Volvo’s latest addition to its SUV line-up – the XC40 – has won the WhatCar? Car of the Year for 2018.
It is the first compact SUV to take the crown and it also won the Family SUV category, on a night that also saw stablemate the XC60 win the safest car of the year award.
The judges at WhatCar? were impressed by the XC40’s premium feel and excellent looks, saying: "This is a big moment for Volvo, because the XC40 has beaten some truly exceptional rivals to win here.
“With its mix of comfort and class, safety and style, the new XC40 excels in all the areas that are important to buyers. Amid a year of great new cars, it stands out as the most impressive by far."
Even from the base trim, the XC40 comes with a good level of equipment with features such as a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and Volvo’s On Call emergency assistance system.
The XC60 claimed the 2018 Safety Award thanks to high scores on the Euro NCAP safety tests last year, which saw it score a five-star rating, 98 per cent on adult occupancy and a score of 95 per cent on safety assistance systems.
On collecting the awards, managing director at Volvo Cars UK Jon Wakefield, said: "Winning the overall What Car? Car of the Year award for the XC40 is a fantastic result – not just for everyone here in the UK, but for Volvo as a global company.
“The XC40 perfectly showcases the bold new direction Volvo is taking, and brings our class-leading connectivity, semi-autonomous drive technology and innovative storage solutions to the premium compact SUV segment.”
Wakefield added: "We are immensely proud of the XC40, and for the experts at What Car? to award it their ultimate accolade is the perfect start to what will be a hugely significant year for Volvo."
