Volvo XC40: ‘It has the swagger of a vehicle born to win’ | Martin Love

Volvo's chunky little crossover has a big future ahead of it

Volvo XC40
Price 34,970
0-62mph 7.9 seconds
Top speed 130mph
MPG 56.5
CO2 127g/km

Officially, this is the best car made in Europe this year. At a glitzy ceremony in Geneva, which was more Eurovision than Oscars, Hikan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo, stepped up to a spotlit stage to collect the trophy (a sort of ugly upside-down triangle) for the brand's newest and smallest car - the XC40. The award is decided by 60 motoring journalists from 23 countries. It's hard-fought and the results are closely guarded. But the fact Volvo came in so far ahead of the shortlist of six nominees didn't surprise anyone. The XC40 has already scooped several awards and has the swagger of a vehicle born to win. What did surprise me is that in the 55 years of the European car awards, Volvo has never previously won. So, a big night all round for the Gothenburg gang.