Years ago, it was enough to take a look at a vehicle from the outside to get a fairly accurate idea of its load capacity and habitability. Just by knowing the segment to which it belonged, we could know more or less how many suitcases, belongings and passengers could fit in a car. You didn’t even need to see it. Today, it is essential to get inside to get an idea of its capacity . We can no longer trust the exterior size to calculate it. This is what happens, for example, with the Volvo XC40 , which manages to multiply its space by combining technology and intelligent design.
The conductor in the center
The secret by which we travel more and more comfortably and with more things on board new cars is in their design. Driver and passengers are always in the center . Their habits are studied to the millimeter to decide what the interior of the car will be like. Not for less: we spend a lot of time inside it and the experience must be the best possible.
Maximizing the space available inside the car to gain comfort without having to change segments is one of the most important trends in vehicle design of recent times. Adapting the cabin so that it becomes one more assistant to the driver is what differentiates a practical, habitable and usable car from one that is not.
All of this requires significant effort on the part of the design teams. In the case of the Volvo XC40 , they were inspired by city life. In them, using space wisely is increasingly important . This was the premise that was carried into the vehicle. The result: all kinds of details that multiply the available space and make it easily accessible.
Small details …
Among the solutions that the Volvo XC40 incorporates are all kinds of details that contribute to increasing its load capacity. From hooks that allow you to hang bags and prevent their content from spilling on the first curve to a configurable boot. They all have something in common: they are thought out in detail to make life easier for the urban driver.
The point is that we have more and more space for our things and that we can access them comfortably. Thus, the Volvo XC40 not only allows you to use the inside of the glove compartment to store belongings. In addition, between the two front seats there are separate cup holders so that the driver and passenger can hydrate comfortably and, with the environment in mind, the mats are made from recycled materials.
To carry the smartphone and recharge it there is a small hole in the center console, under the screen. In this way, the phone is always within reach and located in a specific place where we know that we will find it easily.
… and details not so small
The Volvo XC40 has built-in storage spaces in the cabin that multiply its capacity and help keep things organized. One of them is the compartment located under the front center armrest. It’s big enough to carry a small purse or tissue box, perhaps the items most drivers want to have on hand in that place.
Another solution that helps save storage space in the Volvo XC40 is the side compartments of the front doors . They are especially long and deep because they take advantage of the space traditionally reserved for speakers. Each of them has enough space to store a laptop or up to three one-liter bottles.
What happens then with music? The Volvo XC40 mounts a vented woofer amplifier behind the dashboard. It is about taking advantage of spaces that are not traditionally used to reinvent others.
Flexibility and accessibility
The intelligent use of space in the Volvo XC40 also means it is flexible and accessible. It’s not all about expanding capacity. In addition, we must be able to easily reach the load and handle it comfortably.
The trunk of the Volvo XC40 responds to this maxim. As well as being one of the largest in its segment, with a volume of 460 liters up to the coverslip, it is highly versatile. Its floor is foldable and allows, on the one hand, to keep objects separated in two areas. On the other, it can be fixed to get a secure storage space under it. It can even be fully removed to maximize load capacity. It also has hooks to fix bags and prevent them from tipping over.
In addition, the Volvo XC40 is optionally equipped with a hands-free power tailgate. This is especially useful when our hands are busy with different bags. We will only need to pass our foot under the rear bumper to open or close it automatically.
Seats count too
There are times when we wish our car was transformed into a van. Especially when we want to move a bulky piece of furniture and we find that the trunk does not give more of itself.
The intelligent design of the Volvo XC40 has also taken these situations into account. This makes it even easier to fold the rear seats . You just have to press a button to turn this car into a vehicle capable of helping us with a move or large purchase. The rear seats will be removed from the middle to increase the capacity of the trunk.
Vehicles have to adapt more and more to the needs of the people who will sit behind the wheel . Making life on board easier for them is one of them. In this sense, technology and design have a lot to say. They are the keys so that we feel in our car as if we were in the living room of our house.
