2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra Review: The fastest production Volvo ever comes with standard sincerity and a dash of devil
The folks at Volvo have always seem so … sincere.
They are sincere in how they don’t want people to get hurt in their cars. They are sincere in the way they don’t want their cars to pollute the environment.
Sometimes though, the sincerity, the goodness, gets in the way of building truly characterful cars. There’s no devil in a Volvo 240 wagon, but there’s plenty in a ’68 Chev Camaro.
Not that I’m advocating Volvo start building inefficient tanks with enormous V8 engines. No. I’m saying just an element of the dark side would help. I mean they live in darkness for six months of the year up there in Sweden, you’d think that would drive anyone a bit ferrel.
Which brings us to the Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra. This compact electric SUV is the fastest production car Volvo has ever built and maybe a sign a bit of unruliness slinks about the corridors of Volvo HQ in Gothenburg.
Good thing too.
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2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra price and equipment
There is no doubt the Volvo EX has been a real success story for Volvo since it launched in Australia last year.
It was even the estimable Iain Curry’s choice as his EV of the year in 2024. How can you argue with that? It’s impossible.
The EX30 we’re testing here is significant because – as its name suggests – it’s the only one with two e-motors, is therefore the flagship and costs the most at $71,290 plus on-road costs.
The other two models are the $59,990 Extended Range Plus and $66,290 Extended Range Ultra (plus on-roads).
Logical rivals for the EX30 family? On size and/or price you’re looking at the BMW iX1, Jeep Avenger, Mini Aceman and even the Hyundai Kona Electric. The Zeekr X and Smart #1 are in-house rivals because those brands are – like Volvo – members of the giant Chinese Geely Auto Group.
All three EX30s qualify for the fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption if the car is being purchased via a novated lease. That can add up to big savings.
The dual motor powertrain brings with it 315kW/543Nm and a claimed 0-100km/h time of just 3.6 seconds. That’s 0.5 seconds faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera, with $200,000 still in the bank if you go with the Volvo.
The single motor models offer 200kW/343Nm, a 5.3 seconds 0-100km/h time. All three EX30s come with the same 69kWh battery pack.
So apart from sparkling straight-line acceleration, what does the EX30 Twin Performance Ultra deliver in the way of gear and goodies?
A panoramic sunroof (but no interior blind), 20-inch alloy wheels, distinctive ‘Thors Hammer’ headlights, a power tailgate and proper pull-type doorhandles distinguish the exterior.
Inside you’ll find a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that controls – well – just about everything infotainment-wise. There is no instrument panel (or head up display) in front of the driver , just a slab of something recyclable. This is an issue and we’ll return to it.
Wireless Apple CarPlay, Harman Kardon sound system with an unusual but effective windscreen-length soundbar, dual-zone climate control and Google built-in for five years (Play Store, Maps and Assistant) are all standard.
Reserved for the two Ultras are automated parking assist, power front seats with four-way lumbar adjust and heating, tinted rear windows and a heated steering wheel.
Understandably, all EX30s comer with a high level of safety equipment including automated front and rear braking, lane keeping and blind spot monitoring. Seven airbags and a 2024 five-star ANCAP rating are also included.
There’s no added costs for any one of the EX30’s five paint or four trim options and there’s no servicing charges for five years.
What’s missing that we would like included? A spare tyre for one – Volvo ferchrissake! How can Volvo sell a car without a spare tyre!
2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra: What we think
It’s hard to argue with a car that makes you feel good every time you walk toward it. And the 2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra certainly does that.
With only 4233mm of length to work with, Volvo’s designers have done a really good job carving out a chiselled little block of a car. In fact it’s the smallest EV Volvo has yet developed and its first EV not to be twinned with an ICE model.
It really is charming in a pugnacious way. The Kia EV3 is of the same sort of genre and both are as far as possible from the lozenge-on-wheels design language shared by Tesla and its Chinese imitators.
So the outside is great, but the inside drives me a bit batty.
It’s just too minimalist. You have to adjust external mirrors and air-conditioning via the screen and you have to glance away from the road to the screen to check your speed. The position of the ‘speedo’ changes depending on what functions are in use.
We also encountered some glitchiness with the smartphone mirroring, which has been a problem in recent times for Volvo software.
There are other irritations. The power window switches that double up to open the rear windows; the under-sized glovebox that drops out of the centre console; the lack of overhead grabs for any passengers to hang on to and the single knob that makes all driver’s seat adjustments.
At least the seat is supportive and comfy once set up. The spotty Pixel Knit trim is also kinda cool, but some surfaces are just hard to the touch.
Going right off on a tangent there’s something a bit ominous about the way the storage trays slides out of the centre console. Go and watch the movie Alien and see if you get my vibe.
Rear seat space is tight and creature comforts are at a minimum. The boot is also small at 318 litres, but at least it is wide and there is a small frunk as well.
Essentially, this is not a family car. Keep that order in for an EX90.
OK onto the driving. As mentioned Volvo is part of the giant Geely Auto Group these days so the EX30 shares its EV-specific architecture with other members of the group such as the Zeekr X, Smart #1 and even the Lotus Eletre.
But Volvo has applied its own tune to the basic mechanicals and what that boils down to is something pretty darn fast. Just press the throttle and the EX30 Twin etcetera whirrs away at a real rush. It slams you into the seat with its force. It’s a bit rictus grin inducing the first couple of times.
But then you acclimatise and it mainly becomes a party trick to shock your passengers. “This is a Volvo?”
If the speed seems out of character the dynamics feel more familiar. The EX30 rides, handles and steers with impressive quality, but it’s not really involving.
There’s a very Volvo-esque layer separating the driver from the experience. This is typical of the brand and exacerbated by the challenge facing the auto industry to make EVs really interesting to drive and not just fast in a straight line.
A real hot hatch version of the EX30 could penetrate this layer and make a great car. Who knows, maybe somewhere in the halls of Gothenburg a plan is being plotted.
They can also plot some improvements to the electric architecture because the EX30 struggles to match its claimed 445km WLTP range.
The trip computer can be inordinately optimistic. We set off on one country trip with 90 per cent battery charge, a 470km range estimate and 316km later we were down to 4km distance to empty as a fast charger thankfully appeared.
Consumption will be more frugal in town for sure, but just be warned.
2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra: Verdict
Flagship models are the highest priced and therefore must deliver that bit more than their cheaper siblings. Sometimes it’s debatable if they do that.
Such is the case with the 2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra. Yep its fast and yep its good looking. And it’s a Volvo so it’s safe and environmentally green.
But the cheaper single-motor EX30s deliver most of what this model does – both good and bad. They’re not quite as quick in a straight line, but they do come fitted standard with all that lovely Scandinavian sincerity.
It’s just up to you whether you want to pay extra for the flagship’s dash of devil.
SCORE: 3.0/5
2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra specifications
Price: $71,290 (plus on-road costs)
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, compact SUV, AWD
Range: 445km (WLTP)
Battery capacity: 69kWh
Battery warranty: 8 years
Energy consumption: 18Wh/100km (WLTP)
Motors: 2 motors, 115kW/200Nkm front + 200kW/343Nm rear
AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 153kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 3.6 seconds
The sincerity angle is a great observation. Volvo has always been about safety first, but the EX30 might just be the brand’s first attempt at combining that with a bit of thrill. It’ll be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out in the EV world.
I have the twin performance model. It is beautiful to drive and the acceleration really is something to experience.
Down side is the software/connection is glitchy at times. Very annoying. Hopefully updates will improve this.