Volvo XC40 gets minor facelift for 2022

• Styling tweaks from the C40
• Plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains available
• On sale now

The Volvo XC40 has been given a minor midlife refresh. Changes are small, but the XC40 has been a success for the Swedish brand, so that’s not surprising. Available to order now, the 2022 Volvo XC40 will start appearing on the road later in the year.

Look closely at the front of the new XC40 and you’ll see that the headlights are a slightly different shape. They’re the same ones fitted to the Volvo C40, a new coupe version of the XC40 that’s only available with fully electric powertrains. Other minor tweaks include a straightened crease across the front bumper, and the fog light surrounds are reshaped.

Top 10 best luxury small cars

There don’t seem to be any changes in the XC40’s profile, but the tail-lights have updated LED elements. New wheel options are available, too, while the interior trim options are now called Bright and Dark.

Volvo has recently updated its trim levels, with Core, Plus and Ultimate replacing Momentum, R-Design and Inscription. The XC40 also gets a basic trim level called Start, which costs from £26,485. Despite being the base model, the Start trim features cruise control, automatic LED headlights, a digital dial cluster and Volvo’s nine-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen running Google’s Android Automotive software.

The brand no longer offers traditional finance options on its website. You can either pay the full list price in one go, or subscribe to the Care by Volvo plan. Subscribing to the Core model, which is £34,100, costs from £469 per month. For that you get a 6,000-mile yearly allowance, plus servicing, maintenance and road tax included. At the time of writing, there’s an eight-month wait for deliveries.

Meanwhile, a new single-motor powertrain option has become available on the electric XC40 and C40. These new entry-level models undercut rivals like the Mercedes EQA and Tesla Model Y, with the cheapest entry-level XC40 starting from £43,550, rising to £44,800 for the C40. 

Read our guide to the best electric SUVs