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2018 Volvo XC40 Prototype Spied Again, It Is Still Covered Up

Volvo is preparing its "baby SUV," the XC40, which is expected to reach the market in 2018.
2018 Volvo XC40 18 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
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The prototype of the upcoming compact model has been spotted by our spy photographers while testing in Germany. It will be based on the company’s all-new CMA platform, while its design is prefaced by the 40.1 Concept that was shown in 2016.

Fans of the Swedish brand already know that the XC40 does not have a predecessor, as this segment has yet to be tapped by the company. A compact crossover existed in the Volvo range, in the form of the V40 Cross Country, but it was discontinued last year.

The XC40 is a different species when compared to the smallest Cross Country. These two models may be in the same class when size is concerned, but the XC40 was made to be an SUV from day one, while the other is a crossover based on the company’s hatchback.

The all-new platform is a joint development between Volvo and its Chinese owners at Geely, which has already launched a spin-off brand named Lynk & Co. The latter will also get cars that will employ the Compact Modular Architecture.

The automaker from Gothenburg will build this model in Belgium, while its Chinese owner will manufacture its equivalents on its domestic facilities.

Just like Volkswagen’s MQB, some parts that are obscured from view may be exchanged between the CMA-equipped cars, but the cars that will result from this collaboration will not be identical when you look at them.

Things may be different on the interior, as HVAC controls, a few knobs, and switched might be shared between them. This type of part sharing is not expected to affect the quality expectations of the premium SUV from Sweden.

Volvo’s upcoming compact crossover will become the rival of the Infiniti QX30, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3, and BMW X1. Its production is expected to commence in 2018, and showrooms should receive the first units by the spring of next year.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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