Used Volvo cars for sale

Volvo makes a fully electric version of the XC40, as well as a coupe version called the C40. While the XC40 is also available with engines or hybrid options, the C40 is electric-only. Both of Volvo’s EVs use the same setups – either a single-motor, two-wheel-drive powertrain, or a potent dual-motor, four-wheel-drive version with enough power to surprise sports car drivers. Whichever you pick, the official range estimate stands at more than 250 miles.

Until recently, two of Volvo’s trim levels were called Momentum and Inscription. Momentum is typically the entry-level offering, but it’ll still come with features like sat nav, cruise control and LED headlights. Inscription is a high-spec, luxury-focused trim level, often featuring goodies like heated seats and a crystal gear lever.

Volvo’s R-Design trim level tends to sit between Momentum and Inscription, and is the one to pick if you want sportier styling. R-Design cars may offer black exterior trim, two-colour alloy wheels and a slightly pointier body kit. It’s Volvo’s equivalent of BMW’s M Sport trim or Mercedes’ AMG Line package.

Geartronic is the name Volvo gives to some of its automatic gearboxes. It’ll often have eight speeds, so can be more refined than a traditional six-speed manual gearbox. These days, the vast majority of Volvos come with an automatic gearbox.

You might spot a letter and number next to a Volvo model name, such as T2, B5 or D4. While they’re largely meaningless to most buyers, these badges signify the fuel type and the power on offer. T stands for petrol and D is for diesel. The higher the number, the more power it has, so a T3 engine will be more powerful than a T2. If it’s followed by ‘Recharge’, such as T8 Recharge, that’s a plug-in hybrid engine. Confusingly, Volvo sometimes now uses combinations like B5 for its mild-hybrid engines, but diesel mild-hybrids are usually called something like B5 D.

As above, Volvo’s Recharge badging is used for its plug-in hybrids. It’s also used for its fully electric cars – an XC40 Recharge could be a hybrid or a fully electric car, so make sure you know what’s powering the car. In the XC40’s case, the electric car’s grille is blanked off, which is a reminder that there’s no engine.

Volvo On Call is a smartphone app that enables a host of connectivity features. Its primary function is to connect you with emergency services or roadside assistance if and when you need it. Additional features include the ability to lock your car remotely or see where it’s parked, plus a tracker if your car is stolen. It’s typically a subscription service with a yearly fee attached, and has a different number of features depending on the car you have.

Care by Volvo allows you to subscribe to a new car; it’s like a lease deal but with a selection of running costs included. But as is often the case with convenience, it doesn’t represent great value for money – and you’ll need to wait a number of months for the car to be delivered. Buy an equivalent nearly new Volvo from Motorpoint and you’ll pay significantly less per month, with same-day collection available from our stores.

It seems that the majority of Volvo owners are happy but, with all the technology on board, Volvos can occasionally be prone to annoying glitches and bugs. That’s the case with many tech-stuffed cars, though, and there’s nothing to suggest a Volvo will be a bad purchase.