Our Volvo EX30 Is as Quick as a Porsche 911

• We've now put about 1,500 miles on our 2025 Volvo EX30.
• At our test track, the Volvo's acceleration surprised us.
• We've had tech troubles, but over-the-air software updates are on the way.

The EX30 ran the quarter-mile sprint in 12.1 seconds at 109.3 mph. But it's worth noting that the car cuts power once it hits its 112-mph speed limiter. "The quarter-mile time is actually a bit of a disappointment, but only because the EX30 tags its 112-mph speed limiter well before the finish," noted senior vehicle test editor Kurt Niebuhr. "It would certainly be an 11-second car if it didn't."

"But just because it's as quick as a 911 doesn't mean it handles like one," Niebhur added. "Around our skidpad, the EX30 feels soft, with some body roll and sidewall flex from the all-season tires. It feels a bit squishy, especially with the soft over-assisted steering."

Still, the EX30 is a hoot overall. "Because of its light steering, soft suspension and cushy seats, the EX30 feels almost too fast, but that's what makes it so fun," Niebhur said.

Tech annoyances

Living with the Volvo EX30 hasn't just been a bunch of giggle-inducing launches, though — in fact, our logbook is already full of comments about little annoyances. The worst one? Every single time the car detects a new speed limit, or a road sign like for a pedestrian crossing, it'll make this little "bok" sound and flash the new speed/sign at the top of the touchscreen. "So? Just turn it off," you're probably thinking. Well, you can't — at least, not until our car receives the 1.5.2 software update, anyway, which I'm told is imminent.

Want to change the headlights from auto to on or off? First, go into the settings menu, click on "exterior lighting," select the light setting you want, confirm the action by pressing a button on the steering wheel, and then click to close the pop-up window on the touchscreen. Sheesh. And I thought the dumb headlights in our Chevy Colorado were bad.

Speaking of the touchscreen, we've had some finicky issues with smartphone mirroring. Apple CarPlay just flat out won't work sometimes, and Android Auto is nonexistent despite the Google-based infotainment software. "Just give me Android Auto," said video manager Will Kaufman. "This Android-based system is possibly the most irritating and endless setup process I've ever experienced. Even after signing into my Google account, I'm still having to set up tons of stuff. I've also said yes to what feels like 800 permissions, but the car still won't read text messages to me. I have to give permission to Google Assistant, which I can only do while parked, and I never remember because the issue only comes up in the middle of my drives."

"The lack of physical gauges behind the wheel makes driving feel like guesswork, and the constant driver reminders are more naggy than helpful — especially the 'pull over if tired' message that popped up immediately after I started driving," wrote video editor Luke Huisman. "The EX30 has speed and style, but it lacks basic user-friendliness. There's potential here, but it needs refinement before I'd want to drive it again."

Great size, great interior

OK, enough complaining. After all, there are still a bunch of things we like about the EX30. For starters: its size. In a world where EV shapes seem to be growing, not shrinking, it's so refreshing to get in a properly small car.

"The EX30 is small, but it's not too small," wrote Kaufman. "I can fit my wife and 5-year-old in the EX30 without cramping anyone, and the trunk is fine for day-to-day needs."

"The interior reads sustainable, futuristic, creative, celebratory — my favorite thing about the EX30," said script writer Duncan Brady. "The plastic trim with bits and pieces from the shop floor is a brilliant way to inject creativity and contrast to an inexpensive material — it's like confetti. The seats are as beautifully sculpted as they are comfortable. The air vents up front are sculpted such that they’d look appropriate on an '80s post-art-deco organ. Even the scratchy plastic door cards are textured, like they’re made of chopped-up bits of waste plastic. And are these real metal door handles?"

We've yet to put the EX30 through the Edmunds EV Range Test, and we're eager to see how our car does compared to the EPA's estimates. According to the EPA, we should be getting 250 miles on a full charge and seeing efficiency of 31 kWh per 100 miles. Stay tuned for all that and more.

Photos by Tyler Clemmensen and Keith Buglewicz