I just got my Polestar RWD delivered to me last week - so happy - it is SO GOOD! I also love this little car, and considered waiting for it but it needs a dashboard with at least speed, range etc please Volvo!!
Love a “Batch” review, although not a car dealer, I listen to the “Car Dealer”‘podcast and it’s excellent as well. Channeling his inner “Quentin” and funny trousers, but a great Car Journalist to boot, great to have found this site.
Great review, always a pleasure to see you. I think even the cheapest 33k car can take you from London to Birmingham without stopping in any weather, in safety and comfort is more than sufficient. It's almost a no brainer for the price and what you get for your money. Dare i say it will eat into Tesla's sales £40k for the cheapest saloon model 3?
Question, on a bright sunny day and the driver wears sunglasses, will the sensor have a fit, lol ? A speedo or HUD can easily be downloaded to a mobile phone and placed in front of the driver.
Thanks for the feedback on the AWD drivetrain and steering. I ordered the Ultimate Twin the day after the launch, but I have concerns over how it will drive/handle and the range. I need to drive one before I commit to the 45k. Did you know that Volvo want you to pay in full, wait 2 weeks to deliver to your chosen dealer then the dealer 'might' take your part exchange and refund you!!
See if you can test drive the xc40 recharge. The ex30 will be very similar in driving feel as Volvo have a design ethos they seem to follow in all their cars. Had one when the wife's xc60 was in for a service and I was very impressed with the ride and how controllable and smooth the power delivery was. I didn't need the xc40 size of car so have ordered the performance ex30 as we're now Volvo converts since owning an xc60. I do have two disappointments with the ex30 though. No info in front of the driver. I would of paid extra for HUD but is not even an option. Volvo HUDs are great. No memory seats as far as I know. The ex30 allows you to set the mirror positions per profile/key. I'm hoping it does thesame for driver seats position as well but that hasn't been reported (memory seats). If you live with a shorter 2nd driver you'll understand. Electric seats without a memory function are a waste of money as they're quicker to adjust manually.
@@xyredmaxI think you may be confusing Volvo hybrids which have the option to turn on AWD so petrol engine (front) and electric motor (rear) are always working together off-road. Volvo don't tend to do different power modes as such. You have all of the power all of the time and I doubt the ex30 will be any different. How that power is delivered would depend on the 'throttle' profile and level of traction control in use.
I love when people tell on themselves. You complain that the car beeps at you constantly meaning you keep going over the lines and you are bad at driving.
The trouble with all new cars is in order to achieve the coveted high Euro NCAP ratings they have to put in all these features that distract you. And then they have all gone down the route of installing giant tablets rather than neatly integrating screens into dashboards. And to top it all off they then bury all the controls you need at your fingertips inside these screens, making them even more distracting. Euro NCAP need to focus less on driver aids that actually hinder, and apply penalties to manufacturers who use software to save money over the manufacturing of physical buttons.
No head’s up display or viewing screen near the steering wheel. Speedo on the big screen too. Dangerous to be messing with the screen for changes you need to make while driving. Older drivers, who can afford this car, will not like this buttonless World.😢
So… for example in NJ, you ends up paying… 20000 for a brand new car after local and federal tax break. You cannot find this type of deal anywhere else. Look at how much CRV and RAV4 cost😂
Built down to a price, many things missing. No review has mentioned the ergonomic disaster of having many functions on one column stalk. Big performance and dangerous centre only display means Volvo have sold out on safety. I look forward to your review of the Jeep Avenger James, you have been awol for a while.
The ranges are still laughably bad though. Like you said, real world condition and the cold climate means you can easily take of 20 percent of claimed range figures. And thats not good.
Volvo is known for safety. It seems they forgot that when making this vehicle. Not having a decent dashboard in front of you seems careless. I need to pay attention to the road in front of me, not to the right of me well trying to look at that panel with so much information all over it. Those window and door switches is something really silly. Add the two switches for the rear doors and windows for god sake.
Tesla's have had a center console for years, and within a few hours of driving it, you don't even notice the difference. It's not a safety issue in the slightest for the vast majority of drivers.
@@jspope2008 Yes I do! Very happy with it, but I have no issue with people choosing to have a ice car in not militant about it. However, I'm glad for it to be an option as it really works well for us. I just enjoy getting into a warm preheated car every morning.
I just got my Polestar RWD delivered to me last week - so happy - it is SO GOOD! I also love this little car, and considered waiting for it but it needs a dashboard with at least speed, range etc please Volvo!!
Love a “Batch” review, although not a car dealer, I listen to the “Car Dealer”‘podcast and it’s excellent as well. Channeling his inner “Quentin” and funny trousers, but a great Car Journalist to boot, great to have found this site.
Great review, always a pleasure to see you. I think even the cheapest 33k car can take you from London to Birmingham without stopping in any weather, in safety and comfort is more than sufficient. It's almost a no brainer for the price and what you get for your money. Dare i say it will eat into Tesla's sales £40k for the cheapest saloon model 3?
Great insight 👍
Thank you!
Great review Batch as always 👍
Glad you enjoyed it ❤
Question, on a bright sunny day and the driver wears sunglasses, will the sensor have a fit, lol ?
A speedo or HUD can easily be downloaded to a mobile phone and placed in front of the driver.
Another excellent review with sensible constructive dislikes, very informative.
Hi James, checked again this morning and Volvo UK site still says the heat pump only comes with the Ultra spec
Thanks for the feedback on the AWD drivetrain and steering. I ordered the Ultimate Twin the day after the launch, but I have concerns over how it will drive/handle and the range. I need to drive one before I commit to the 45k. Did you know that Volvo want you to pay in full, wait 2 weeks to deliver to your chosen dealer then the dealer 'might' take your part exchange and refund you!!
With the twin you can switch off the full performance mode so it’s rear wheel drive only so more relaxed option .
I might be wrong, but I think it is the permanent AWD you can switch on/off and not the level of BHP
If you look at the user manual the BHP is split between front & rear . @@xyredmax
See if you can test drive the xc40 recharge. The ex30 will be very similar in driving feel as Volvo have a design ethos they seem to follow in all their cars. Had one when the wife's xc60 was in for a service and I was very impressed with the ride and how controllable and smooth the power delivery was. I didn't need the xc40 size of car so have ordered the performance ex30 as we're now Volvo converts since owning an xc60.
I do have two disappointments with the ex30 though. No info in front of the driver. I would of paid extra for HUD but is not even an option. Volvo HUDs are great. No memory seats as far as I know. The ex30 allows you to set the mirror positions per profile/key. I'm hoping it does thesame for driver seats position as well but that hasn't been reported (memory seats). If you live with a shorter 2nd driver you'll understand. Electric seats without a memory function are a waste of money as they're quicker to adjust manually.
@@xyredmaxI think you may be confusing Volvo hybrids which have the option to turn on AWD so petrol engine (front) and electric motor (rear) are always working together off-road. Volvo don't tend to do different power modes as such. You have all of the power all of the time and I doubt the ex30 will be any different. How that power is delivered would depend on the 'throttle' profile and level of traction control in use.
Where was this filmed? Thx
I love when people tell on themselves.
You complain that the car beeps at you constantly meaning you keep going over the lines and you are bad at driving.
😂😂😂
The trouble with all new cars is in order to achieve the coveted high Euro NCAP ratings they have to put in all these features that distract you. And then they have all gone down the route of installing giant tablets rather than neatly integrating screens into dashboards. And to top it all off they then bury all the controls you need at your fingertips inside these screens, making them even more distracting.
Euro NCAP need to focus less on driver aids that actually hinder, and apply penalties to manufacturers who use software to save money over the manufacturing of physical buttons.
That dash looks like Tube Carriage. Horrid.
No head’s up display or viewing screen near the steering wheel.
Speedo on the big screen too.
Dangerous to be messing with the screen for changes you need to make while driving.
Older drivers, who can afford this car, will not like this buttonless World.😢
It is still 30,000 odd so still far from cheap.......... You need a mortgage for a new cars these days.
So… for example in NJ, you ends up paying… 20000 for a brand new car after local and federal tax break. You cannot find this type of deal anywhere else. Look at how much CRV and RAV4 cost😂
Built down to a price, many things missing. No review has mentioned the ergonomic disaster of having many functions on one column stalk. Big performance and dangerous centre only display means Volvo have sold out on safety. I look forward to your review of the Jeep Avenger James, you have been awol for a while.
Message to car designers. Can you please stop sticking tablets to the dashboard and integrate. Looks bloody terrible and an afterthought.
The ranges are still laughably bad though. Like you said, real world condition and the cold climate means you can easily take of 20 percent of claimed range figures. And thats not good.
Volvo is known for safety. It seems they forgot that when making this vehicle. Not having a decent dashboard in front of you seems careless. I need to pay attention to the road in front of me, not to the right of me well trying to look at that panel with so much information all over it. Those window and door switches is something really silly. Add the two switches for the rear doors and windows for god sake.
Tesla's have had a center console for years, and within a few hours of driving it, you don't even notice the difference. It's not a safety issue in the slightest for the vast majority of drivers.
How often a day do you open the rear windows from the front seat, and for what reason?
Until a manufacturer can get 1000 miles range whether you use air con or it’s cold and doesn’t take hours to recharge, I couldn’t get interested.
Why on earth would you want a 1,000-mile range?
What a bizarre thing to say. What are you going to do with 1000 Mike range? Does your petrol or diesel car have a 1000 mile range?
Because I often drive from UK to Rome. The pathetic 200 or 300 Miles would be useless.
Just not a nice anyway to drive as a car with a proper engine.
@@VSS1No but it doesn’t take a couple of hours to recharge! Hopeless. I assume you have one. Quite a price drop on them recently!
@@jspope2008 Yes I do! Very happy with it, but I have no issue with people choosing to have a ice car in not militant about it. However, I'm glad for it to be an option as it really works well for us. I just enjoy getting into a warm preheated car every morning.