3.5 weeks of my First Edition....

All Volvo XC40 related discussions
James Blonde
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 6:49 pm

Post by James Blonde »

Posted the bulk of this elsewhere and was told to look here - so glad I did! So much info here that kind of validates what I've been finding!

Firstly, sorry about the long post! Not seen too many in the wild - 3 or 4 perhaps - and only in blue and white so far! Would have preferred mines in blue, but was never invited to a launch event by my local dealer, despite repeatedly asking, so ended up with all that was left - which was white :| Hey ho....!

I'm about 3.5 weeks into my XC40 D4 FE experience.... I have to admit, I'm not sure what I'm thinking at the moment, especially after only just realising I don't have 20" alloys, don't appear to have headlight washers (I assume if they're flush, they don't have washers, and if they stick out they do??) and it was a known discrepancy that I should have been informed about by the dealer and got a discount - obviously I didn't!

I've put around 2000 miles on the clock (eek!!! need to stop driving it for a while!) on both long motorway journeys and long / short rural road runs, as well as the daily commute, so have a good idea how it's operating.

I think it's a great car..... but..... I do have some reservations.....

I've come from a 2016 XC60 D5 Polestar R-Design Lux Nav Manual, with winter illumination pack, Sensus with Harmon Kardon, which didn't have nearly as many toys as the XC40 - certainly none of the driver convenience options, so I've had no experience of those till now. Mines is a D4, so smaller engine than my XC60, no polestar either, but also a smaller, lighter car. This is also my first auto.

These reservations might disappear with time as I learn the car, and they're also probably more new Volvo reservations rather than specifically related to the XC40 - I'd guess the functions are the same on all new Volvos?

I'm getting a bit frustrated with the car interfaces. the big screen looks great, but not entirely ideal from a driver perspective if you want to change anything whilst driving - including heating, music, nav - the pretty fundamental things you'd want to change in a car on the move. I could use the voice interface, but god knows what the commands are - even the ones that are supposed to work don't, and the navigation ones that worked on the XC60 (like "cancel route guidance") don't! Argh! but yeh, I know I need to look them up, I will.... I have to....but I do miss buttons and knobs that I could press without looking.

Also found some of the driver aids to be less than helpful. I don't want to turn off safety features, but I've had to turn off lane keeping assist. There have been more than a few occasions where it seems to have tried to drive me off the road. I'm sure it's fine on a dual carriageway with clear markings, but on normal roads, it just can't handle narrow lanes, but to try to drive you off the road...? Not so good.

Not so dodgy, but not so useful is the pilot assist - Great idea, but only useful / safe on anything with more than 1 lane and clear road markings on both sides of the road, and even then, don't really see the point if you have to keep your hands on the steering wheel - It doesn't add any more than adaptive cruise and can't handle anything other than shallow curves. Oh, and Collision Avoidance seems to go off randomly, though to date, not at any point I've thought it probably should have! Bizarre... Adaptive cruise control is great coupled with the auto box, though can be slow to move off. Oh, and not managed to get pre-conditioning to work, either with a timer or on its own. I see now I've found this forum that it's not supposed to! But if it doesn't work, why was it sold as a feature? Remote start works though and does heat seat and steering wheel, though is leaving the car running, even though locked and undrivable, not still illegal?

I'm averaging 31mpg with an average speed of 39mph. Even on long runs, I've not managed anything above 38mpg. The economy on my XC60 D5 polestar was better - I was averaging around 36mpg, and over 40 on long runs. Having looked at the forum here, this seems VERY low...

The car seems to be an insect magnet compared to any other car I've had in the past. Oh, and the wind deflector for the sunroof - dear god, that's going to be rubbish to clean!! :shock:

This is the first forum I've seen with sufficient XC40 knowledge to know whether it's just me, or other people are finding these issues. Haven't finished looking at the forums yet, but already seen some of my concerns mentioned. Was definitely curious to see what people think...

I don't feel like I've downgraded my car or engine though - the D4 doesn't feel that much less powerful than the D5 polestar. It drives well, it handles well, it rides well, it shifts, it looks good, it's comfortable, it doesn't roll as much as the XC60, and it feels like a long term car (the XC60 was a company car - that was a stupid mistake, though great car).

But, there are enough niggles to make me worried, especially looking at this as a long terms car, and miffed the dealer didn't tell me about the wheels / washers - will speak to them about that and ask for money back! Is the above enough to reject though? I thought I only had 14 days, but saw someone mention 30???

DieselDoug
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 1:30 pm
Location: Perth,Scotland

Post by DieselDoug »

Totally agree about the sunroof wind deflector,more insects in it than a spiders web.
XC40 FE Fusion Red ,19” Wheels ,No Skooshers, Delivered 02/06/18
User2506
Posts: 68
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 11:27 am

Post by User2506 »

Thanks for your feedback, that fuel economy does seem lower than others have experienced, perhaps a visit to the dealer for a few engine and camera calibration checks to see that your lane and pilot assist is working as well as possible. If it helps as ex plod I can confirm leaving a car unattended while running in the UK is an offence only on a public road/highway. Leaving it running while unattended on your drive in the UK is not. Hope this helps.
FE D4 AWD Auto Crystal White. Interior Black Leather Buck Suede. Extras: Dog Guard, Boot Mat. Picked up 2nd June.
Luigiwhattt
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:52 pm

Post by Luigiwhattt »

Thank you for honesty. I think the concerns you’ve raised are the concerns I had about this car.

That said, I’ve driven the same car for the past 5 years. My other half had a transit and very occasionally, I had to drive that. I hated it. He now has a Range Rover Sport. It’s ok. I drive it to get used to an auto box.

I’m totally apprehensive about driving, what will be to me, (1) a brand new car that cost shot loads of money (2) has technology I don’t even understand.

I think my point is - bear with, give it a few more months to get with it. The technology is here to stay. I have a feeling I will have exactly the same issues with mine when I get it.
D3 Auto Inscription - Denim Blue with Blonde Leather - Winter Pack - Xenium Pack - IntelliSafe Pack - Spare Wheel.
Ordered 03/03/18 (Exeter)
Collection 21/07/18
James Blonde
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 6:49 pm

Post by James Blonde »

Yeh, I'll give the dealer a ring tomorrow about the fuel economy and to see about camera calibration...

In terms of the missing headlight washers, what's the visual difference between cars with them, and cars without? Both cars will have the cut outs, but one is likely to have blanking rather than a washer. In the XC60, the washer was flush, so you wouldn't have been able to tell just by looking whether it had washers or not. Only way to easily tell was the extra spray of water that got the windscreen wet after it had finished wiping... :geek:

Now also wondering about the R-Design seats! The seats in mines aren't as well shaped as my old XC60 - I feel like I'm sitting on them rather than sitting in them. Now that might just be a change in design, but knowing that some cars don't have R-Design seats, and knowing what my old car had, has got me wondering....

God, I'm bloody moaning, which isn't my intention. I like the car, it's got toys galore, but I guess my expectations of the maturity and utility of the tech were higher, the fuel economy is grating a bit, and the dealer not telling me about the changes is irritating. I'll get over it once I've spoken to them! :D
apepat
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed May 09, 2018 5:49 am

Post by apepat »

James Blonde wrote: Fri May 18, 2018 10:36 pm Yeh, I'll give the dealer a ring tomorrow about the fuel economy and to see about camera calibration...

In terms of the missing headlight washers, what's the visual difference between cars with them, and cars without? Both cars will have the cut outs, but one is likely to have blanking rather than a washer. In the XC60, the washer was flush, so you wouldn't have been able to tell just by looking whether it had washers or not. Only way to easily tell was the extra spray of water that got the windscreen wet after it had finished wiping... :geek:

Now also wondering about the R-Design seats! The seats in mines aren't as well shaped as my old XC60 - I feel like I'm sitting on them rather than sitting in them. Now that might just be a change in design, but knowing that some cars don't have R-Design seats, and knowing what my old car had, has got me wondering....

God, I'm bloody moaning, which isn't my intention. I like the car, it's got toys galore, but I guess my expectations of the maturity and utility of the tech were higher, the fuel economy is grating a bit, and the dealer not telling me about the changes is irritating. I'll get over it once I've spoken to them! :D
Regarding the washers, those without the washers do NOT have the cut-outs just under the headlights, if you do have them then you do have the washers. I know as mine doesn't have the washers...
Volvo XC40 D4 First Edition | Bursting Blue | 20" | No headlight washers | Polestar optimised ;)
James Blonde
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 6:49 pm

Post by James Blonde »

Ahh cool, so suspecting just the wheels in my case. Will try them out tomorrow and get someone to stand in front of the car whilst I check! they'll love that.... :D
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pjm007
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Location: UK

Post by pjm007 »

Here is a pic I prepared earlier

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=434&start=10#p3844
Two XC40s - so far! Inscription Pro T5 AWD Auto - Glacier Silver/Blond/21”, fully loaded, from Jan thro Sep 2021. Polestarred. :) Also one of the first FEs - a D4 AWD Auto - Bursting Blue/Charcoal/20" from Mar thro Aug 2018. Also Polestarred. :o
Marketry
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Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2018 4:52 am

Post by Marketry »

I guess it's all about expectations. I bought a Porsche a couple of years back. Only kept it for 6 months but on hindsight realised I enjoyed the configurator and anticipation more than the car when it finally arrived.

With the Volvo xc40 my expectations are that provided the shopping bag hooks revealed in the folding boot floor work well for the Waitrose shop anything else is just a bonus.
T5 White - 19 inchers for sanity not vanity
David56
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:22 am

Post by David56 »

Marketry wrote: Sat May 19, 2018 8:59 am I guess it's all about expectations. I bought a Porsche a couple of years back. Only kept it for 6 months but on hindsight realised I enjoyed the configurator and anticipation more than the car when it finally arrived.

With the Volvo xc40 my expectations are that provided the shopping bag hooks revealed in the folding boot floor work well for the Waitrose shop anything else is just a bonus.
I only got mine for the curry bag hook on the glovebox lid, and I dont even eat curry!!
First Edition T5 in Fusion Red with 20" Alloys.
Now Sold
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