That said, I have been spoiled of late behind the wheel of the XC40 (now known as EX40 for MY 2025 onwards, so we’ll will call it that here) whose electrically adjustable front seats are about as good as it gets for any type of journey. So it’s a testament to the EX30 that I didn’t feel too out of pocket.

And speaking of pockets, those of EX30 drivers won’t have to be quite as deep as future EX40 drivers’ – to the tune of over £10k – so inevitably, there needs to be some price-point differentiation to justify opting for the bigger Volvo brother. For sure, the EX40 feels more substantial, as its 2,480kg kerb weight would suggest, but this also affects the efficiency of the similarly sized battery. For example, driving the EX30 with its useable 64kwh battery, it would be returning around 310-320 miles of range, whereas the EX40 is more like 280-290 miles, and some of this can be attributed to carrying an extra 250kg around.

The EX40 single motor model, by comparison, offers 0-62mph of 7.3 seconds, which is plenty for daily use, but obviously doesn’t quite deliver the punchy acceleration of its smaller sibling. Also, the EX30’s cabin, despite having a beautifully simplistic design, can’t quite match the premium feel of the EX40, which again is understandable given the price points.

The large touchscreen in the EX30 has been contentious in some quarters, and there is an argument to have your speed visible in your eyeline, rather than the top right of the central screen, but living with the car for a few days, you get used to this. You also get used to everything running off the screen – heating controls etc – and marvel at Volvo’s driver understanding system noticing when you’re slightly tired or yawning at the wheel.

In handing the yellow Volvo back, I felt nothing but admiration for the new car – entirely worthy of its award win – but also a new-found respect for our XC40/EX40, proving that most of the time in life, you gets what you pays for.