Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra

If it’s just the two of you on tour, the new Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra makes a great choice, says David Motton.

Verdict

I found the EX30 great to drive, with or without a van. It’s cramped in the back, though, and better suited to couples and singles, rather than families on tour.

Pros

Great to drive
Driving position is comfortable

Cons

Back seats are a bit cramped
Central touch screen feels like form over function

Volvo has been quick to move towards an electric future with its range of hybrids and EVs. The new Twin Motor Performance Ultra is a pure-electric small SUV with rather surprising towing credentials – weighing in at just under two tonnes, it boasts a kerbweight of 1960kg.

What am I looking for in the Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra?

One of the traits we always look for in the best towing cars is stability. This is a heavy car, so I was interested to see whether it would still be stable, considering it is small. I also wanted to find out whether a tow car of this size needs quite so much power.

Towing ability of the Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra

There are some extra headaches when towing with an EV, which I’ll return to later, but poor acceleration is almost never one of them. With 428hp, the EX30 Twin Motor is among the quickest cars that I have tested.

When it came to matching the car to a caravan, I matched it to a Sterling Eccles Moonstone SE with a MiRO of 1337kg, borrowed from Raymond James Caravans.

In truth, the EX30’s power is overkill when towing a caravan – two-thirds throttle is more than enough for confident overtaking, even with the extra weight of the Sterling to pull up to speed. With no engine noise, it’s doubly important to keep a close eye on the car’s speed, to avoid the risk of unintentionally creeping over the speed limit when towing a caravan.

Hill starts are simple. The Twin Motor version of the EX30 is four-wheel drive, and with the instant pulling power of electric motors, the Volvo tows away quickly and without drama.

The towbar — The EX30’s towbar folds neatly away in the boot at the press of a button

The car is stable as well as rapid. It helps that one of the advantages of an EV as a tow car is that they are very heavy for a given size, because of the weight of the batteries. So despite being a relatively small tow car, the Volvo is as hefty as a Kia Sorento diesel, give or take a few kilos. I found it very stable in still air, except for a little side-to-side movement when passing HGVs.

So far, so good. The trouble is, like any EV, you will need to stop to recharge, and often. While towing, the Volvo’s range was 130 miles. Of course, you wouldn’t run the battery down to empty, so in practice, you would need to stop and recharge before that distance had been covered.

The EX30 can charge at speeds of up to 153kW, which should take the battery from 10% to 80% in 28 minutes.

A bigger issue is keeping the caravan secure while charging. There are only a few chargers that allow drivers to replenish the battery with a trailer still attached, so generally, EV drivers need to fit a caravan security device or leave someone with it while the car is being recharged.

Solo driving the Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra

If you’re thinking of buying a car which is exceptionally quick without a caravan to pull, the EX30 could be the vehicle for you. In fact, for most drivers, the single-motor model is surely fast enough and matches the Twin Motor’s 1600kg maximum towing figure.

Make no mistake, though, the EX30 is easy to drive, despite its performance. So long as the throttle pedal stays well clear of the floor, this is a quiet and comfortable car. Drive gently and passengers will never guess the EX30 can move so fast.

The Volvo EX30 from the left hand side — When you sit in the back, you remember that this is a relatively small car

You can opt for ‘one pedal mode’, in which regenerative braking slows the car as soon as you lift off the throttle. It’s a Marmite feature, and you can leave this switched off if you’d prefer a smoother and more familiar drive, much like a conventional automatic.

Around town, the Volvo rides very comfortably, even on the 20-inch alloys and low-profile tyres fitted to the test car. At higher speeds, body movements are well controlled and there’s plenty of grip when cornering. There’s a little wind and road noise at motorway speeds, but not enough to disturb the peace.

Space and practicality in the Volvo EX30

Volvo has taken a leaf from Tesla’s book with the design of the cabin in the EX30. Instead of a display in front of the driver and a separate touchscreen, all information is conveyed through a central screen.

This makes for a clean and minimal look, but I see it as form over function. Simple tasks such as adjusting the mirrors require fiddling with menus, and the car’s speed would be easier to monitor on a conventional speedometer, rather than tucked in the corner of the display.

The cabin area, showing information on the large central screen — In the cabin, all information is conveyed to the driver through the large central screen

Having to handle so many tasks makes the touchscreen’s controls complicated, although the Google-based system has a responsive voice command system, which helps.

The driving position is very comfortable, although you’ll need the Ultra spec I’ve been testing if you want adjustable lumbar support. I found there was plenty of head- and legroom up front.

However, when you sit in the back, I was reminded that this is quite a small car, similar in size to a Renault Captur or Škoda Kamiq. Legroom is tight for adults.

The rear seats — Space is limited in the back, so longer journeys might be a bit uncomfortable

The boot is a reasonable size, with a height-adjustable floor, so you can choose between one large space and a floor that sits flush with the tailgate.

Buying and owning a Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra

The Volvo is pricey for a car of this size, but keenly priced for one with such excellent performance. Unless you must have four-wheel drive, we’d be tempted to save £2500 and go for the Single Motor Extended Range model.

Ultra spec comes with a long list of tempting toys and safety kit, although the car has not yet been tested by Euro NCAP.

While there’s no VED to pay at present, electric cars will be subject to VED from April 2025.

Alternatives to consider

We found the Nissan Ariya E-4orce Evolve provided a stable and comfortable drive when towing and it’s also able to take inclement weather in its stride. Another option for those with the budget is the Kia EV9 GT-Line 378bhp AWD – it’s nearly £30,000 more expensive but provides an excellent towing experience and a max towing limit of 2500kg.