Cross Country attired Volvo EX30 aims for EV success off-road
Volvo Car South Africa's unveiling of the EX30 Cross Country this week comes at a pivotal time for the Chinese-owned Swedish brand.
Here to stay
Besides forming part of a product roll-out comprising three models before the end of the year, and a further one in 2026, Gothenburg's future has been shrouded in uncertainty following well publicised reports earlier this year of its dealerships shutting down.
ALSO READ: Cross Country trekking Volvo EX30 en-route to South Africa
However, according to its newly appointed Managing Director, Grant Locke, an exit for the Geely-owned marque isn't on the drawing board anytime soon as per the imminent arrivals of the facelift XC60 and XC90, and next year, the all-electric ES90.
Revival with change
Heading these, the EX30 revives the off-road Cross Country moniker last seen locally on the V40 Cross Country six years ago.
A further first for the nomenclature as propulsion now comes from electricity instead of petrol or diesel, the single variant also ushers in a number of changes underneath its skin as opposed to being nothing but an aesthetic overhaul.
The national launch on the outskirts of Pretoria was, therefore, anything but straightforward as the relatively short route featured extensive gravel driving, which proved to be the Cross Country's most impressive aspect.
Black rear bumper and panel between the headlights are unique to the Cross Country.
Arriving as the new flagship EX30 variant, the Cross Country uses the top-spec Twin Motor Performance Ultra as a base with power coming from a pair of electric motors driven by the same 69-kWh battery pack as the standard model.
Outputting 315kW/543Nm, the Cross Country will get from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, a tenth slower than its sibling, and top out at Volvo's limited top speed of 180 km/h.
More crucially, the claimed all-electric range is set at 427 km and the charging time from 10-80% using a DC fast charger, 26 minutes.
Cross Country touches
Underneath, the Cross Country continues to ride on the same Substantiable Electric Architecture (SEA) as the normal EX30, but, as indicted, with a series of revisions aimed at ultra-light off-road usage.
A platform developed by Volvo's sister brand Zeekr, the changes include a 13 mm ground clearance increase to 190 mm, retuned suspension and all-terrain tyres wrapped around gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels.
Visually, the adaptions comprise the mentioned wheels, a matte black sealed grille panel complete with a topography monogram of the Kebnekaise mountain range in the Swedish Arctic, black wheel arch extensions and Vapour Grey front and rear skidplates.
Standard 19-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in all-terrain tyres.
At the rear, the bootlid sports a full-width black panel while the bumper gains a lower black finish. Cross Country badges at the base of the latter and on the C-pillar rounds the exterior off.
On the colour front, five hues have been made available; Crystal White, Onyx Black, Vapour Grey, Cloud Blue and the model specific Sand Dune.
Optional, the so-called EX30 Cross Country Experience package adds roof rails or a specifically designed carrying basket.
Inside
Inside, the interior carries over unchanged, meaning the retention of the minimalist layout as all of the major functions, controversially including the mirrors and instrument cluster, are located within the still tricky to use 12.3-inch infotainment system.
Interior design has not been changed from the normal EX30.
As with the standard Ultra trim, the EX30 Cross Country comes equipped with the Bowers & Wilkins sound system using a sound bar underneath the windscreen rather than speakers, a wireless smartphone charger, a removable central tray and a panoramic sunroof that omits a cover for an opaque-turning glass design.
Comparatively, the Cross Country's only other main difference is a choice of two material options, both made out of recycled materials; Pine and Indigo.
The drive
Encompassing a smidgen over 70 km, with 20 km being gravel, the Cross Country's on-road manners felt unaffected by the all-terrain tyres and revised suspension as it proved comfortable and refined without noise from the former seeping into cabin.
At the same time, the off-road inclusions haven't negated the EX30's performance feel, which, in typical EV fashion, provides immediate acceleration way past the national limit.
Two recycled material options are available for the interior; Indigo and the depicted Pine.
Still as compact in feel as the normal EX30, the Cross Country's most impressive attribute, as mentioned, was its feel on the gravel section of the route.
More akin to driving on tar, the tweaks to the suspension have resulted in a soft and forgiven ride, but without the typical 'hit-through' sensation when traversing areas littered with sharp stones or washaways.
What's more, the Cross Country doesn't feel cumbersome and, as a result of the electric all-wheel-drive system, surefooted and grippy.
Conclusion
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country makes for an interesting addition to a line-up claimed to represent the bulk of EV sales in South Africa.
Cross Country name has been revived for the first time in nearly six years.
While impressive from a ride and performance aspect, the likelihood of the Cross Country ever venturing off-road remains a contentious issue, never mind the scepticism and hesitation still associated with electric vehicle ownership in South Africa.
Billed as an 'experience vehicle' instead of a light-duty off-roader as previous Cross Country or XC models, the EX30 will most remain a niche offering, but one unlikely to disappoint those prepare to take the leap with the range restrictions knowledge of EVs well-known and expected.
Price
Included in the EX30 Cross Country Twin Motor Performance Elite's R1 165 000 price tag is a five-year/100 000 km warranty, a three-year/60 000 km maintenance plan, an eight-year/160 000 km battery warranty and installation of a wallbox at the desired premises.
NOW READ: Volvo EX30 a 'Swedish shopping trolley' ready to outgun supercars
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
19 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Trump-Putin summit ends with no ceasefire in Ukraine war
A highly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine, though both leaders described the talks as productive before heading home. During a brief appearance before the media after Friday's nearly three-hour meeting in Alaska, the two leaders said they had made progress on unspecified issues. But they offered no details and took no questions, with the normally loquacious Trump ignoring shouted questions from reporters. 'We've made some headway,' Trump said, standing in front of a backdrop that read, 'Pursuing Peace'. 'There's no deal until there's a deal,' he added. The talks did not initially appear to have produced meaningful steps towards a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, the deadliest conflict in Europe in 80 years, a goal Trump had set ahead of the summit. But simply sitting down face-to-face with the US president represented a victory for Putin, who had been ostracised by Western leaders since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After the summit, Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he would hold off on imposing tariffs on China for buying Russian oil after making progress with Putin. He did not mention India, another major buyer of Russian crude, which has been slapped with a total 50% tariff on US imports that includes a 25% penalty for the imports from Russia. 'Because of what happened today, I think I don't have to think about that now,' Trump said of Chinese tariffs. 'I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don't have to think about that right now.'
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
PODCAST: GWM P300 LS models pose threat to Hilux and Ranger
Starting at a price of R529 900, new double cab derivatives offer serious value for money. GWM is taking the fight to the traditional big dogs of the bakkie scene with two new LS variants of the P300. The P300 is the Chinese manufacturer's mid-tier bakkie below the larger-than-life P500 and above the outgoing P-Series. The two additions to the GWM P300 line-up both feature the 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine that serves in their higher-end siblings and come in at very attractive prices. The rear-wheel drive derivative costs R529 900 and the four-wheel drive model R579 900. GWM P300 LS makes a Pitstop In this week's episode of The Citizen Motoring's Pitstop podcast, we predict what impact the LS derivatives will have. With the top models of the best-selling local bakkies, the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max, all either over a R1-million or very close to it, Chinese carmakers are in the position to offer much lower prices. Similar to what manufacturers from the People's Republic offer in their SUVs, the GWM P300 LS is still stacked to the brim with features despite being lesser specced than its LT and LTD siblings. They come standard with the likes of a rear diff lock, 12.3-inch infotainment display, six-speaker sound system, keyless entry, seven-inch instrument cluster, push-button start, wireless phone charger and reverse camera. ALSO READ: New 'base spec' GWM P300 LS: What's on offer? Smooth diesel power The diesel mill produces 135kW of power and 480Nm of torque and hooked up to nine-speed automatic transmission. GWM claims the 4×2 will sip 7.4 litres per 100km and the 4×4 8L/100km. The LS features a ground clearance of 232mm and a towing capacity of 3 500kg for the 4×4 and 3 000kg for the 4×2. Pricing include a seven-year/200 000 km warranty and a seven-year/75 000 km service plan.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Volvo's EX30 Cross Country: Swedish steel takes on South African dust in an off-road adventure
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is the first of Volvo's electric range to wear the Cross Country moniker. Image: Supplied New Volvo South Africa MD Grant Locke, recently returned from 18 months in Sweden, has been brought into the position to steady the ship and ensure that the brand continues to have a strong local presence. Only a day after his arrival, he launched the new Volvo EX30 Cross Country with at least two more scheduled in the next year or so, including the ES90 electric sedan as well as the electric EX60 SUV. Volvo is continuing to focus on New Energy Vehicles and insists that fully electric vehicles will very much continue to be the backbone of their offerings, while plug-in hybrids and mild hybrids will continue to be in the mix. Cross Country moniker That's very clear with the reveal of the fully electric EX30 Cross Country, the first of their electric range to wear the Cross Country moniker. It's essentially an adventure pack added to the standard EX30 that allows it to do offroading, although not anything too serious or too deep into the bush (it's electric, remember), but it does add a bit of swagger to the car. Exterior Key to that is its raised ride height thanks to a combination of suspension tweaks and 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels finished in Matte Graphite with Matte Black aero inserts, making it 13mm higher(190mm) than its road-biased sibling. Visual upgrades are a darker-toned front shield and boot lid, while the front fascia features artwork inspired by Sweden's Kebnekaise mountain range. Pronounced skid plates and wider wheel arch extensions provide it with a more rugged-looking appearance. There are five colours: Sand Dune, Cloud Blue, Crystal White, Onyx Black, and Vapour Grey. There's an optional Cross Country Experience package that includes mudflaps, roof racks and all-terrain tyres at R20,000 - R30,000 depending on which options you tick. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is powered by front and back electric one-speed motors delivering 315kW and 543Nm while the 69kWh battery delivers a claimed range of 427 kilometers. Image: Supplied Interior As with the EX30, the interior is minimalistic to the extreme with virtually all adjustments, settings and information accessed via a plethora of menus on the 12.3-inch touchscreen. It's well equipped with a heated steering wheel and front seats, a fixed panoramic sunroof, two-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. There are two interior options: Pine and Indigo, and like the rest of the interior, they have been put together using recycled and renewable materials. Power Power is provided by front and back electric one-speed motors delivering 315kW and 543Nm while the 69kWh battery delivers a claimed range of 427 kilometres and can be charged from 10% to 80% in 26 minutes using a fast charger, provided you can find one in the bundu. The interior is minimalistic to the extreme. Image: Supplied Driving Thanks to the immediate torque on offer, the EX30 Cross Country provides a brisk take-off with a quick and steady increase in speed when you push the accelerator to the floor. It will get to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds from a standing start with a top speed of 180km/h as mandated throughout the Volvo range. On gravel roads, it showcases the off-road tweaks well. The suspension is soft and compliant, making easy work of wash-aways and ruts, while the All Wheel Drive system provides plenty of confidence on sandy corners and stretches where we went above the speed that the average owner would regularly do when venturing off the tar. Our launch car was fitted with a roof rack, and we found the whistling of the air passing through it rather intrusive, especially because it's so quiet inside. It's likely, though, that once it's loaded that this will disappear. Fully electric vehicles in South Africa are still regarded with scepticism, accounting for only 0.24% of new car sales last year. The EX30 was our best performer with 406 units sold, so it will be interesting to see whether the Volvo EX30 Cross Country can make inroads into the leisure market. Keeping in mind it's strictly a 'softroader', and while our charging infrastructure is steadily improving, taking it to its intended habitat remains a gamble, so it will take some innovative arguments to convince lifestyle buyers. It comes with a three-year/60,000km maintenance plan, a five-year/100,000km warranty, an eight-year battery warranty and five years of unlimited roadside assistance. Additionally, owners receive two years of free public charging, a GridCars wallbox with installation, and 10GB of Vodacom data per month for three years. Pricing Volvo EX30 Cross Country: R1,165,000.
