On the inside, Volvo’s turning to digital technology to give this car its biggest fresh selling point. Specifically, that would be the 11.2in, portrait-oriented, Android-powered touchscreen infotainment system, which looks a little like it’s been forcibly inserted into a space slightly too small for it in the middle of the fascia – but, nonetheless, has a sharper display, faster responses and better connected functionality than what it replaces.
Volvo certainly seems to be refining this system little by little, having made more ADAS functions accessible at a top level within its menus. Honestly, aspects of its usability would still regularly and seriously irk me; and I’d find it a lot less distracting from the road with some kind of separate cursor controller. But then I’m not an Android-based smartphone user, and so don’t tap into the way it can sync with your Google account; so I probably don’t appreciate it at its best.
It’s a shame that touchscreen isn’t some nonpareil of easy use, though; because that’s very much what the rest of this car is all about. The multi-adjustable front seats, with their quilted Nordico not-quite-leather upholstery, allow a great, well-supported driving position. There’s still plenty of room in the back for adults and growing teenagers, too, while the boot offers great convenience features and suffers little on compromise to space for the presence of the electric rear axle.
The cabin ambience, which manages to seem vaguely Scandinavian without lapsing into the hackneyed appearance of an IKEA kitchen, is still convincingly appealing, as is the high-quality fit-and-finish of predominantly premium materials. It doesn’t feel as fresh or innovative as more modern rivals with its material use now, but it’s still a nice place to be.
