What's the news?
Volvo has said it wants to bring an end to clutter with the cabin layout of the new XC40 small SUV, which will be revealed later this year. The Swedes have been busty asking customers what bugs them inside a car, and the answer is not having enough spaces for all of the stuff you need to carry with you - phones sliding around, loose change rattling, stuff left on seats and so on.
"As we spoke to people about how and where they store the things they carry with them daily, it was quite clear that most of today's cars are falling short in this area. Phones slide around in the mid-console, takeaway bags are at constant risk of falling over and people fumble behind the wheel as they try to get service cards out of their wallets. We set out to solve these and many other issues we encountered," says Louiza Atcheba, Model Brand Manager for the 40 series at Volvo Cars.
So, Volvo has been boxing clever with the new car's interior. To make the door pockets big enough to hold both a tablet computer and and laptop at the same time, the stereo speakers have been moved. Volvo has developed a sub-woofer speaker through which ventilation air can pass, meaning that it can be mounted on the dashboard instead.
The centre console and transmissions tunnel have also been worked on. "When we designed the tunnel, the focus was not only on creating a nice design, but also to ensure that cupholders can be used as cupholders and that the design itself provides areas for coins, cards or charging cables. Another focus area was to make a usable space for your phone that offers wireless charging as well as USB ports," said Conny Ewe Blommé, Senior Design Manager at Volvo Cars.
There's also a 'curry hook' for hanging bags by the glovebox, and under-seat storage drawers, plus slots for coins and cards in the centre console and, really helpfully, a pop-out bin under the centre armrest that makes it much easier to get rid of any rubbish that builds up.
"In the boot, we have designed a smart floor system which folds and can separate your luggage, and allows you to use the full luggage space without removing the floor from the car. The rear-seat electronic folding mechanism gives you a flat loading floor at the touch of a button," says Conny Ewe Blommé.
That boot also includes a divider system, bag hooks, and an under-floor locking storage compartment. "A lot we have done with the XC40 is based on extensive consumer insight. With the XC40, we declare the end of clutter, making sure that everything is within arm's reach but also out of sight. It's about clearing the clutter so you can clear your mind," concludes Louiza Atcheba.