Questions for owners

[Beeko Bill]

Now a few people have had delivery of their cars, thought it’d be good to start a thread for minor, left field questions that only owners are likely to be able to answer. My starter for 10:

1. Presumably, it’s the usual give enough petrol/diesel to get to a garage but what about Ad Blue? Are you given a tank or a little bit?
2. Mood lights. How effective are they? They look a bit weedy. Do they really give the cabin a glow at night?
3. Volvo on call app...does it connect easily and work reliably?
4. Spotify without car play - how well does this work? Is it as easy to use as the car play app?
5. Bit subjective this one but can’t find much on this subject. What’s the quality of the Harman Kardon sound system like?

[Yosh]

I've had my XC40 R Design for only five days so I can only offer limited help. I've embedded my comments below your questions.

1. Presumably, it’s the usual give enough petrol/diesel to get to a garage but what about Ad Blue? Are you given a tank or a little bit?

My car was full of gas when I picked it up.

2. Mood lights. How effective are they? They look a bit weedy. Do they really give the cabin a glow at night?

No opinion.

3. Volvo on call app...does it connect easily and work reliably?

This works very well and seems reliable. I've accidentally called them twice and once on purpose.

4. Spotify without car play - how well does this work? Is it as easy to use as the car play app?

Have not used.

5. Bit subjective this one but can’t find much on this subject. What’s the quality of the Harman Kardon sound system like?

The Harman Kardon sound system is excellent in my opinion. It's the best of any vehicle I've owned.

In general I'm very pleased with the XC40. It's fun to drive and it's comfortable. I find the console to be a bit awkward and things like changing the radio station or making a phone call have more steps than I'd like. There's no sunglass holder which I think is a puzzling design decision. The only issue I'm going to bring up with the dealer is that opening the back by kicking under the back bumper rarely works.

[wakey]

Now a few people have had delivery of their cars, thought it’d be good to start a thread for minor, left field questions that only owners are likely to be able to answer. My starter for 10:

1. Presumably, it’s the usual give enough petrol/diesel to get to a garage but what about Ad Blue? Are you given a tank or a little bit?
2. Mood lights. How effective are they? They look a bit weedy. Do they really give the cabin a glow at night?
3. Volvo on call app...does it connect easily and work reliably?
4. Spotify without car play - how well does this work? Is it as easy to use as the car play app?
5. Bit subjective this one but can’t find much on this subject. What’s the quality of the Harman Kardon sound system like?

Had ours since Saturday.....

1. Half a tank of fuel and Adblue full on collection (dealer said that given we will only do around 7000 miles a year, we won’t need to put Adblue in as it will be done on annual service).

2. Mood lights are “nice”, we had them on our V40. Not a massive cabin glow but just right.

3. Volvo On Call app on phone is great, easy to set up, records all journeys with distance, time, MPG etc. Not used the On Call button in the car.

4. Spotify streams well via Bluetooth from my phone as does Amazon Audible, iPhone Music etc.

5. Sound system is great, no distortion at high levels and easily customisable to suit.

Agree with Yosh, the tailgate opening using your foot isn’t great. Maybe that once you get the knack it will become easier.

Still finding my way around everything but I’ve set up Driver Profiles and linked to each remote fob so the seats and mirrors adjust to whoever gets in the car now and favourite radio station comes on.

Love the Blind Spot light warning in the door mirrors. Lane Assist works quite well but does hug the left side to the point of actually riding the rubble strip on lane 1 of motorways (this may need calibration by the dealer).

Birdseye camera is brilliant once you get out of the habit of looking in your mirrors.

[Rifleman]

Keep at it with the tailgate. When I first got my current car the tailgate foot swipe/kick worked about 30% of the time. 2yrs down the line and using a kick action rather than a swipe I know get approx 95% success on first kick.
I’ve no idea if it’s the car that has adapted to me or vice versa ;0)

[pjm007]

1) Full supply of AdBlue.
2) Not noticed at night yet but played with the colours only in daylight. Seems a rather low value feature.
3) App works very well except for the Parking Climate non existent feature which has been well documented elsewhere.
4) Works well. Easier to use than CarPlay.
5) HK System is outstandingly good.

On the kick feature it’s just a case of practice and technique! A short sharp kick in and then fast out - just to the right of the left hand exhaust outlet.

[Boomer]

1. Full tank but I had paid for that!! No ad-blue as petrol engine
2. Mood lights. Still yet to play with that function. No night driving done yet to configure. Well none yet that I remember that this is something to do. Feels like it will be way down on the list.
3. Volvo on call app... Pretty useful so far. Liking the journal (including ability to export data - the OCD and analytic in me comes out here), useful to be able to send navigation to car. I've probably missed the preconditioning season now - but will be testing soon - and this if it works as hoped is the major plus for me. No issue reliability wise - seems to update immediately on new launch, or within 5 sec's if already "running" on your phone.
One issue I have is that it does not seem to be pulling in the tyre status as the moment. [Question for dealer when I am next visiting]
4. Don't use Spotify.
5. Harman Kardon is very acceptable. Clear and so far no distortion at higher end. There are plenty of settings to tweak to get more to your liking.

Kick feature - lesson number 1. It's a kick, not a wave. and 2. agree with pjm that there is an element of timing needed (and why the kick might work "better"). I am running at c.70% success on a first kick, 100% by a second kick.

[Boomer]

I find the console to be a bit awkward and things like changing the radio station or making a phone call have more steps than I'd like.

Using voice recognition might be your friend for the phone. I am finding it pretty accurate either nailing it first time if an unique name - or second tier question if common name or more than one number. No need to look or use the console.

The radio aspect for me is still a working project to be looked at. Not finding the console very intuitive but that might be simply needing to sit down and get it all set up with favourites etc. The voice recognition seems a bit random at times e.g if I ask for Radio 2, it might select DAB or FM version, or indeed Radio 4!

On voice recognition generally I have also been testing the volume sensitivity. Now this is amazing as it still seems to work almost down to a whisper Well not quite but a quiet or hushed spoken voice works just as well.

[billdun]

One issue I have is that it does not seem to be pulling in the tyre status as the moment. [Question for dealer when I am next visiting]

Same here. Tried checking the tyre pressures and doing a recalibration but made no difference. I have a couple of other minor issues to check out then I will get along to the dealer for a chat. If I get the answer before you I will post it on here.
Bill

[pjm007]

One issue I have is that it does not seem to be pulling in the tyre status as the moment. [Question for dealer when I am next visiting]

Same here. Tried checking the tyre pressures and doing a recalibration but made no difference. I have a couple of other minor issues to check out then I will get along to the dealer for a chat. If I get the answer before you I will post it on here.
Bill

Same again. I know the calibration itself works fine so assume it’s just another small glitch with the App.

[Boomer]

One issue I have is that it does not seem to be pulling in the tyre status as the moment. [Question for dealer when I am next visiting]

Same here. Tried checking the tyre pressures and doing a recalibration but made no difference. I have a couple of other minor issues to check out then I will get along to the dealer for a chat. If I get the answer before you I will post it on here.
Bill

Likewise