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Volvo EX30 review – Boot space, practicality & boot dimensions

“Volvo’s smallest car is predictably tight on cabin space, and the boot is small, too.”

Carbuyer Rating

3.8 out of 5

Owners Rating
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Boot space, practicality & boot dimensions Rating

3.0 out of 5

Not only is the EX30 Volvo’s smallest SUV, it’s also a good bit smaller than any of the smallest electric SUV offerings from rival ‘premium’ manufacturers. At 4,233mm long, it’s around 30cm shorter than the Audi Q4 E-Tron, and around 25mm shorter than the Mercedes EQA and Lexus UX 300e. In fact, it’s very similar in size to the internal combustion engined Volkswagen T-Roc.

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Fairly inevitably, this small footprint does result in rather limited space in the five-seat cabin, especially in the rear seats. They’ll be fine for occasional use, but if the driver is above average height, space behind them is tight for feet and knees – it’s in a similar ballpark to the Jeep Avenger. Putting a sizeable child seat in the back might be tricky, too, although the doors do open reasonably wide and headroom is pretty reasonable.

Plenty of thought has gone into cabin storage. There’s a deep tray between the driver and front passenger (where there’s also wireless phone charging) and cup holders slide out of the centre armrest, one at a time. The door bins are also massive, partly thanks to the fact that the soundbar means there are no speakers in the doors.

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The minimalist design also allows the glovebox to be mounted centrally, so that it’s easily accessible by both the driver and the front passenger. It took us a while to find the opening though – it’s on the touchscreen, like most everything else. The charging flap is found on the left-hand rear wing of the car.

Size comparison
Model LengthWidthHeight
Volvo EX304,233mm2,032mm1,555mm
Polestar 2 hatchback4,606mm1,985mm1,473mm
Smart #14,270mm1,822mm1,636mm
MG44,287mm1,836mm1,516mm

Does the Volvo EX30 have a big boot?

The boot has 318 litres of space, which isn’t exactly huge, especially when you consider that the near-identically sized VW T-Roc has 455 litres. It does have a sensibly square shape, though, and with the false floor in, there’s barely any load lip. That false floor also gives you somewhere to hide your charging cables away, or alternatively, you can stick them in the EX30’s front storage compartment or ‘frunk’.

Another purpose of the false floor is to level off the step to the rear seats when you fold them down, and doing so gives you 904 litres of space to play with. However, the seats fold in a 60/40 split, which isn’t as versatile as the 40/20/40 split found in some rivals.

Boot space comparison
Model Boot space
Volvo EX30318 litres
Polestar 2405 litres
Smart #1421 litres
MG4363 litres

Is the Volvo EX30 a good tow car?

While it’s unlikely to become a top pick with caravanners, the EX30 is a more accomplished tow vehicle than some other small electric cars. Even the entry-level Single Motor version can pull a 1,000kg braked trailer, but interestingly this limit is raised to a respectable 1,600kg for the Single Motor Extended Range and the Twin Motor versions of EX30.

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Which Is Best?

Cheapest

  • Name
    200kW Single Motor Core 51kWh 5dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Auto
  • RRP
    £32,850

Most Economical

  • Name
    200kW SM Extended Range Core 69kWh 5dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Auto
  • RRP
    £37,050

Fastest

  • Name
    315kW Twin Motor Performance Plus 69kWh 5dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Auto
  • RRP
    £42,350

Andy is Carbuyer's managing editor, with more than a decade of experience helping consumers find their perfect car. He has an MA in automotive journalism and has tested hundreds of vehicles.

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