By Kamil Kaluski
Getting a smaller Volvo used to mean you were a safety-obsessed architect who enjoyed sensible sweaters. Now, it means being sensibly green but also being able to accelerate from stand still to 60mph as fast as a Ferrari Roma while sitting in a cabin made of recycled PET bottles. The EX30 is a Swedish design on the outside, but underneath, it is all Geely. Built on the Chinese SEA platform, it is essentially a Zeekr in a minimalist IKEA suit. This isn’t a new idea for Volvo; the 300-series were basically DAFs.
Interior:
Inside, the EX30 is Volvo’s attempt to prove that less is more, mostly by removing almost all physical buttons and knobs. Minimalism has been taken to a level that feels like a personal challenge. There is no gauge cluster and no head-up display. If you want to know how fast you are going, adjust your side mirrors, or even open the glovebox, you have to dive into a 12.3-inch vertical tablet. Volvo claims this reduces complexity and saves the planet, but mostly it just saves them money on wiring and switches.
All images but the bottom one – Kevin Nguyen
The seats are draped in a cool, high-tech fabric that feels more like expensive gym gear than a car interior. Volvo has always had the best seats in the business, and while this is no XC90, they are very comfortable. The rear seats split and fold, providing enough space to fit a bicycle with the front wheel removed. Overhead is a fixed glass roof, and while it is tinted, the cover for it is a separate accessory.
Exterior:
The exterior is a masterclass in making a tiny footprint look expensive. It is stubby, boxy, and features a “Thor’s Hammer” light signature that looks modern without trying too hard. It manages to look like a proper SUV in photos, but in person, you realize it is barely bigger than a Ford Fiesta. Yet, is rather unique looking, and somehow unmistakably Volvo.
Powertrain:
The powertrain is where the EX30 stops being a sensible commuter and starts being a menace. In Twin Motor Performance trim, this little Swedish-badged brick delivers 422 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds. It is a stoplight sleeper that will embarrass many loud exhaust bro-mobiles. Because it is an EV built on a dedicated platform, the weight is all down low, making it zip through traffic with an agility that the larger, bloated Volvos of the past could only dream of.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, the EX30 is a punchy, stylish gamble. It is a car for people who prioritize curb appeal and minimalism over the tactile satisfaction of a volume knob. It feels like a glimpse into a future where cars are high-performance appliances rather than mechanical companions. If you can live with a screen that controls your entire life, the price starts around $40,000 for the Single Motor (268hp and 261 miles of range) and climbs toward $48,000 (422hp and 253 miles of range) for the Twin Motor Performance.
Or, hear me out,… get a used Volvo.
Robby DeGraff 
Ross Ballot