A Closer Look at the 2022 Volvo C40, a Smoothed and Styled XC40

• Exterior and interior styling take center stage in the new Volvo electric crossover.
  

• Clever storage options and a powerful dual-motor electric drivetrain make the C40 an appealing option for electric-car shoppers.

• The C40 shares the practicality of the XC40 Recharge but packages it in a sleek, romantic exterior inspired by Swedish landscape.

You can order the Volvo C40 Recharge in any of seven different colors, but it would be a mistake to choose any but Fjord Blue. Not only is it fun to say, but it comes with a matching cerulean interior that pops like the silk lining of a vintage overcoat. It's the kind of fashion statement you don't tend to see in any cars below the level of a custom-built Rolls-Royce, and it's a delightful change from the monochromatic minimalism we’ve grown used to in electric-car cabins.

Choosing a car purely for the pretty interior is not recommended, but if you were to go that route, you could certainly justify it on the C40. Even if you don’t go with the blue, the layout inside the C40 is the same innovative and tidy design we liked on Volvo's first all-electric SUV, the XC40 Recharge. The seats are soft, roomy, and leather-free, available in either a soft wool upholstery or a mix of faux suede and faux leather micro-tech trim. The door panel pockets are wide enough for a laptop, the wireless charging phone pad will house cells both big and small, and should you prefer connected charging, there’s a wee clip above the USB ports to help keep the cord tidy.

Everything in its place is a theme in the C40. There’s a hanging hook for a purse or shopping bag in the glovebox which folds away when not needed. There’s even a snap-in spot to hold a pen, three different slots to house parking garage tickets or other easily lost and oft-needed cards and papers, and a removable trash can in the console to get rid of the less-needed ones.

The back seat has plenty of headroom, even with the lowered roofline, and the doors are attached on the outer body of the car, to offer added space for stepping in, or lifting a kid into a child seat. The same outside-hinge approach was used for the rear hatch, to prevent any loss of headroom in the back, and to give designers and excuse to use cool little winglet roof covers. Rear cargo space will be slightly, but not dramatically, less than the square-roofed XC40, and the clever cargo hooks and stowable cargo cover we liked in that vehicle make it over to the C40 as well.