The Chinese-Owned Swedes have expanded their practical range with a compact crossover – the all-new 2018 XC40 starts from AED170,000 in the UAE

With the all-new 2018 Volvo XC40 the Chinese-owned Swedish brand-on-the-up is further expanding its volume-selling portfolio with this latest compact crossover.

Now the XC40 has just been launched in Dubai for our GCC market, too, with a starting price of AED170,000 for the XC40 T5 Momentum, and AED185,000 for the top-spec XC40 T5 R-Design.

This kind of premium pricing for a crossover that’s smaller than something like a Kia Sportage, puts the baby Volvo up against tough competition in a cutthroat segment with rivals such as the BMW X1, Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and the upcoming Jaguar E-Pace to name just a few.

Volvo, then, has its work cut out for it but the brand is confident of its slice of the premium crossover pie. Regional Volvo boss Jesus Fernandez de Mesa said: “The EMEA region is an important one for our company and we have great plans to further develop our presence and offering in it. The introduction of the XC40 will be instrumental in that process.”

Later on in the XC40’s production run Volvo will offer a hybrid model with a three-cylinder turbocharged engine as well as a fully electric variant, so going by de Mesa’s words we can expect a broadening of the line-up in the Middle East too.

For now the 2018 XC40 comes in T5 trim, which means it’s powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged engine driving all four wheels. The 2.0-litre produces a quoted 247 horsepower at 5,500rpm and 350Nm of torque, with an eight-speed automatic transmission on board, and 0-100km/h managed in 6.5 seconds, topping out at 230km/h.

Volvo highlights up to 17 combinations of exterior colour options (including a contrasting roof), wireless mobile charging, a standard 9.0-inch touchscreen, and this being Volvo, an emphasis on safety features. There’s all kinds of detection systems, as well as emergency braking and a 360-degree camera.

Volvo is assembling GCC-market XC40s in Ghent, Belgium, with first cars reaching our local showrooms in February 2018.