Small yet mighty media reviews: here is what global media think of the EX30

There’s a reason we do a lot of our media test drives in Spain and similar locales. While the winter days in Sweden are currently dark and icy, the climate in and around Barcelona still provides for plenty of bright and sunny days. Perfect circumstances for media representatives to get a first taste of the Volvo EX30 – our new, fully electric small SUV.

Over a period of several weeks, almost 550 media guests descended on Barcelona to get behind the wheel of the EX30. Even before the test drive, the EX30 already won some prestigious awards from the Sunday Times and The Sun in the UK. Fresh from their own first-hand experiences with the car, many media outlets echoed that sentiment.

The most positive comments were on the design and the pricing; many journalists could hardly believe that an electric Volvo is possible at this price. They also liked its practicality and the driving dynamics, while many also commented positively on the range.

Many journalists and influencers were also impressed with the EX30’s sustainability credentials. They liked the smart design features in the interior, the use of lots of natural and recycled materials and the car’s low carbon footprint.

Let’s have a look at some of the best lines:

• In a five-star review, British outlet Stuff concludes that the EX30 is “a nearly perfect” electric car: “Volvo’s new EX30 might be a small EV but it packs in everything that’s great about the Scandinavian brand.”






• Their British colleagues at Auto Express describe the EX30 as “a desirable EV” and “a brilliant electric car, especially at this price”.


• Autobild of Germany feels the EX30 is “a real asset” in its segment. “It drives perfectly, is comfortable, fast and safe, and travels almost 500 kilometers in extended-range form.”






• “Would it be too much of a compliment to say that the EX30 is the most fun Volvo I have ever driven?” writes the test driver from webCG in Japan.






• In the Netherlands, Autoweek concludes that the EX30 “largely lives up to the high expectations” and noted that it is “an electric SUV that offers a lot of bang for the buck in terms of looks, interior and driving dynamics”.






• US-based outlet Digital Trends warns other car makers and argues that “Volvo has just raised the bar on EV value”. The EX30 is “a good car which, combined with its low base price (…) and high level of feature content, makes it a game changer”.






• “From its solid road manners to its clever use of interior textiles, this little cutie is comfortable, competent and bursting with charm,” writes US website Autoblog.


• Motor Trend feels the EX30 is “a hit in the making” and says the EX30 “has everything it needs to take the EV market by storm”.

Of course, there were some criticisms as well. The touchscreen-based UX took a little getting used to for some reviewers, while a few testers missed a driver display behind the steering wheel.

The quibbles were few and far between, though, with our analysis showing 95 per cent of the coverage to be positive overall. Huge credit must go to our product experts who spent lots of time at the event helping our media guests understand the context behind all areas of the car’s design and development.

Adding to the warming media accolades, our new EX30 recently emphasised its position as an award magnet by being crowned the Carwow Car of the Year 2024 among hundreds of reviewed cars. Additionally, the small yet mighty EX30 was acclaimed as the ‘Eco Warrior of the Year’ in the TopGear.com Awards 2023, recognising our far-reaching efforts that have resulted in the smallest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date.*

The positive response to our EX30 is a great start to life for our small SUV. In coming years, we expect it to become one of our best-sellers, something that is already borne out by the many thousands of customer orders we’ve received in recent months. It plays a crucial role in both our growth plans and our climate action plan, meaning we need the EX30 to be a success. As we look back on the test drive event in Barcelona, we can comfortably say: so far, so good.

* The carbon footprint calculation of below 30 tonnes over 200,000 kms of driving is based on usage of charging electricity from the EU27 electricity mix. The lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date statement relates to globally available products over 200,000 kms of driving.