Compare the2023 Volvo XC40 RechargeVS 2023 Chevrolet Bolt

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC40 Recharge have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Bolt doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The XC40 Recharge’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Bolt doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC40 Recharge are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Bolt doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC40 Recharge and Bolt have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC40 Recharge has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Bolt’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The XC40 Recharge has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Bolt doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The XC40 Recharge has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Bolt doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XC40 Recharge has a standard CTA Auto Brake that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Bolt doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The XC40 Recharge has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Bolt doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The XC40 Recharge has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Bolt’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XC40 Recharge has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Bolt.

The XC40 Recharge’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Bolt doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the XC40 Recharge and the Bolt have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge weighs 1117 to 1152 pounds more than the Chevrolet Bolt. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC40 Recharge its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 95 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Bolt is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

The XC40 Recharge comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Bolt’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The XC40 Recharge’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Bolt’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC40 Recharge for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Bolt.

Engine

The XC40 Recharge’s electric motors produces 202 more horsepower (402 vs. 200) and 220 lbs.-ft. more torque (486 vs. 266) than the Bolt’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volvo XC40 Recharge is faster than the Chevrolet Bolt:

	XC40 Recharge	Bolt
Zero to 60 MPH	4.3 sec	6.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	4.4 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	12.9 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	108 MPH	92 MPH
Top Speed	113 MPH	93 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XC40 Recharge’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Bolt:

	XC40 Recharge	Bolt
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	10.9 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	10.4 inches

The XC40 Recharge stops much shorter than the Bolt:

	XC40 Recharge	Bolt
70 to 0 MPH	171 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC40 Recharge has larger tires than the Bolt (F:235/50R19 & R:255/45R19 vs. 215/50R17).

The XC40 Recharge’s standard 255/45R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bolt’s standard 50 series tires. The XC40 Recharge’s optional 235/45R20 front and 255/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the Bolt’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC40 Recharge has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Bolt. The XC40 Recharge offers optional 20-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Volvo XC40 Recharge has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Bolt has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The XC40 Recharge has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Bolt’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The XC40 Recharge has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the XC40 Recharge flat and controlled during cornering. The Bolt’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC40 Recharge’s wheelbase is 4 inches longer than on the Bolt (106.4 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC40 Recharge is 3.9 inches wider in the front and 4.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Bolt.

The XC40 Recharge handles at .84 G’s, while the Bolt LT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XC40 Recharge executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Bolt (26.3 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the XC40 Recharge has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Bolt (6.9 vs. 5.4 inches), allowing the XC40 Recharge to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The XC40 Recharge has 4.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Bolt (98 vs. 93.9).

The XC40 Recharge has 3.4 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more rear legroom, 4 inches more rear hip room and 3.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bolt.

Cargo Capacity

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the XC40 Recharge’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Bolt doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XC40 Recharge. The Bolt doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XC40 Recharge’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Bolt doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The XC40 Recharge has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Bolt has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC40 Recharge uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Bolt doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The XC40 Recharge uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Bolt uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the XC40 Recharge, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Bolt doesn’t offer a memory system.

The XC40 Recharge’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Bolt’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the XC40 Recharge the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Bolt can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XC40 Recharge’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Bolt’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC40 Recharge to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Bolt doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The XC40 Recharge’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Bolt’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC40 Recharge offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Bolt doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the XC40 Recharge Ultimate has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Bolt doesn’t offer cornering lights. The XC40 Recharge Ultimate also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

When the XC40 Recharge is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Bolt’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The XC40 Recharge’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Bolt offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The XC40 Recharge has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Bolt. The XC40 Recharge also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Bolt.

The XC40 Recharge’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Bolt doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the XC40 Recharge and the Bolt offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the XC40 Recharge has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Bolt doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XC40 Recharge second among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Bolt isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Volvo XC40 outsold the Chevrolet Bolt by 8% during 2021.