Montebello, QC – Next to actually heading to Sweden to drive a Volvo on its home ground, there’s no more appropriate – and revealing – way to test out a new model like the all-electric EX30 Cross Country than on an ice track laid out on a frozen Canadian river. And that’s exactly what we did recently in Montebello, next to which runs the Ottawa River, covered in a good 30-36 cm of ice on the day we ventured out onto it.
Volvo’s 2026 winter drive event also gave us the opportunity to head into the nearby hills for a very snowy and picturesque trek, the goal there being to put the capabilities of the XC90 PHEV to the test.
As it happens, Volvo seems to have had some friends in high places; we benefited from a nice, juicy, photo-friendly snowfall to add that extra bit of atmosphere and challenge to the day’s events.
Across the ice in the EX-30 Cross Country
The new, slightly more rugged version of Volvo’s recently launched EX30 small SUV was our host as we headed out first onto a short slalom course, designed to give us a quick feel for the handling capabilities of the EV and just how far we could push it before ending up in the deep snow either side of the snow-cleared track.
The Cross Country differs in a few ways from the regular EX30, notably via its higher ground clearance, unique wing contours and protective plates under the chassis. Not to mention the Cross Country badging and topographical motif on the front end.
The particularities of this variant – especially in terms of that increased ground clearance – do result in reduced total range, which sits at 365 km compared to the 407 of the EX30. On the other hand, the model delivers 422 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, numbers that should cheer those who may be discouraged by the range figure.
The slalom runs showed us a car in confidence, the EX30 ably using the special Continental IceContact studded tires it was fitted with to maintain proper grip on the ice up until a fairly high speed. We should mention those are not the tires the vehicle comes out of the factory on.
That exercise was followed by a longer run on a proper track, attacked both with and without the traction control system. There was a clear difference in how the vehicle drove in those two settings, but it should be noted that even with the system off, there remains a certain level of traction control from the car.
What that means is that even if you overdo it with the accelerator on turns, the vehicle will shut down the throttle until it feels the vehicle regain grip on the ice. The EV is just not made for doing donuts. You can slam the accelerator all you want to pull your front out of sliding turns and bring the rear end back into line, the vehicle doesn’t supply power until it senses renewed grip from the wheels.
On the other hand, the steering is responsive and precise, making the modestly sized EX30 with its low centre of gravity a joy to handle on both the slalom and full-track portions of our drive. Some may not be particularly fond of the flattened steering wheel used to obtain that joy, but we liked it just fine.
Having the instant torque available to us also allowed for some remarkable acceleration on the track’s back straightaway, always with a reassuring sense of stability. We needed to have confidence in the on-ice braking capabilities as we’d approach the end of that straightaway, but it was confidence well-placed.
We should point out that with snow falling fairly heavily throughout the day, every lap on the track confronted us with slightly different surface conditions as cars created grooves and bald ice spots appeared anew alongside accumulations of snow.
To be clear, very few owners of an EX30 will ever drive their vehicle in this context, but the exercise served its purpose in providing reassurance that the capabilities to maintain control and driveability in snowy and icy conditions.
2026 Volvo EX30 Cross Country – Canadian pricing
The 2026 EX30 Cross Country is priced in Canada at $59,800, which is $1,000 more than the similarly equipped EX30 Ultra. Officially both are known as the Ultra Twin Motor Performance AWD.
The XC90 on picturesque forest trails
The other portion of our drive was a much more serene affair, the XC90 PHEVs we were put into leading us onto back-country roads and then private forest trails, with the snow falling even more heavily than during our on-ice adventure. A quintessentially Nordic environment, which you could say Volvos were born for.
And what to say? Nothing that would surprise you. Ask anyone how they think a Volvo SUV would perform in such an environment, you’ll get an answer approximating what we experienced. The all-wheel-drive system is proficient on snow-covered climbs and descents, the braking bites, visibility on all sides is good, and the interior keeps its occupants in comfort and refinement throughout.
The XC90 PHEV (T8) puts forth some impressive performance numbers - its 2.0L turbocharged and supercharged 4-cylinder engine works with an electric motor to deliver up to 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque. The electric component of the powertrain, centered on an 18.8-kWh battery – delivers a maximum of 53 km of all-electric range. That’s not up to RAV4 or even Outlander PHEV levels, but it’s decent.
None of that was really in evidence on this day, of course, as we ambled in a queue through picturesque forest landscapes at relatively low speeds. What mattered was the visibility, the AWD, the braking strength, the proficiency of the wipers and defrost system, and the comfort levels. On all fronts, it was difficult to find fault with the XC90. It was in its wheelhouse.
One note regarding the Off-Road mode, the natural choice for our trek into the woods, particularly since the model does not feature a Snow mode as such. The Off-Road mode is useful in that it modifies vehicle parameters to deliver more appropriate braking and throttle response for the terrain (both in terms of the surface and condition of the road or trail, and how much it dips and rises). But our use of it dwindled as we advanced because the 40 km/h limit it can operate at meant it kept disactivating itself as we oscillated just below and just above that speed.
2026 Volvo XC90 PHEV (T8) – Canadian pricing
- - 2026 XC90 PHEV Core (7-Seat) - $88,950
- - 2026 XC90 PHEV Plus (7-Seat) - $91,900
- - 2026 XC90 PHEV Ultra (7-Seat) - $95,900
- - 2026 XC90 PHEV Ultra (6-Seat) - $96,500
