Volvo XC40 sheds its concept looks as production nears

We got our first peek at Volvo’s upcoming small crossover, the XC40, last year in the form of the Concept 40.1. We loved the chunky, aggressive looks, including its large C-pillar. However, based on the spy photos above, it seems Volvo came to its practical senses and eliminated some of the visibility impairing design cues like that C-pillar, the raked window line leading to it, and the hidden door handle.

While this XC40 prototype does retain a similar shape to the concept, the lack of those details leaves it looking more like its bigger, but still handsome, XC90 sibling. It seems to have the same vertical, almost forward-leaning grille, upright windshield, and generally square-shouldered appearance as the XC90. The taillights are also more like the XC90’s, which follow the contour of the body, than the L-shaped units on the Concept 40.1. This is all logical, as Volvo and many other carmakers pass similar looks throughout their product families.

We expect the Volvo XC40 to show up at an auto show at the end of this year at the earliest, but more likely in early 2018. It will be based on Volvo’s CMA modular architecture, which goes into production this year, but will first be used in the Lynk & Co. 01 crossover. That vehicle goes on sale in China at the end of this year, with other markets in following years. The XC40 will likely be joined by sedan and hatchback models soon after release, and one of its engines will likely be the three-cylinder plug-in hybrid shown with the Concept 40.1.

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