Volvo EX30 Ultra 110kW Review

One little curio about the EX30: Available in other markets with a maximum of 422bhp, it's the fastest accelerating production vehicle from Volvo to date.

This, unfortunately, is not that car. What you're looking at instead is its 148bhp variant, set to win the hearts of customers here thanks to the fact that it is eligible for registration here with a Cat A COE.

But is that enough to swoon you over?

The cabin of the Volvo EX30 is a lovely place to sit in, helped no doubt by the choice of ambience themes to choose from

Small and still rather mighty

First things first: The numbers.

This new variant of the EX30 may offer a humble power output but still offers a total peak torque of 343Nm - practically on par with the 268bhp variant we tested in 2024.

The century sprint time of this new variant of the EX30 is also compromised: From 5.3 seconds to 8.6 seconds. But should that bother you? I think not. For some context: The slightly smaller and lighter MINI Aceman E (catch our review of the MINI Aceman SE here) offers a similar power output yet posts the same zero to 100km/h sprint time.

Pick the 'Ultra' trim of the Volvo EX30 and you get a 69kWh nickel manganese cobalt battery that can be charged at a maximum power of 153kW via a direct current source

And from behind the wheel, its every bit as zippy as you'd expect of an inner-city commuter. All that instantaneous twisting force means the EX30 always feels just effortless when you're performing the sort of half-throttle work that a regular commute will see. Drive the car as such and you should come close to the 6.7km/kWh energy consumption rate that we averaged over three days of driving - impressive considering its official consumption rate of 5.7km/kWh.

And the car has some handling chops to match an eager driver. It's a setup that can simply be described as lively, with commendable grip on offer and decent resistance to body roll to boot, alongside an accurate steering. 

The more discerning will perhaps note that the ride here does become rather busy when tasked to take on a pockmarked road, and body squat and dive are also noticeable under hard acceleration and braking, although I reckon these issues will hardly become too bothersome for those looking at this EX30 as practical transportation.

Operating the 12.3-inch infotainment screen is easy enough and comes complete with Google built-in so you can get answers to general knowledge questions even when on the go

Small but full of potential

But space and practicality are unavoidable concerns for these shoppers, and the Volvo EX30 only gets a passing grade when it comes to these.

Knee room for passengers at the rear is at a premium here, to start, and there's plenty that takes quite a bit of getting used to in the EX30's cabin. These include the omission of an instrument cluster so you'll have to check your speed via the top right corner of the infotainment screen. The window switches here are also located at the central armrest, instead of being at door armrests as you'd typically expect.

For those who frequently parallel park: There's also no option to have the wing mirrors automatically dip down in this Volvo EX30, and you're also stopped from adjusting these when you're in reverse. So, if the car's 360-degree camera is not precise enough for your liking, every move into a lot becomes a multi-action affair.

The cabin of the Volvo EX30 comes with some clever storage compartments and has a hideaway cupholder to boot

But I understand that familiarisation looms larger an issue for an automotive journalist than it would for an owner that would typically keep a car for years to come. And as a space for lounging in, the Volvo EX30 is a delight.

Build quality here feels great, even if the appearance and feel of the speckled recycled plastic panels used on the sections of the cabin don't necessarily inspire much confidence. And the wool blend and Nordico (a synthetic material made from a blend of recycled PET plastics and cork, amongst others) upholstery used on the seats feel great to touch and don't trap heat. And that Harman Kardon sound system delights no matter whether you've got Usher or Liszt playing.

The Volvo EX30 makes a convincing case for itself even with its conservative power output

Small and equally small on price

So, should you make one of these your own?

At $219,000 for this 'Ultra' trim EX30, this Cat A COE-friendly Volvo pits itself quite favourably against options including the MINI Aceman E (yours from $217,888, but equipped with a smaller battery than this EX30), although you will note that the equally design-driven Smart #1 Pro+ can still be had complete with 268bhp and from a price that starts from just $205,000 (all prices as of 29 August 2025, inclusive of COE).

But of course, there's value in driving something that's from an arguably more established brand here in Singapore. And if you don't feel the need all this power, there's also the road tax savings associated with a lesser powered electric vehicle to consider (which should amount close to $500 a year for the power difference between a 268bhp and a 148bhp vehicle).

Maybe going small on power should be a highlight all of its own.

Looking for an electric crossover? There's also these options to consider:

The Zeekr X delivers premium touches and effortless performance in one compact package

Or perhaps this Cat A COE-friendly BMW iX1 might be what you're looking for?

And while you're shopping about, also be sure to catch up on what the BYD Atto 2 has to offer!