The new Volvo XC40 B5 Ultimate gently nudges Malaysians towards a greener future.
The Volvo XC40 has been quite the success story for the company. Where other premium makes have opted to flood the compact segment with loads of models, Volvo has been able to cater to their audience with just this one model with a variety of powertrain options.
When it first arrived in Malaysia in 2018, the XC40 had a rather conventional 2.0L turbocharged petrol engine. For 2023, Volvo has added the XC40 B5 Ultimate specification – a huge upgrade over the original and one of the many variants available today.
The B5 is a mild hybrid powertrain that combines the convenience of a petrol-powered engine with the efficiency and output gains of electrification. Power goes up from 252hp to 263hp and from 350Nm of torque to 390Nm of torque, that’s 11hp and 30Nm more than on the pure petrol model it replaces while also being slightly higher than what’s available on the B5 powertrains for the XC60 and XC90! Plus, it still does 0-100km/h faster.
However, it’s not really about the power increase for Volvo. The B5 mild hybrid powertrain compliment’s Volvo Car Malaysia’s electrification journey by encouraging their customers to embrace electrified powertrains as the norm.
In terms of looks, there are quite a few changes to note of. This new model brings more triangular-shaped headlights with reflector LEDs. The front bumper has also been redesigned to accommodate the new headlight shape. The foglight housing surrounds have also been changed versus the original model. Around back, the tailpipes are now hidden and there’s a glossy bottom lip section instead. Another prominent change comes from the fact that it’s now an ‘Ultimate’ trim rather than an ‘R-Design’ trim. This brings a new set of 19” wheels. While they’re the same size as before, these feature a new design with 5 Y-shaped spokes.
Exterior colour options for the XC40 B5 are now more muted and in line with the brand’s values. The colour options for the 2023 Volvo XC40 B5 Ultimate include: Fjord Blue, Black Stone, Crystal White, Thunder Grey, and Silver Dawn. Inside, the only option is the Charcoal Connect Suede textile with some details in Microtech fabric. The XC40 B5 mild hybrid is just one of three XC40 variants available for the 2023 model year. Also available are the T5 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid and the Recharge Pure Electric.
All three variants of the XC40 are extremely well equipped – each with a 9” infotainment system with Google services built in, full LED headlamps with Active High Beam and Active Bending Lights, a sports chassis, and an uncompromised City Safety suite, Pilot Assist and more. That being said, the XC40 B5 Ultimate is slightly better equipped with a 600W 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a few more added goodies. The new Volvo XC40 B5 Ultimate is available for RM268,888 without insurance and customers who register their vehicle by the end of December 2022 are entitled to 5 years of free maintenance via their complementary Volvo Service Agreement (VSA) package.
