Volvo updates 40 Series: EX40, EC40 and XC40 get Gemini and new safety technology

A familiar face gains EX60 inspiration

The basic structure of Volvo’s 40 Series is no longer in its first flush of youth. The XC40 arrived in 2017, while the EX40 is essentially the electric version of the same model. The EC40, previously known as the C40 Recharge, also uses the same CMA architecture.

Rather than introducing an all-new generation, Volvo is giving the models another comprehensive update. The manufacturer is revising the front end and fitting Matrix LED headlights with new graphics, whose “Thor’s Hammer” daytime-running-light motif visually links the 40 Series to the newer EX60. The grille, bumpers, bonnet and front wings are also changing.

The XC40 and EX40 additionally receive new LED rear lights, a revised tailgate and a redesigned rear bumper. The EC40’s coupe-like rear end remains largely unchanged.

The XC40’s wheel range now extends from 18 to 20 inches. Volvo is therefore not attempting to reinvent the proportions of these well-known cars, but is smoothing out the ageing design enough to ensure it does not look embarrassing beside newer models.

The 9-inch display makes way for an 11.2-inch unit

The more noticeable change takes place inside. In place of the existing 9-inch vertical central display, the 40 Series uses an 11.2-inch screen with Volvo’s newer user interface.

The manufacturer promises to reduce the number of taps needed to access the most frequently used functions. This matters because the issue with Volvo’s current Google-based infotainment systems has not been a lack of functions, but their layout and the major role of the touchscreen in controlling everyday operations.

A larger screen alone does not solve that problem. If the new user interface genuinely reduces the need to navigate through menus, the update will be more valuable than the additional 2.2 inches of diagonal display size.

The cabin also gains a wireless phone charger, while Volvo offers new upholstery and trim options.

Gemini turns the car’s voice control into a conversation

An even more important software development is Google Gemini. Volvo Cars announced the introduction of Gemini in April, and Google’s next-generation AI now also forms part of the updated 40 Series technology package. Gemini understands natural speech and conversational context better than a conventional voice-command system.

For example, the driver can ask the car to plan a journey, find a suitable stop along the route or assist with messages. The idea is to reduce the need to memorise specific command formats.

European users should nevertheless apply the brakes before declaring Gemini the car’s most important update. Volvo itself notes that the availability of functions and services depends on the market, language and other conditions. Gemini’s initial rollout began with customers in the US.

The biggest technical change is actually behind the bumper

The display and Gemini attract attention, but the more significant update concerns active safety. Volvo is fitting the 40 Series with a new sensor platform.

The system uses new front and corner-mounted radars, an updated front camera, rear corner radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors and new parking cameras. These allow the car to monitor its surroundings more accurately than before and, in the event of danger, warn the driver or intervene itself.

The updated hardware also enables new or improved driver-assistance features. Door opening warning monitors road users approaching from behind, such as cyclists. Pilot Assist gains lane-change assistance, while the 360-degree camera system now offers a 3D view.

This is precisely the change that helps bring the older CMA-based 40 Series electronically closer to Volvo’s newer models. A new grille cannot hide its age, but better awareness of its surroundings makes a genuine difference to using the car.

Electric powertrains make no major leap

The EX40 and EC40 retain largely familiar technical foundations. Volvo has not introduced a new battery or an 800 V electrical system with this update. The EX40’s maximum WLTP range reaches 575 kilometres, while the more aerodynamic EC40 reaches 584 kilometres.

That is the weaker aspect of the update. Competition in Europe’s EV market is now moving rapidly towards greater charging power, better energy efficiency and more modern electrical architectures. The EX40 and EC40’s 400 V CMA foundations do not become younger because of a new display.

On the other hand, Volvo does not position these cars as technological flagships. Their role is to keep the more compact end of the brand’s range competitive until Volvo’s newer generation of EVs increasingly takes over the line-up.

European buyers will get the updated cars this autumn

Orders for the updated models open in selected European markets in September, with production starting in autumn 2026. The EX40 and EC40 will be built at Volvo’s Ghent factory in Belgium.

The 40 Series update is therefore primarily a life-extension exercise rather than a new beginning. Volvo leaves the costly core technology largely untouched and invests in areas the driver notices every day: the user interface, voice control, cameras and driver assistance systems.

That may be entirely sufficient for the XC40, whose buyer is not necessarily chasing the latest word in EV technology. The EX40 and EC40, however, must compete with much newer EVs in Europe. Even Gemini cannot change the fact that a good conversational partner does not charge the battery faster.