[Cuelaw57]

I am a member of several EV forums -- this one, Ford Mustang Mach e & Tesla. What I've noticed is how sedate the XC 40 Recharge forum is relative to the other ones. Of course the Tesla cult fanboys are posting all the time discussing mods, range, 0-60 times, after market equipment, trips, OTA updates, wraps, PPF & ceramic coating and debates on car wash vs. hand washing. I got tired trying to follow all the new posts. The MME forum has fewer fanboys and is less busy, but, again, I got tired of trying to keep up with the new posts. This forum, however, I can check once a day and feel caught up. There are about a half dozen threads that get most of the posts and I follow.

Same on YouTube. Dozens of videos about Tesla M3 & MY and there are always more every day. Someone did a whole series of short instructional videos based off the M3 owners manual. There are several MME videos, and there will be a future surge when the MME GT starts getting delivered. But, very few on the XC 40 Recharge. After the initial rounds of intro, first drive and review videos there has been few to zilch new XC 40 Recharge videos. (Except for Norwegian Kris Rifa and Volvolars - Lars Eigil Borgeteien.)

Is this a function of there being fewer XC 40 Recharge owners? Is it that people interested in the XC 40 Recharge are practical, more staid and less rabid in their enthusiasm for the car? Or, is it that in general Volvo is more Euro-centric? It can't be because Volvo currently offers only one pure EV, because Ford has fewer models (only the MME really) than Tesla.

I've seen some very thoughtful and useful posts here. What I hope happens is that as more cars are delivered and get driven there are more practical discussions about features, performance, tips and after market products. Otherwise, this forum will wither away to an infrequently updated and ultimately ignored venue.

 

[scans]

I agree with your assessment. The early Volvo reviews came out in the summer and fall last year from Europe, and the delayed roll out in North America really deflated the potential of the launch.

I was just watching a very critical review on YouTube,

and I think the some of the reviewers are missing the point.

I needed a car to go locally to work, and have the small SUV room for the family/room and all-wheel drive capability for the winter. I'm not driving across the country, or even off my (Long) Island. I get free charging at work, so range isn't a big deal - so what are my options?

Ford? Um, no. Not nice to look at, especially from the back. Another car channel I watch had LOTS of issues with design decisions, which can't be fixed with software. I gave up on American cars long ago (hello 1988 Chevy Beretta!, no thank you Chevy Bolt!)

Tesla? Don't want a sedan, and the Y is ugly. I love tech, and would love to use the autonomous software, but honestly, I want a safe car to get from A to B.

Audi eTron? Porsche Taycan? Not breaking the bank to be able to go 0-60 faster than others.

I-PACE? Just got rid of a Land Rover (Jaguar owned by the same company, Tata motors)

MINI SE? Only 32kWh battery in that tiny car.

Yes, there are others here or on the way (Ioniq, ID.4, Niro, LEAF). The market is evolving.

Is a Volvo going to get that fan-boy culture - probably not. As more and more cars get delivered, I believe the software and app are going to get better.

 

[JJBTEXAS]

Once these things finally get out in the wild things will pick up, but the Volvo community will always be more tame compared to Tesla or Ford.

I think the some of the reviewers are missing the point.

I agree that a lot of reviewers are missing the point. The Volvo is a much nicer car than the Model Y or Mach-e in every way except range, which doesn't matter to me as long as I get 200 miles out of it (my average daily commute is 40-50 round trip) and we have other cars in the family for long road trips/evacuations (Houston). Any I really don't get the complaints about a bumpy ride.

When the delays got a little long in the tooth I looked at switching but nothing offered the same amount of power and luxury at or below the price point.

 

[Cuelaw57]

I was just watching a very critical review on YouTube,

and I think the some of the reviewers are missing the point.

I saw this video and agree she missed the point. Kris and Lars seem to get the P8.

Although, the one criticism I've seen and agree with is that the price point for the P8 puts it in an awkward market position -- too expensive to compete with the entry level vehicles like ID.4, Ioniq, Niro and not enough extra to compete with the luxury EVs like I-Pace, Porche Taycan and MB EQC. With Tesla you get uber tech. With MME you get the muscle car legacy and several configuration choices. What differentiates the P8 from the pack? 402 hp AWD, but an SUV form that delivers a disappointing kWh/100 miles in the low to mid 30s. Too bad Volvo corporate fumbled the roll-out to North America. Like all early adopters I put my hope in OTA updates.

Shout out to JJBTEXAS. While I'm currently in the mountains of North Carolina, lived in Conroe (Woodlands near) for 20 years and started spending winters in Tomball with our daughter, her husband, 3 dogs and 4 chickens. Thinking about taking the EV to Texas this winter, but I'd have to fight my daughter over the 240V 14-50 outlet she has installed for her M3.

 

[Rugbychix]

Although, the one criticism I've seen and agree with is that the price point for the P8 puts it in an awkward market position -- too expensive to compete with the entry level vehicles like ID.4, Ioniq, Niro and not enough extra to compete with the luxury EVs like I-Pace, Porche Taycan and MB EQC. With Tesla you get uber tech. With MME you get the muscle car legacy and several configuration choices.

This is where geography matters, the prices in the UK are not aligned with other markets.

The ID4 with all wheel drive and upper trim is 48k USD.
The Mach E, with all wheel drive, middle trim, no extended battery back is 50K USD.
The P8, with all wheel drive, essentially upper trim only, start at 53K USD.

I think the P8 is correctly priced. Frankly I think they probably all are, especially when considering they all still get the tax credit in the US and a model Y does not. Three different cars, each with different styling, different ride quality, different acceleration, different range, and different build qualities.

 

[DeaneG]

[deleted]

 

[arijaycomet]

That last sentence from @Rugbychix really kind of hits the nail on the head here. The only thing MOST of these cars have in common are being electric. From there, they are all uniquely different. Nobody will argue 0-60 times in Tesla’s favor, nor efficiency/range. But there is more to a vehicle than its “MPG” or its “acceleration” — how the car feels, on a daily basis. My wife is getting rid of a Tesla model Y because she prefers the soft, supply, luxury feel from the Volvo. She found the Mustang nice, but too long feeling and not ergo friendly. She found the VW ID4 to be plastic feeling inside and overpriced for that reason (albeit quiet) (and not a fan of the VW infotainment). Everyone prioritizes different things, and that is why so many brands exist, and succeed.

As for the @Cuelaw57 (OP) — I think it stands to reason that Volvo fans exist and always have, but are a different breed. I‘ve owned a Porsche Taycan, and that was a unique Breed of owners, too. A lot of Tesla converts there, but also a lot of Stuttgart brand loyal Porsche fans boys/girls. (Mostly boys). Part of what has made Tesla a brand that is iconic was their brilliant “top down” approach by making expensive, fast, attractive cars that got youthful attention, and good news. From there they continue to move down market, making cars more affordable. But for many, the 3/Y is still a touch too expensive.

Volvo does Not Need this underground user group to succeed, where Tesla wouldn’t have survived without it. It is hard to compare a legacy auto maker and their “lack of a cult following” to an upstart that really has only just begun making cars (let’s face it from 2012 to 2015 the RWD Model S was a beta, at best, and the 2015+ AWD cars were still not hitting mass production until 2016+). I’m a huge Tesla fan, have had 12 of them … but at the end of the day, I’m fine if the forums/groups of the Volvo and other cars are “smaller” —

 

[ColoradoNative]

I used to follow the MME forums closely because I had placed a First Edition order 8 months prior. It was delivered on 2/24. I took it for a test drive knowing quite a bit already about it's advantages and flaws, and maybe that biased me, but in the end I handed the keys back and said 'No thanks.' There are so many not-quite-right and not-quite-finished things about that car.

On a whim I had also placed an order for an XC40 P8. I've now test driven that car 4 times, and I really appreciate how many just-right things there are in the XC40. I'm fully integrated into the Google ecosystem, and I really like Android Automotive. The P8 should be delivered next week, and I plan on saying 'Yes, thanks!'

But I digress - sometimes I wish the folks here would get worked up a bit more like they do over in the MME forums, but I think it's more subdued here because the car is more subdued, and mostly just works. That said, I am suffering from some range anxiety

 

[arijaycomet]

@ColoradoNative — most of the folks who have taken the time to find and contribute to a forum like this are probably either car nuts, Volvo fans, or EV lovers. I fall into the first/last of those 3; this is my first Volvo. And your above message is well written, and matches what my wife found. there was more to dislike with the MME than love, where as she hasn’t stopped talking about her XC40 P8 and can’t wait to get it later this week. And this coming from a Tesla fan girl; she is dtiching her model Y for this Volvo!!

Over time I suspect more of us “nuts” will be on here to contribute. In the meantime, it’ll take crazy suckers like me, and you, to lighten up the atmosphere here and have fun sharing the funky side of the vehicle with our friends, family, and fellow forum members of course, too! Look forward to seeing more of your contributions!

 

[Rat]

Is this a function of there being fewer XC 40 Recharge owners? Is it that people interested in the XC 40 Recharge are practical, more staid and less rabid in their enthusiasm for the car? Or, is it that in general Volvo is more Euro-centric? It can't be because Volvo currently offers only one pure EV, because Ford has fewer models (only the MME really) than Tesla.
I've seen some very thoughtful and useful posts here.

I proudly claim the title of staid and unrabid. I am very enthusiastic about the Volvo XC40, mainly for environmental reasons, but I went through this with the very first Leaf (2011) and the newness of an EV wore off long ago. I have no interest in speed, mods, etc. I'm in my 70's but I've always felt that way. A car is just a mode of transportation. When I was in college my dad bought me a used Chevy Impala convertible, a car many guys would kill for. I hated it and and sold it almost immediately to pay my tuition, which he didn't pay for. I did buy a 1998 Volvo C-70 coupe when I retired, and that was a cool car to drive. It (the model, not my car) was the hero's car in the movie The Saint. All my earlier cars were very practical (VW Rabbit, Ford Taurus, Dodge Colt Vista, Honda Odyssey, Acura TSX). I'm just one data point, but I think you are on the money about Volvo owners in general.

 

[MissB]

As a soon to be XC40 recharge owner, I appreciate the laid back forum. I’m not rabid at all about the car. This will be my 3rd Volvo, and my first since switching over to a couple of Mercedes for a number of years. The recharge is the only EV I’ve driven. Dh hasn’t even driven it yet. This forum seems to provide just enough detailed info for someone like me, who has pretty much just tumbled into a purchase.

I convinced my better half that we should go test drive the recharge late Saturday afternoon. Sold my Mercedes on Sunday and called the Volvo salesperson to put down my deposit. I’ll pick up the Volvo on Friday.

 

[Cuelaw57]

I convinced my better half that we should go test drive the recharge late Saturday afternoon. Sold my Mercedes on Sunday and called the Volvo salesperson to put down my deposit. I’ll pick up the Volvo on Friday.

You’re fortunate to find a dealer with inventory available. Checking out a white one today that was in transit when I put down a deposit a week and a half ago.

 

[DeaneG]

I priced out the XC40 P8 against a model Y and found the P8 to be about $9000 higher than the Model Y in the trim I'd want. Most of that would be offset by the $7500 federal tax credit the XC40 enjoys. But the XC40 will have a much shorter range and less cargo capacity, much worse charging infrastructure, and less-capable "autopilot". It's hard to justify buying the XC except for its better appearance and interior, and the desire for something different. The Y rides hard as well, but can be fixed with a $3K aftermarket set of coilovers. It also looks like a beached jellyfish, has the build quality of a crackerjacks toy, and only a limited navigation capability (no waypoints, poor send-to-car functionality) but all the digestion noises and console games one could want.

I think the XC40 P8 will have a very limited market in the USA against the Model Y and the Mustang mach-e. I'm expecting that Volvo will reduce its price, or their dealers will become more flexible, around the end of the year after all the early adopters have found their cars. We'll probably look to buy one then. I was an early adopter of the Nissan Leaf (car #594 in the USA), and the Model 3 (built in a tent), and have more patience for my next purchase.

Have to agree that this forum is a relief in its lack of chrome-delete / best-way-to-wash-a-car discussions.

 

[Maribo]

There are only a few things worth discussing: the poor efficiency, incomplete, but good-enough-for-now software. These things are either being addressed by Volvo, or there isn't much that can be done about it. Otherwise, it is already quite a good car, so there isn't much to say. It is what it is.

 

[arijaycomet]

Although you make a good set of points @DeaneG -- there is something beyond all of this which matters to many owners/drivers. "How does the car make you feel?" -- this is a culmination of ALL the items you listed. Some people like floating on air/soft ride. Some people want all the tech and enjoy the "fresh/new" style of the Tesla. For some people, the lack of a volume knob could be a deal breaker. I think it is easy to say the range/efficiency is better in the Tesla as the battery packs are nearly the same size so that is easy to assign a winner.

But ... we are leasing (about to trade in for XC40) my wife's Tesla Y and there is no way I'm going to buy a $3k suspension kit + install + alignment costs on a leased car, only to have to rewind the install costs at the end of the lease. I appreciate that Tesla made the car have a steering ratio that provides quick nimble turning, and a suspension that is "sport tuned". -- but it doesn't make sense for us. If there had been a "touring" option for the car we'd have picked that for my wife. It is worth noting I've had a Perf Model 3, a Porsche Taycan, and many ICE cars recently, that have fulfilled my own want/need for fun/fast cars. The model Y is the family "truckster" - it need not be "sporty" to the level of the Model Y.

My issue with people saying the Tesla is better because of range/efficiency is clouded by many people whom have never owned an EV before. I daily drive a 115 mile range Mini Cooper SE (2021) right now, and I have only needed to stop to 50kW fast charge is once in 3,000 miles. Again, how many people are doing over 100 miles in a single day? And if your'e going on a road trip, check out ElectrifyAmerica, the charging network is more than robust enough. You don't need but to have a charger every 100-120 miles apart, and for most of the US freeways, that exists already. People "think" they want more range, or want more chargers, but the reality is that is not needed; just wanted, mentally, for the "warm fuzzy" buyers desire.

And don't even get me started on AutoPilot. Sure, it is better than most lane keep assist programs, but its shite at best. It needs so much more work. I'll miss owning a Tesla for the EAP features, and for the range, but that is about it. And we'll do just fine with Pilot Assist, and EA chargers (EV-Go and ChargePoint as backups).

 

[Rat]

There is one stark difference I've noticed between this forum and the one for the Nissan Leaf when it was first started in 2010. The Leaf pre-order gang had many engineers or DIY techie types. There was tons of discussion about how to wire the house, pull codes from the car, the battery chemistry, active battery temperature management vs. cost, etc. And that was even before the first car was delivered. Once they had their hands on it, members were actually advertising tools and mods they'd built themself. Here, most of the people are just interested in buying a nice car that's the right size and practical for them. If they were die hard EV enthusiasts, they would have bought or leased one (or two) long before now. Different demographic.

 

[DeaneG]

Although you make a good set of points @DeaneG -- there is something beyond all of this which matters to many owners/drivers. "How does the car make you feel?"... I'll miss owning a Tesla for the EAP features, and for the range, but that is about it. And we'll do just fine with Pilot Assist, and EA chargers (EV-Go and ChargePoint as backups).

We're thinking exactly the same thing. I've charged my Model 3 at a public supercharger station maybe four or five times in three years. I can deal with the CCS network. My wife is more of a Lexus person, and the Volvo will be a much better fit for her than a Model Y. She says that every time we get into my Model 3, she's wondering if the drive will make her nauseous - not a good association at all. We both like the XC40 P8's ride quite a bit - though I'll stay with 19" wheels for that bit of added isolation.

 

[DeaneG]

There is one stark difference I've noticed between this forum and the one for the Nissan Leaf when it was first started in 2010. The Leaf pre-order gang had many engineers or DIY techie types....

IMO it's a nice, healthy change. EVs have become close to ordinary - at least in major coastal cities.

 

[scans]

This discussion has motivated me to get a tattoo to show my support:

 

[Mac Man]

Scans...I hope that is a joke?

If you are buying an EV for range and autopilot get the Tesla hands down. If range is not a concern, you like the crossover look and feel, you never want to go to a gas station again, you enjoy an upgraded ride built on a solid shell/foundation, you want the acceleration of a true EV, and like interacting with Google, then the XC40 Recharge is the car by a long shot. It puts the Mustang to shame (i.e. cheap Ford components). I charge mine about once every 3-4 days. I don't need the distance, I have my wife's car for that.

I do agree with leasing over buying at this point, in 3 years I think all the great car companies are going to be offering really nice, high-end EV's under $60-70K; with far better batteries that will enhance resale. I'm just excited to have a fun car to drive (acceleration is awesome) and again...knowing my gas station days are done.