Volvo EX30 interior is minimalism with clever tricks and a soundbar Autoblog

Volvo has given us another piece of the battery-electric EX30 puzzle. Our first good glimpse of the interior proves Volvo didn’t overdo its focus on minimalism in the EX30. We’ve been accusing the infotainment screen for years now of looking like tablets bolted to the dashboard. The centrally placed screen in the EX30 doesn’t look like an iPad on an instrument panel, it looks like a real tablet resting on a shelf. We look forward to discovering if it can be unlocked from the clip-like mounts on the sides.

The automaker says all information is presented through the 12.3-inch portrait screen, despite the small curved screen mounted on the steering column behind the wheel. Our guess is that the small screen is an indicator of gear selection, were it not for the small info bites like speed and navigation, similar to what’s on the Volkswagen ID.4. The large screen offers a “Calm” setting that limits the display to vital signs only, bringing some welcome darkness to the cabin. For the first time in a Volvo, wireless Apple CarPlay is part of the infotainment functionality.

The instrument panel has at least one trick of its own, which is a soundbar laid across the top, below the windshield – the same sort of soundbar you’d buy for an OLED television. The unit in the photo is from Harman Kardon; we’re not sure if that fits as standard or if it’s an upgraded unit to match the optional Harman Kardon audio that will be available. Volvo says the EX30 will be the first application of a soundbar in a production car, chosen in part because the bar’s clustered speakers reduce wiring and free up space elsewhere. That’s right, the soundbar contains the only speakers in the cabin. The space in the doors where speakers normally come has been converted into storage space.

Speaking of which, the EX30 picks up on a few tricks we first saw on the battery-electric Nissan Ariya. The Volvo’s glove compartment has been moved to the side towards the center of the IP, accessible by the driver without leaning forward. The center console slides forward and back, allowing for easy reach of cup holders or more room for notes. The power window controls are also located on the center console, hopefully on a segment that doesn’t shift. Volvo modifies the Ariya by putting protective walls around the console storage area on the floor to keep small items from rolling left and right. Back seaters get their own storage box that pops out of the back of the console.

And because the Swedes know their customers, they say the cargo area will include a size chart so flat-pack furniture buyers know in advance if their new desk and bookcase will fit.

Buyers choose one of four themed “rooms,” all of which are built with many recycled or responsibly sourced materials. The urban crossover will debut in Milan on June 7, a few days after Lexus debuted its LBX urban crossover in the same city.