Volvo is done with diesel engines. The Swedish carmaker, which has always been an environmentally-conscious brand, has made a commitment in the new year to completely shift away from diesel engines. The much-loved XC40 that was launched two years ago, is the first car in the company’s stable to undergo the change. The new XC40 T4 R-Design now features a BSVI-ready 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. Except for the T4 badge at the rear, everything else remains same for the car from the outside, which is a good thing because it has always been very sleek-looking with its signature glossy black grille, the instantly-recognisable ‘Thor’s hammer’ LED headlights, and the taillights that start from the spoiler and extends all the way down to the middle. The blacked-out roof comes standard, which gives it a sporty appeal, and so does the same 18-inch, five-spoke wheels with black accents.

The cabin is beautifully minimalistic with a clean centre console and tall chrome AC vents. Like the exterior, the interiors also haven’t changed much. The huge and vibrant 9.0-inch Sensus touchscreen infotainment system adorns the centre and is still just as smooth, responsive and easy to use. The XC40 T4 R-Design is an all-black cabin now, which is a shame since the tan interior was one of the XC40’s highlights. Volvo got orthopaedic experts to design the seats and you can feel the comfort factor as soon as you settle in, though it could have felt even better with a bit more legroom. Safety, as is well known, is one of Volvo’s strongest suits, and the new XC40 is a testament to this. It comes with radar-based safety assists like the lane mitigation system, lane-keeping assist, hill ascent and descent controls, pilot assist, adaptive cruise control, six airbags, ABS with EBD, brake-assist and a lot more.

At the heart of the car is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that churns out 190hp and 300Nm of torque. For a modern car though, it felt at a bit too noisy at higher speeds. Once the engine hits the 3,000-rpm mark it makes itself distinctly audible. The 8-speed automatic gearbox takes time to kick into higher gears, but there is the option of paddle shifting one’s way up or down. Goa’s winding roads, where I drove this car, magnified the body rolls but it maintained a tight grip on the road even at high speeds, with braking being particularly smooth. Despite the wide body, manoeuvring through Goa’s narrow beach roads was easy. In 2018, Volvo XC40 was the first car to win the ICOTY award in the newly introduced category of Best Premium Car. Though the driving experience of this new variant is not as exciting, it does offer enough thrills and power to compensate. In addition, it is loaded with many features that you will find only in much more expensive cars. So, as much as I liked the original, I would say that the petrol version is a worthy substitute.

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9.0-inch Sensus infotainment system, wireless device charging, radar-based safety systems, six airbags, ABS with EBD