Volvo Updates 40 Series Range with Google Gemini AI and Enhanced Safety Tech

Volvo Cars has unveiled a mid-cycle update for its compact 40 series lineup, introducing artificial intelligence integration, an expanded active safety suite, and refreshed styling to the XC40, EX40, and EC40 models. Nearly a decade after the original platform debuted, the Swedish automaker has implemented its second major facelift across the compact SUV family to align the vehicles with its latest technology standards and interior architecture.

Order books for the updated 40 series models have opened in initial international markets, with production scheduled to commence in the autumn. The updates apply across the entire family, spanning mild-hybrid petrol configurations alongside the fully electric EX40 SUV and EC40 coupe SUV variants, though market-specific availability and powertrain options will vary across global regions.

The revised 40 series introduces a substantially upgraded hardware sensor package designed to improve active safety and collision prevention. The revised system replaces earlier hardware with a comprehensive sensor layout featuring new front and corner radars, a front-facing camera, rear corner radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and upgraded parking cameras.

Volvo confirmed that all models now feature standard automatic emergency steering and automatic emergency braking engineered to intervene during imminent collision risks. The enhanced sensor suite enables new active safety functions, including a Door Opening Alert designed to warn occupants of approaching cyclists or motorized traffic before a door is opened. Additionally, the optional Pilot Assist driver assistance package has been recalibrated for smoother lane-following behavior and now incorporates active lane-change assistance, while the optional 360-degree surround-view system receives a 3D rendering view for low-speed parking operations.

Interior modifications center on a new 11.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, replacing the smaller display used in previous iterations and bringing the 40 series in line with recent updates applied to the larger XC60 and XC90 SUVs. Operating on Volvo's latest connected interface, the larger display is formatted to reduce menu steps and grant faster access to frequently used climate, navigation, and vehicle functions.

A primary technical addition inside the cabin is the integration of Google Gemini AI, making the 40 series among the first production vehicles to utilize the conversational assistant. The system allows occupants to interact using natural-language voice commands for complex tasks, including dynamic route planning, location queries, and hands-free text message management. Complementing the digital infrastructure, Volvo has added an upgraded wireless smartphone charging pad, revised ambient lighting, and new trim finishes such as Arianne Cardamom leather paired with Brown Ash wood, alongside Black Ash and aluminum accents.

On the outside, all three models feature redesigned front-end bodywork, including an updated bonnet, revised front wings, and a restyled front bumper. The matrix LED headlights have been updated while maintaining Volvo's signature Thor's Hammer LED light pattern. This distinctive lighting layout, named after the hammer wielded by the mythological Norse god of thunder, serves as a core design identifier for the brand's modern fleet, giving the front profile a wide, recognizable visual signature day and night.

While the overall footprint remains unchanged, individual variants receive distinct front grilles to differentiate propulsion types. The petrol-powered XC40 adopts a restyled traditional air-intake grille, whereas the electric EX40 and EC40 retain smooth, blanked-off front panels. At the rear, the XC40 and EX40 sport updated LED tail-lamp internals, a revised tailgate, and a refreshed lower bumper, while the EC40 coupe crossover retains its existing rear tail-lamp styling. Wheel choices have also been refreshed across the lineup, with the XC40 offering new diamond-cut alloy wheels ranging from 18 to 20 inches, alongside available Black Edition trim packages featuring blacked-out badging and exterior accents.

Underneath the updated exterior, Volvo continues to offer diverse propulsion systems, spanning mild-hybrid internal combustion engines and dual-battery electric drivetrains. The combustion-engined XC40 features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission in front-wheel-drive configurations. Depending on market specifications, power outputs range from a 163hp (120kW) B3 entry-level tune delivering 265Nm of torque to a higher-spec 197hp (145kW) B4 tune producing 300Nm.

The electric EX40 and EC40 variants maintain their underlying hardware configurations, offering battery capacities between 66kWh and 79kWh. Buyers can select between single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive configurations, with top-tier dual-motor variants generating up to 442hp (325kW) and 670Nm of torque. Under WLTP test protocols, the electric EX40 achieves a certified driving range of up to 575 kilometers on a single charge, while the sleeker aerodynamic profile of the EC40 coupe SUV extends its certified WLTP range to 584 kilometers.

Deliveries for the refreshed 40 series will roll out across international markets through late 2026 and into 2027. In Australia, where the combined XC40 and EX40 lineup represents Volvo's top-selling model line with 1,656 units sold year-to-date, showroom arrivals are slated for 2027. Australian buyers will also gain access to the lower-output XC40 B3 variant for the first time, which accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds and could potentially lower the entry price below the current starting price of $55,490 AUD for the XC40 B4 Plus.

In the Indian market, where Volvo currently sells only the EC40 electric SUV priced at Rs 59.00 lakh ex-showroom, official timelines for the updated model have not yet been confirmed. Volvo previously delisted the EX40 from its Indian website and discontinued the petrol XC40 in India in 2023. Across all markets, Volvo confirmed that both electric and combustion variants will continue to receive over-the-air software updates following customer deliveries to enhance digital capabilities over time.