Volvo’s smallest electric car gets the Cross Country treatment for our new long-termer. By Natalie Middleton.

Volvo EX30 Cross Country Twin Motor Performance AWD Ultra

List Price: £47,005 | BiK: 3% | Official range: 273 miles | On fleet range: N/A | Efficiency as tested: N/A

First Report:

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As one Volvo door closes, another one opens.

With the departure of our EX30 Single Motor Extended Range RWD Ultra after some six months with us, we’ve swapped over to the EX30 Cross Country Ultra.

Billed by Volvo as “the adventurous type”, it’s basically a higher-riding and higher-performance version of Volvo’s smallest SUV, kitted out with matte black body cladding for a “bold, ready-for-anywhere look” and solely available with the twin-motor setup.

While the standard EX30 gets a choice of Single Motor, Single Motor Extended Range or Twin Motor Performance versions depending on grade, the CC is only available as the Twin Motor Performance.

And the full grade line-up of Core, Pulse and Ultra is pared down to just the Ultra for the CC.

There’s also a big price uplift. The standard EX30 in Single Motor form and Core specification starts at £33,060, while the EX30 Cross Country Ultra starts from £47,060. A fairer comparison through shows the standard EX30 in Twin Motor Performance and Ultra guise is £45,860, putting the upgrade to the Cross Country at £1,200.

All Volvo EX30s have some pretty eyewatering performance figures but, as with every version featuring the top-spec powertrain, the Cross Country takes it into another realm. As an example, the entry-level EX30 Single Motor gets 272hp and is capable of 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, while the Single Motor Extended Range gets the same 272hp but a 5.3-second time for the 0-62mph dash. But the Twin Motor Performance powertrain used for both the standard EX30 and the sole option for the EX30 CC gets an insane 428hp and 3.6-second figure for 0-62mph.

Just to put that in perspective, that’s the fastest-accelerating Volvo ever.

As you’d expect, there’s an impact on official WLTP range, with the Twin Motor Performance coming out at 279 miles versus 295 for the Single Motor Extended Range with the same 69kWh battery and 209 for the standard Single Motor with the smaller 51kWh battery. Still, 279 miles on paper sounds good enough for many drivers’ everyday needs.

Our Ultra trim comes with a wealth of features befitting its top-tier status. There’s the 12.3-inch centre console touchscreen with voice controls; divisive as it’s virtually button-free and not always intuitive. Then there’s the Google Automotive Services, the Harman Kardon dashboard soundbar, rear parking camera, power-operated tailgate and the Swedish brand’s driver-assistance Safe Space Technology.

The only option on ours is the £1,200 foldable towbar, bringing the P11D as tested up to £48,405. But for those wishing to maximise the outdoorsy credentials of the EX30 CC, the option list includes a roof basket or box and a bicycle holder.

First impressions are that the EX30 Cross Country does stand out from the standard model in terms of looks and performance.

But will three months with the CC prove the merits of the EX30’s more rough and rugged variant and justify the price uplift?