Ride comfort/ Front headrest problem

All Volvo XC40 related discussions
DanishPastry
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: West London

Post by DanishPastry »

Just finished a 3-day test drive in an R-Design Pro T4. Mostly lovely! We want a car with comfortable (front) seats and a comfortable ride.

The seats get a huge thumbs up from my partner with a bad back; best car seat ever.

The ride was dreadful! We both agreed it was even harder than my M-series BMW (which I sold because my partner can’t travel in it).

I do understand the R-Design Pro has both the Sports chassis and large wheels (20”)/low-profile tyres (235/45), all of which contribute to a hard ride.

I have previously driven a standard R-Design, with 18” wheels and 235/55 tyres and thought the ride was fine (but didn’t have my partner with me for a second opinion). Hard to believe that 1 centimetre on the tyre height could make such a difference in ride comfort, or am I misunderstanding something?

My other question is about the front seat head restraints. Their basic construction puts them in a much further-forward position than any head restraint I’ve encountered before.

Quite often, head restrains are just a box-tick that exist behind your head position. The XC40 one’s seem designed to be permanently in contacted with your head, and there’s no adjustment to change that.

The problem is that my passenger reports her head is constantly bouncing on and off the head restraint, causing discomfort. Are we missing something or is that what is supposed to happen?

Very many thanks for any opinions or replies.
MY2020 R-Design

eugen61
Posts: 1211
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 7:33 am

Post by eugen61 »

The ride firmness you felt is due to much less rubber (sidewall) between the rims and the road with the 235/45R20 vs the 235/55R18 wheels. The sidewall difference is 23mm and yes, it makes a huge difference in ride feel.

Head restraints are designed to be close to the back of your head in order to minimize whiplash in case of an impact. You can only change the height of the head restraint by a couple of cm.
blastpipe
Posts: 565
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:04 pm
Location: UK

Post by blastpipe »

My RD has 18" and the ride is perfectly smooth. My advice avoid the 20" wheels if you want comfort

Altering the height of the head restraint alters the 'touch' point
T4 Auto AWD R Design March 2019
Ovlovjohn
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2020 9:30 pm

Post by Ovlovjohn »

Hi, I totally agree with the other replies. I also test drove a R design pro and the 20” wheels really do make a huge difference. I sold my X 3 m sport due to the harsh ride, it also had 20” wheels. I test drove and subsequently purchased a R design with 18” wheels. The difference is ‘night and day’. I actually now look forward to driving over pot holes and drain covers so I can smile to myself and remember the BMW and it’s awful ride 😝
lnorange
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 11:45 pm

Post by lnorange »

Agreed, avoid the 20s, my R design is on standards and it’s very smooth. I’d agreed on the head rests, they just sit a little bit too far forward but with a bit of careful seat adjustment you can improve it.
Trafford
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 8:25 pm

Post by Trafford »

the difference between 20inch and 18inch wheels is really big. Volvo offers also 17inch wheels, which I have for my winter tires, that are even better.

I bought a leather pillow for my headrest and my head feels much better now. Volvo sells it.
aj05
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2018 12:11 pm

Post by aj05 »

Hi wondering if the Volvo headrest cushion or neck pillow available as accessories might help your partners headrest problem
DanishPastry
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: West London

Post by DanishPastry »

Many thanks for all those useful comments. The standard R-Design is now firmly back on the list of possible models. I did really like the 'suede' seats, compared to the full leather if the Inscription.

Will also look into the cushion/pillows in the accessories section.
MY2020 R-Design
ciuncky
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:46 pm

Post by ciuncky »

I think you can sweet-talk the dealer into getting you the Pro RD if that's the one you want, and switch the wheels with 18 or 19.
You'll have to double check, i remember reading the RD has larger brake calipers and as such won't fit rims under a certain diameter. Can't remember if it was 18 or 19...
jamie307
Posts: 367
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:01 am

Post by jamie307 »

If the headrest is annoying you, it's possible the seat back is tilted too far forward.
T3 Momentum Pro Auto MY20 - Thunder Grey - Intellisafe Surround - Winter Plus - 360 Camera - Tinted Windows - City Map inlays - Spare Wheel
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