-air updates that bring new software and features to cars already on the road. The infotainment system continues to be Google Built-In as the native system, but Apple CarPlay is standard.
Given how privacy concerns are a factor in life these days, we asked about Volvo’s policies and were told “our policy that we apply to all, all data from the car, whether Google or anything, is that your data belongs to you, and you can opt in to share it, but we will not share it with anyone ever without your permission.”
2028 Volvo XC40Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
While the safety updates listed below are straightforward, it’s worth remembering that how Volvo integrates safety into its cars is a whole philosophy, and has its own standards.
“Our philosophy is that we should be there as a helping hand when you need it. We don’t need to step in when you don’t need it. Because if you look at it, as human beings and drivers, we are remarkable in how we actually operate in such a complex environment like traffic.”
-Thomas Broberg, Senior Technical Advisor, Volvo Cars Safety Center
New on the Volvo XC40 for 2028:
• Door Opening Alert helps protect cyclists and other road users by warning occupants before opening the door into passing traffic.
• Optional Pilot Assist is expanded with lane change assist and refined to follow the road more smoothly, providing added support and comfort on longer journeys.
• Optional 360 camera is upgraded to a 3D view that makes parking and low-speed maneuvers easier.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
2028 Volvo XC40Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
Volvo doesn’t have the sales numbers of BMW or Mercedes, so it has to rely on refining its designs more than dropping new models on a whim. The XC40 is still a relatively new model, having started production in 2017, but is far from outdated–save for being limited to only a gasoline engine powering its standard all-wheel-drive system. In this case, Volvo was showing off the B5 AWD trim.
Volvo’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine in B5 AWD spec makes more than respectable numbers at 247 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy has improved from 23/30/26 mpg (city/highway/combined) to 25/32/27 mpg, but there’s still no hybrid option in a world where that is becoming a necessity. We can’t help but feel Volvo has done everything right for the XC40, except finding a hybrid powertrain solution.
As the new XC40 we spent time with is a 2028 model due for release in early 2027, it’s too early for Volvo to give pricing details.
