Starting in 2024, Volvo Car Malaysia announced that they have given their Volvo C40 some slight updates to refresh the vehicle. While these updates are small in comparison, I think they are a good addition to the already decent Volvo C40. As of now, the C40 is the one receiving these updates, and hopefully, they will be trickled down to their XC40 SUV as well. For now, I will focus on this updated Volvo C40 and share why I think these updates have made the C40 even better.
For the 2024 model year C40, the most important update this EV gets is a bigger battery. The battery size has been increased from 78kWh to 82kWh. While the increase is just 4kWh, the C40 now comes with at least 100 km extra range compared to the pre-update model. According to Volvo, the C40 can now do 550km on a single charge. However, in real life, I see the estimated range on the dashboard is just 490 km when I fully charge the SUV. Based on my personal usage, I believe the C40 can achieve about 450km of real-world range on a full charge.
Apart from upgrading the battery, Volvo also enhanced the charging capability of the C40. The C40 now has a maximum charging speed of 200kW, which is 50kW more than before. With this updated charging speed, Volvo states that the C40 can now charge from 10% to 80% in just 27 minutes. Faster charging speed means you can top up the vehicle faster when you’re out and about. Additionally, Volvo has also retuned the power delivery for the two electric motors of the C40. With this retuned power delivery, the C40 is supposed to display a more rear-biased driving characteristic. Volvo engineers achieved this by adding 10Nm of extra torque to the rear motor. 
Next, the updated C40 comes with new pixel matrix LED headlights. While this technology is not new on the market, it is the first time it’s available on a Volvo. These headlights have the ability to switch on and off 84 individual LED bulbs, which precisely removes glare for vehicles in front or oncoming vehicles. Lastly, this updated Volvo C40 gets a new rim design for the 2024 model year. While the size remains at 19 inches, this new rim design gives the C40 a more updated look. I personally quite like this rim design, as it looks elegant on the C40. 
In terms of performance, the C40 still produces a total of 408 PS and 670Nm. This performance allows the C40 to do the century sprint in just 4.7 seconds, with a limited top speed of 180 km/h. With these minor changes in torque delivery, I don’t really feel a difference on the road. The C40 still accelerates in a pretty rapid manner, and you can reach triple-digit speeds with ease. While driving, you know you have plenty of power under your right foot.
This time around, I drove with regenerative braking turned off, which really enhanced the driving feel of the vehicle. This is because the car now doesn’t feel like it’s being held back when the throttle pedal is released. I prefer this driving feel over other EVs. With regenerative braking turned off, I also find that I can drive the C40 more efficiently. However, if you step on the brake pedal, the regenerative brakes are still there to recuperate electricity when slowing down. This means you’re in control of the regenerative brakes, which I really like. 
Handling-wise, the C40 still provides a decent road-holding characteristic. Similar to all the C40 and XC40 models I’ve driven in the past, the updated C40 displays a very controllable chassis. Without any engine noise, I believe the danger here is going into corners without having a sense of speed. Body roll is still present, as this is an SUV after all. The steering is also decently sharp, allowing the driver to accurately place the vehicle where they intend to go. 
Even with updated features, I’m quite surprised that Volvo Malaysia still managed to sell it at the same price of RM 288,888. While there are many newer and cheaper EVs coming to the market, as a package, I find that the C40 is a lot more complete compared to them. With these added features, it makes the C40 even more appealing than before. The C40 is designed for those who appreciate a more complete vehicle, rather than those looking for out-and-out straight-line acceleration. If I had to choose, the C40 is actually one of the EVs that I highly recommend to others. 
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