The highly-anticipated Volvo XC40 launches in South Africa in this week and we'll be at its local launch. In the meantime, here's how much you can expect to pay for this baby Volvo SUV.

Volvo is on an incredible streak with its SUV family. The XC90 has won every Premium SUV awardin the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – Powered by Wesbank since inception. The XC60 scooped the 2018 World Car of the Yearandthe XC40 took home the 2018 European Car of the Year. The compact XC40 is promising a lot in the fiercely contested premium compact SUV segment as it launches this week.

The new Volvo XC40 will cometo market in stages. Right from the get-go there will be2 trim levels; a sporty-focused R-Design trim and the more executive Momentum trim. There are 2 engines to choose from at launch; a D4 diesel and a T5 petrol and these are mated to an all-wheel-drive powertrain. The entry-level T3s and flagship Inscription models arrive in the third quarter of 2018, with the T3 units featuring front-wheel drive.

The new XC40 is the first Volvo model to come from a new CMA platform that will also be used for future '40' models and electrified cars.

Volvo is entering the global compact car market and its new XC40 compact SUV will rival the likes of the BMW X1/X2, Jaguar E-Pace and Audi Q3. Production of the XC40 commenced in November 2017 in Ghent, Belgium.

Volvo now has 3 global SUVs including the XC90, XC60 and now, the new XC40. The XC40 is thefirst model to be produced on Volvo's new modular vehicle architecture, CMA, which will underpin future cars in the 40 cluster including electric vehicles. CMA was co-developed within Geely and provides the economy of scale for this segment.

Key Features

A host of impressive technology from the XC90 and XC60 will make its way into the XC40.

While it may only be arriving towards the end of the year, we're particularly interested in the new T3. It's a 1.5-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder unit producing 115 kW and 265 Nm, while consuming a claimed 6.8 L/100 km and putting out 154 g/km. The rest of the engine lineup are engines we've experienced before inVolvo's products. The D4 is a 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder unit with 140 kW and 400 Nm, while the T5 packs185 kW and 350 Nm, and is definitely the fastest model in the range. The diesel engine will be the thriftiest of them all, with a return of 5.2 L/100 km.At launch, both the D4 and T5 will feature all-wheel drive and 8-speed automatic gearboxes, with the option of manual gearboxes and front-wheel drive coming later.

The XC40 features safety, connectivity and infotainment technology seen on the XC90 and XC60 which includes the impressive 9-inch Sensus Connect touchscreen and digital instrument cluster. Safety and driver assistance features on the XC40 includePilot Assist semi-autonomous assistance system, City Safety, Run-Off-Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic Alert with brake support and a 360° camera for safe parking.

Design details include an optional contrasting black or white roof, white mirror caps and wheels. On the inside, Oxide Red leather and 'Lava' carpets made from 100% recycled materials will create a unique interior ambience.

Volvo's tablet-like Sensus Connect infotainment system will be offered on the XC40. It's an excellent system.

The XC40 is packed with innovative storage solutions seen in the doors and under the seats. There are features such as a removable rubbish bin, cubby hole hook and smartphones can also be charged or stored using the dedicated smartphone storage area with inductive charging. A multi-adaptable boot floor will also keep items organised.

Volvo XC40 Price in South Africa

The new Volvo XC40 lands in South Africa with a solid after-sales plan. Every Volvo comes with a 5-year/100 000 km warranty and maintenance plan, 5-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance (including a Skytrax track unit). Please note that the T3 entry-level models are only available from the third quarter of 2018.

Internationally, Volvo offers a subscription service called Care By Volvo, where customers can "subscribe to a car rather than buy it, for a fixed monthly fee which includes the likes of service, maintenance, insurance and other added value benefits". This plan is currently under consideration for a South African market introduction and if all goes according to plan, you'll be able to subscribe to Volvo ownership in the middle of 2019.

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Visit our CarsAwards website for more details!

Read why the Volvo XC90 scooped an award from us.

Now's your chance to buy a used Volvo. Check them out here.

Read a review of the Volvo XC90 here.