Frustrating little Swede
Volvo’s electric baby annoys rather than delights
With the EX30, Volvo might have created the most frustrating electric offering one can buy today. This has more to do with the basic execution of things rather than the competence of the nuts, bolts and volts under the skin.
Yes, the car lays claim to a number of plaudits. It holds the title of 2024 World Urban Car. In June, Volvo SA said the car achieved a 30.8% share of the local all-electric vehicle market over the first four months of the year.
An impressive 281 units were recorded sold by the end of the second quarter. But a few days living with the model revealed certain quirks that were difficult to forget. Maybe they were trying to be too progressive too quickly.
From the moment you open the driver’s door, the cold EX30 reveals an environment at odds with the warm, inviting cabins we have come to associate with the marque. Even the key is a bleak affair. A plain, black plastic block relying on wireless connectivity to automatically lock and unlock. That should be fun when your battery dies.
Also, not ideal in a market such as ours where we like to triple-check our doors are locked after parking. Sure, a lot of cars have keyless entry in 2024, but in this case there is no button on the fob as a backup. There is no on-off button in the vehicle either. You exit, close the door (with the main screen and audio system still going), hoping it switches off and locks itself as it ought to. Ergonomically, the EX30 is a mess.
They moved basic switchgear such as the electric window buttons away from the door, onto the centre armrest instead. Before setting off, you would want to make sure your side mirrors are correctly adjusted.
Can you guess where those controls are placed? Beneath layers of menus in the infotainment system, is the correct answer. You engage the set-up and then have to use the directional keys on the steering wheel to make adjustments. Unnecessarily complicated. Actions such as opening the cubby are also done via the infotainment screen. I have no idea why.
No instrument cluster or head-up display. You must divert your gaze to the central screen, away from the road, to keep tabs on basic information such as driving speed. Then there are the endless punitive chimes, bongs and vibrations the car uses to berate what it perceives to be driver distraction. “This is not a car for people with anxiety,” said one motor-noting colleague.
By the way, that infotainment system has also been known to bomb out. The EX30 was subjected to a global recall. We asked its local handlers about the specifics:
“Volvo Cars’ internal investigations identified a potential issue on EX30 cars, which can result in a test screen being displayed on the centre display screen instead of the intended driver information and infotainment,” said the company.
“Volvo Cars carried out an over-the-air update to the Display Head Unit software; 289 cars were recalled in SA in total, of those 23 customers’ cars were affected. As a precautionary measure all South African cars were updated.
Volvo Car SA contacted the owners of all affected cars directly to advise them of the upcoming over-the-air software update. No other Volvo models were affected.”
There are other aspects that are not Volvo-like. The interior materials feel cheap. Its seats are uncomfortable and hard –not those cushy, ensconcing chairs Volvo is famous for.
Our car had a huge sealed panoramic roof, tinted but seemingly without any physical shading capabilities, which often meant stepping into a hot car. The EX30 is speedy, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds in the range-topping Plus Twin Motor Performance model (R1,055,900), but is the average buyer considering the baby electric Volvo for its sprinting abilities?
Pricing for the base model, the Core Single Motor, is upwards of R791,900 (quoted range of 344km). That places it among the most affordable electric options in the country. If it were my money, the less expensive GWM Ora 03 300 Super Luxury (R686,950; quoted range of 310km) stands out as a better prospect.
Not only does it look friendlier and cost less – it also has a more conventional interface and better interior appointments. “But it’s Chinese,” I hear you say. Yeah, well, can you remember who owns Volvo?