Regarding fabric in a luxury vehicle. Back in time it was luxurious to have fabric in the passenger cabin of cars/carriages. Leather was considered less luxurious and was used for the seats for the servants and drivers as they were easier to clean. Additionally fabric is warmer in winter and cooler in summer which was more comfortable for the affluent riders.
I love the comfortable and color trimmed fabric seats with heaters of my Impreza RS. I’m confident of their durability too, I also have a bought new 2002 WRX wagon with perfect condition, bolstered fabric seats.
@@MichiganMurse kind of a difference in fabric vs wool like Volvo is doing. Even my office chair is a high density woven wool, and it is so much nicer than the typical leatherette you see on office chairs; and lower branded cars. I have a P3 era Volvo. And it has super comfortable leather seats, but the woven plaid of the new SPA Volvo's reminds me of my nice, but highly overpriced wool office chair.
22:55 thank you for voicing this out loud about their seats. I used to be a die-hard Volvo fan all my life. It used to stand for understated luxury with actual luxury in the interiors. But i could afford a top of the line volvo model prior to 2016. I am an osteopathic physician and can categorically say volvo DID have the BEST driver and passenger seats in the industry. Post 2016, all VOLVO cars including the top of the line cars had seats that are TOO HARD / firm and overall WITHOUT ENOUGH PADDING THICKNESS TO STRETCH WHILST REMAINING SEATED. - and costs grew astronomically with the mainstream SPA models xc60/xc90 - this offering the xc40/polestar 2 is their cheaper CMA architecture -but their platforms no longer resembled what volvo of old used to offer- quality luxury.. (2nd row in every CMA model had very compromised low hip points and flat seats without any support- why ? Was that the only solution volvo interior designers could think of to allow for a flat loading area?) Now I'm a big fan of what GENESIS from HMA (Hyundai) has to offer regardless of reliability.
I've had 2 Volvos now. XC40 for three years when it first came out. I loved it! Then traded it for an XC60 and utterly love it! Though, my next vehicle will be the new Genesis GV80 coupe when it comes out.
Being a SAAB & Volvo owner, you're right that the SPA's seat comfort has drastically dropped vs the P3 and before models. But, the cut off of 2016 is technically incorrect as the P3 chassis and last of the remarkable seats carried on in the 60 series, V, S, CC, & XC until 2018. Those P3 chassis' soldiered on for a couple more years before going Geely SPA. And while I love the looks of the SPA V60's & V90's, I don't think I'd upgrade to one 100% due to the seats. Even if I love the woven wool plaid look of them.
I had a 22 and it was great. When the lease is up, all sales are now through a dealer with their "grid" game of pricing. They would not show me the MSRP, rebates, etc. When I got the last one, the sale was done on the Volvo website and you finalize with the dealer and they honored the pricing. It was smooth and awesome just like the Tesla ordering experience. Stinks they did away with it
I test drove the previous version of this and had a C40 as a rental recently. Compared to the Genesis GV60, there really is no comparison. The Genesis wins in almost every category. I don’t think the improvements they’ve made will change that. I also recently had a Q4 e-tron loaner, and that had easy too many hard plastics, but its prestige trim apparently improves on that, and if that’s the case, I would also take that over this. But between the three, the GV60, which you can now get low mileage 2nd hand of the top trim (performance) for $45k, is a no brainer.
The value on these is still pretty bad. You’re talking over 60k after taxes and fees for 290 miles of range, which is really more like 250-270 in real world with cold weather etc.
I’m in the minority here, but I’m not a fan of leather seats- kinda digging the wool. Also thank you so much for driving the hell out of the RWD version in slick-ish conditions. I was curious how it might handle a Midwest winter. 🙏
The only thing I really dislike about the xc40 are the wheels. They just look a bit weird imo. I wish the spokes were a bit thinner. That would make them look sleeker
You'd be surprised. These Wool Blend seats look amazing in person and are the most comfortable. They are better than traditional leather, let alone "fake leather" materials. The only downside is if you have dogs or kids who like to eat & drink in the car. Otherwise, these are some of the best seats in the industry. Like Toyota Century-style, seriously.
@@karachaEVERY SINGLE seat option in the xc40, xc60, xc90 are too firm. I have owned two different models including "NAPA LEATHER" but felt nothing close to luxury of the old Volvos (I used to own the xc70 and a 10 year old s60 the latter of which had the best seats of ANY CAR that I've sat in).
@@Vamanos46 I do agree that no car on the market has seats like those old Volvos, especially 1990s Volvo 960. No one makes those seats anymore. If modern Volvo seats are too firm for you, you definitely would not enjoy BMWs, that's all I can say. I find these wool seats a move in the right direction though, they are nice.
@@karachaI think Genesis is already there. They will capture all those customers soon once they get engine reliability sorted out. I mean listen to 22:55 voicing this out loud about their seats. I used to be a die-hard Volvo fan all my life. It used to stand for understated luxury with actual luxury in the interiors. 😢
@@karacha I have a 2002 Volvo S80 and the seats are excellent. But, I don't mind the firm seats in the newer Volvos because I feel they have a bit more support where after long drives, my seats feel a bit soft in some areas. Every back is different.
I have my xc40 for about 2 weeks and there's something I can't figure out. With apple carplay i would get calendar entries as suggested destnations in the maps app. I've been trying to get a similar flow with google calendar and maps in Android automotive but it just doesn't seem possible. Anyone experience with this?
Wireless Carplay/Android Auto is full of compromise. Device heats up more. And there are signal disruptors that can make connection an on/off experience. Having both options would ve the ideal luxury ootion.
I think the car is fine, if expensive. It has a good amount of space in it. But put it next to an EX30 and the age of it shows in both the exterior and interior.
This is one of the few small SUVs I seen that actually have the same practicality as my golf. Such a useless buy, but she is kinda cute, I’ll give it that.
@@dirkiedoos8577 There are cheap bits and plastics in Volvos for decades. Plenty of 80s Volvos had cheap bits in them, like the plastics in the console of the 760 luxury car.
@@bigh8121all used EVs are currently dropping in price because the technology is developing so fast that noone wants to buy a used one which is already outdated. It's not bad, but the difference in quality, efficiency, software, and power is so drastical that most people don't want to pay up for cars which have been overpriced to begin with.
@@benjaminsmith2287old Volvo owners aren't happy with the seats and the reclaimed plastics if the SPA models. I have trouble with the new SPA interiors myself. But not with the luxury woven wool materials; but with the lack of proper support and comfort. I have zero issues with the plastic though as it is refined and reclaimed taking it out of landfills. But, my P3 V60's interior is leaps and bounds above the SPA generation due to comfort and support of the seats. And still being pre-reclaimed plastics with the soft touch everything interior.
@@benjaminsmith2287you are talking all about aesthetics/ vanity. Volvo of old stood for sleeper with tons of power, and UNDERSTATED LUXURY on the inside. It has been fleeting far from that since 2016, focusing on visual opulence instead.
@@Vamanos46 The EX90 is pretty understated. And with EVs, everyone has power. Nothing remains the same and Mercedes, BMW, and others have changed as well. Volvo has to evolve too because they have to sell cars but I don't think they've lost their Volvo essence and have changed to something else.