EX30 review - Autocar

[NigelDay]

This is a disappointing read.
So much they like, but ergonomics they don't.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volvo/ex30

[Ulrikas PA]

It's amazing how companies do their own thing without first checking what works for the competition. The Volkswagen Group screen interface issues were public knowledge 3 years ago. Surely Volvo wanted to make it easy to use? Heads should roll like at VW.

[Frank Bullitt]

Pretty much every article mentions the central screen has frustrations but absolutely none of them are that dismissive, I think the author drove off without preparing the car and can’t use voice activation. Carwow is worth a watch:

https://youtu.be/5umdHj0o1B8?si=nXMThYHiIrCTMyRp

Once you’ve set a car up there’s little need to go into the menus, especially as most of the settings are aligned to a key.

[sandys]

No, he's just being honest, let's face it whilst you can do stuff with voice the UI should not be all on screen and if you have to use the screen you should make the UI elements bigger and usable, not have functions nested between menus with lists of tiny toggles.

All screen interface is a rubbish set up, its like changing drive modes on AAOS, rubbish, or trying to change the AC with a simple button press, rubbish, looking to central screen for speed, rubbish, generally touchscreens are rubbish and you should limit use of them.

The XC60 is passable as you have minimal stuff on central and the remainder in Driving display and HUD.

The EX30 has one screen and whilst it is bigger than the old cars, you have to stuff so much more information on that one screen it's a lot more compromised and cluttered....rubbish.

Shame, really liked it otherwise, they've just gone too far in the quest to maximise profits.

It's close relation from Smart manages to fit all these things for more or less the same money.

[The Thong]

I like the EX30 apart from the white speckles on the dash I’ve seen in the pics. It looks like someone’s got paint spots all over it. I’ll be keeping a watchful eye on this to see how the more longterm reviews rate it. I’ll judge it better when I see one in the proverbial flesh. The price looks good on them for an EV too. Leamington needs a better charging infrastructure

TT

[JonathanD]

Originally Posted by The Thong

Leamington needs a better charging infrastructure

Doesn't everywhere???!!!

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by JonathanD

Doesn't everywhere???!!!

Absolutely, living on a terraced street offers no home charging so it’s the local
Supermarket, Shopping Ctr or motorway services, it’s just not viable for me. As per usual it’s been a rush to start the EV age without taking a more measured approach where everything just comes together nicely

TT

[baggy798]

Another stupid crossover for stupid people, so it should sell well regardless of how stupid it looks or how stupid it is to use.

Steering wheel haptics control audio or cruise control. Everything else is operated via the central touchscreen: lights, unforgivably up to and including foglights (two menus away from the home screen); wiper sensitivity; glovebox (on the home screen [!] but small); door mirrors (two); climate (one push for temperatures, a different push for circulation/demisting); heated seats (on one of these menus, but which one? Exciting!); audio (push once for volume, once again for detailed volumes, and the separate apps menu for source); driver assistance systems (three pushes); one-pedal driving (one)... You get the idea.

Why is it against the law to 'use' a phone whilst driving (not necessarily to make a call, just play a song for example), but it's perfectly legal to mess around with all this jumble of options whilst driving? Again, not necessarily to make a call, but just to do something sort of important when operating a piece of machinery, like turning the lights on to see where to go.

Outlawing one but turning a blind eye to the other is just stupid. It's all so stupid now.

Conspiracy hat on, the touchscreen fad and other distractions are deliberately manufactured problems so the TPTB can craftily introduce surveillance systems within cars - the 'attention assist' - under the guise of safety legislation. They're only here to help you! 🧐👻

Pressing an icon on the touchscreen to open the glovebox...? 😂

+ YouTube Video

[Ulrikas PA]

Audi 's virtual cockpit is a brilliant bit of design putting the info into the dash behind the steering wheel. If you've not had a car with it over the last 10+ years, better have a look now before they dumb themselves down and put it all onto a central screen.

Volvo used to have ergonomists. Must have replaced them with coders.

[Chris1Roll]

It was bad enough trying to change the station on the radio in my Hyundai Ioniq company car to the point that to do it safely, really you ought to pull over.
Thankfuly that had actual buttons for the volume and everything else.

Putting all the controls on a sodding touchscreen is just ridiculous, and as for having to use it to open the glovebox

Just give me actual switches and buttons!

I can adjust everything to however I want it in our two current cars ('01 xc70 and '89 740) quickly, easily and efficiently by feel with barely a glance away from the road.

Ergonomics has taken a back seat compared to the economics of sticking a tablet to the dash and calling it good.

I think someone said on another thread something along the lines of "Volvo hasn't really been Volvo for a while now, time to let go".