First Look: The 2025 Volvo EX30 Is the $36,000 Electric SUV Tesla Won’t Build

It's important to note the 2025 Volvo EX30 will be the marque's smallest-ever SUV—more than 8.0 inches shorter in length than the electric XC40 Recharge, about as long as Jeep's Renegade, as wide as the new Honda HR-V, and as tall as a Mini Countryman SUV—but it's not a stripped-down model.

Actually, that's not entirely true. The Volvo EX30 is kind of stripped-down, which it masks by invoking the Swedish penchant for minimalism. It uses a single center-mounted screen for both instrumentation and infotainment, just like Telsa's Model 3 and Model Y. That and secondary controls at the center of the car (also minimalized, more on which in a moment) let Volvo share more interior parts between left- and right-hand-drive models. But Volvo seems to have plowed some of that money back into engineering, with some nifty interior details and high-quality fittings, all the more amazing because many are made from recycled materials. More on that in a moment, as well.

From a mechanical perspective, the 2025 Volvo EX30 doesn't seem to make any sacrifices. It's based on a new platform called SEA (Scalable Electric Architecture), which differs from the SPA platform underpinning the upcoming EX90 three-row SUV, and was in fact developed with parent company Geely. The rear-drive XC30 will get a single motor producing 268 hp. Volvo says it'll make the 0-60-mph run in 5.1 seconds, and we expect it'll have the same scooty feel as the single-motor C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge we drove recently.

If that's not enough power for you, Volvo will also offer a 422-hp two-motor all-wheel-drive version, which the Swedish automaker says will be the quickest vehicle it's ever produced, with a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds. Our testing has revealed Volvo's acceleration times tend to be a bit pessimistic, and we reckon the AWD XC30 might well rival the performance of the 576-hp Kia EV6 GT.

Both single- and dual-motor cars draw power from the same 69-kWh lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt (Li-NMC) battery. Volvo expects an EPA range of 275 miles for the single-motor version, which compares favorably with the 247-mile range of Chevy's Bolt EUV, currently the least expensive electric SUV on the market, and the 260-or-so-mile range of the new 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric, which we also expect to be priced around $36,000. As for the all-wheel-drive version, Volvo expects a range reduction of only 15 miles to 260, a neat trick if Volvo can pull it off. The EX30 will support fast charging at up to 153 kW, and Volvo says it can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 26.5 minutes. (Volvo will offer a less-powerful lithium-phosphate battery in other markets, but it won't make it to the US.)

Volvo also announced there will be a Cross Country version of the EX30, with increased ground clearance, skidplates, black 19-inch wheels (with optional 18-inchers wearing more aggressive off-road rubber), and lots of black plastic cladding.

So what do you give up in the least expensive Volvo? Not much, as far as we can tell. The EX30's short length comes at the expense of space in the back seat, which shrinks into nonexistence when the front seats are moved all the way back. But cargo space looks decent enough, and there's a false floor that provides a level (if not quite flat) loading surface when the seats are down.

Volvo's devotion to reduced parts count might cause some annoyances. Most of the changes are sensible, like a single switch that controls all powered seat functions and one pair of switches to control both front and rear windows (a soft button toggles between them). But the side mirrors are adjusted with steering wheel buttons, a feature we find annoying on Rivian's R1T pickup and R1S SUV, and the center-mounted glove box is too small to hold much more than an actual pair of gloves.

Still, the EX30 compensates in other ways—for example, the center console, which has a full-length double-deck storage tray for odds and ends and has two integrated wireless charging pads. The cupholders, rather than impinging on storage space, slide out drawer-style from under the armrest, notching into either the one- or two-cup position. The front speakers are integrated into a sound bar at the base of the windshield, and the skeletal dashboard vents are works of art, though they do look a bit fragile.

We had time to crawl around inside a 2025 Volvo EX30 with the Breeze interior theme, one of four the company will offer. We liked the light-blue interior seats, and the speckled dash trim is—well, it's different. It's one of several pieces of the EX30's interior made with recycled materials, and we like that Volvo found a tasteful way to highlight that. Speaking of recycled materials, about 25 percent of the aluminum, 17 percent of the steel and 17% of the plastics used to make the EX30 are recycled.

What we don't know yet is what will come standard in the $36,145 EX30 and what will be optional or reserved for a higher trim level. This being a Volvo, we have no doubt all the safety equipment will be included; expect an upgraded version of City Safety that can brake for vehicles approaching from the side, such as a car that's run a red light. Volvo's Pilot Assist lane-guidance system will now perform automated lane changes and will keep a more comfortable distance from trucks driving next to the EX30.

The EX30 will also feature a new version of Volvo's self-parking system, which can handle parallel, stall, diagonal, and curb parking spaces by working the accelerator, brakes, and steering. We'll be surprised if that's included in the $36,000 base model, and the same goes for the Harman Kardon stereo and the giant panoramic moonroof. We don't yet have pricing for the all-wheel-drive or Cross Country versions.

Volvo will begin taking reservations as soon as it launches the car, with the Cross Country version becoming available for order next year. Still, would-be EX30 buyers will have a while to wait; while some markets will get their EX30s towards the end of this year, the first U.S. deliveries won't happen until the second quarter of 2024.