01442 838195
Free 30-day returns
Road tax included
Trust pilot logo
Trustpilot rated excellent
Free delivery to your door
No admin fees icon
No admin fees
Free 30-day returns
Road tax included
Trust pilot logo
Trustpilot rated excellent
Free delivery to your door
No admin fees icon
No admin fees
Free 30-day returns
Road tax included
Trust pilot logo
Trustpilot rated excellent
Free delivery to your door
No admin fees icon
No admin fees

Volvo XC40 Colour Guide: Which Should You Choose?

Volvo xc40 colour guide: which should you choose?

Here’s a detailed look at the paint palette available on the Volvo XC40 5-seater crossover-SUV, which we hope will help you choose your perfect new car colour. You can also read our in-depth Volvo XC40 review for more details about Volvo's sleek and practical SUV

There are 10 main paint options – made up of 2 solid paints, 6 metallic paints and 2 premium metallic paints – and 2 different roof finishes for the XC40, which are either options at certain trim levels or simply the standard look of upper specifications. We also outline the various interior upholsteries that Volvo offers on the crossover.

Paint Types Available

Solid = a simple body colour with no additives in the paint. Usually comprises 3 coats, these being a primer, then the paint, then a clear, protective lacquer. Solid paints aren’t particularly shiny and are normally the only standard/no-cost colours offered by manufacturers.

Metallic = same application process as above but the paint now has powdered metal mixed into it, which reflects more light to give the car a shinier appearance. Metallic finishes usually cost more than solid paints.

Pearlescent/Mica = as above, only instead of metal, ceramic crystals (known as ‘mica’) are added to the paint. These not only reflect light but refract it too, giving one colour different appearances in different levels of light. They’re normally as expensive as or pricier than metallic paints.

Matte = uses special ‘flattening’ agents in the paint/layering make-up to give the car a non-reflective appearance, and sometimes an unusual texture too. These are normally the most expensive and rarest of paint options, and are not offered on many new car models.

Exterior 

Single-Tone Colour Schemes

Ice White

Xc40-ice-white-solid

Type: Solid

Cost: No cost

Available On: Momentum Core, Momentum, Inscription Expression

Volvo begins proceedings with a ‘classic’ free paint option – white. This is the standard paint on the base-level Momentum Core car, but it is a no-cost option on the Momentum and Inscription Expression models, as an alternative to standard Black Stone (see below); this means you cannot specify Ice White on R-Design, Inscription or Recharge Electric models at all. This colour is your traditional, solid white: clean enough, if not the most exciting shade and also prone to show up lots of road dirt.

Black Stone

Xc40-black-stone0solid

Type: Solid

Cost: No cost

Available On: All models except Momentum Core

From the 2nd trim level of Momentum upwards, this replaces Ice White as the standard colour right across the XC40 range – be that the mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions with combustion engines, or the fully electric P8 Recharge variants. It is a classy solid black, which is used as the colour for the contrast black roof we’ll talk about later. You cannot specify Black Stone on the base Momentum Core XC40, which only has 4 colour choices in total to go at.

Glacier Silver

Xc40-glacier-silver-metallic

Type: Metallic

Cost: £585 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: All models

The 1st metallic and 1 of only 2 colours that is available on every trim level and model of the XC40 range. Glacier is a light and cool metallic silver, which works well with the XC40’s touches of contrast black detailing.

Thunder Grey

Xc40-thunder-grey-metallic

Type: Metallic

Cost: £585 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: Momentum Core, R-Design, R-Design Pro, Recharge, Recharge Plus, Recharge Pro

Thunder Grey, despite being a metallic paint, almost has a flat, matte-effect look to it so is pretty desirable – especially on a car from Sweden which has Thor-hammer LED daytime running lamps. Such a link to the Norse god isn’t widely available in the XC40 range, though, as all 3 Inscription trims and the upper level of the 2 Momentum specifications are not privy to Thunder Grey.

Onyx Black

Xc40-onyx-black-metallic

Type: Metallic

Cost: £585 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: All models

Along with Glacier Silver, metallic Onyx Black is the only other colour in the palette available on every single XC40 model. It is, as its name suggests, a more lustrous take on the standard Black Stone colour – and it is also the last of the 4 colours available for entry-point Momentum Core cars.

Denim Blue

Xc40-denim-blue-metallic

Type: Metallic

Cost: £585 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: All models except Momentum Core

A deep, rich and yet understated blue, Denim is aptly named because it’s a darker shade of the colour – like a pair of tastefully expensive jeans. A good colour for the XC40 and one that will hide a moderate level of all-year-round road grime to a notable degree.

Fusion Red

Xc40-fusion-red-metallic

Type: Metallic

Cost: £585 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: All models except Momentum Core

Save for the 2 white paints, Fusion Red is the brightest option for the Volvo XC40. It is generally used by the manufacturer across its product portfolio as one of its sportier-looking colours, so Fusion works really well on the R-Design/Pro and Recharge/Plus/Pro grades, where it contrasts smartly with the Black Stone roof and door mirrors (see below).

Pebble Grey

Xc40-pebble-grey-metallic

Type: Metallic

Cost: £585 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: Momentum, Inscription Expression, R-Design, R-Design Pro, Inscription, Inscription Pro

Pebble Grey is about the same tone as Thunder Grey, but it has a glossier, shinier finish. It’s one of the better colours for the monochrome XC40s, as it doesn’t need a contrast roof to best show it off, but you cannot have Pebble Grey on any electric P8 Recharge version of the Volvo crossover – it is reserved for models with an internal combustion engine of some type.

Crystal White

Xc40-crystal-white-premium-metallic

Type: Premium metallic

Cost: £850 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: R-Design, R-Design Pro, Inscription, Inscription Pro, Recharge, Recharge Plus, Recharge Pro

A shinier variant of Ice White, Crystal is 1 of just 2 premium metallics which incur an increased fee compared to the other metallic shades, although it’s offered as a standard, no-cost option on the highest Pro specification of the P8 Recharge Electric variant. It is also reserved for the upper end of the XC40 trim grades, as you need at least an R-Design or Inscription (in other words, it’s not available on Momentum or Inscription Expression cars) for it to be available.

Sage Green

Xc40-sage-green-premium-metallic

Type: Premium metallic

Cost: £850 (except for Recharge Pro, where it’s a no-cost option)

Available On: Recharge, Recharge Plus, Recharge Pro

This is a colour which is exclusively reserved for the ‘greenest’ models (geddit?!) of the XC40 family, so Sage can only be specified on the pure-electric P8 Recharge cars – these denoted by a smooth radiator ‘grille’. It is, as with Crystal White, a chunky cost-option for the first 2 trim grades of the EV Volvo but free-of-charge on the Recharge Pro flagship spec.

2-Tone Colour Schemes

Ice White roof and door mirrors

Xc40-ice-white-roof-option

Type: Solid-solid or metallic-solid 2-tone

Cost: £375

Available On: Momentum

This funky option, to have the roof and door mirrors finished in solid Ice White, is only available on the Momentum specification alone. Furthermore, the white 2-tone can only be paired with 4 body colours, which are the standard solid Black Stone or alternatively 3 of the metallics: these being Onyx Black, Denim Blue and Fusion Red.

Black Stone roof and door mirrors

Xc40-black-stone-roof-r-design-ev

Type: Solid-solid, metallic-solid or premium metallic-solid 2-tone

Cost: No cost

Available On: R-Design, R-Design Pro, Recharge, Recharge Plus, Recharge Pro

This is not so much of an option and more of a standard feature pertaining to certain up-spec XC40s, namely the sporty R-Design cars and the electric P8 Recharge variants. As soon as you option up these trim grades, you get a Black Stone roof and door mirrors to contrast all the available body colours at each level – the only exception to this rule being Onyx Black, which retains its metallic black roof and door mirrors rather than the solid Black Stone paint.

Interior

Charcoal Textile

Type: Cloth

Cost: No cost (standard interior)

Available On: Momentum Core

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

Starting off with the base Momentum Core XC40, the only choice here is Charcoal Textile upholstery. As the steering wheel, upper dashboard, door panels, carpets and floor mats are all Charcoal in every single XC40 interior, there’s not much colour contrast in here as a result, although you do at least get a Blond headlining to lighten up the top of the cabin.

Charcoal City Canvas

Type: Cloth

Cost: No cost (standard interior)

Available On: Momentum

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

Moving up to Momentum grade, these XC40 models gain a premium textile finish called Charcoal City Canvas as standard. Coupled with different dash-trim finishers and another Blond headlining, it gives the Volvo crossover a more upmarket ambience than the base Momentum Core. 

Grey Malange City Block

Type: Cloth, dual finish

Cost: No cost (optional)

Available On: Momentum

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

For no extra fee on the Momentum models, you can change the all-Charcoal upholstery for this natty number, which switches the centre fabric of the seats to a light-grey textile. Grey Malange City Block also swaps the Blond headlining for a Charcoal item.

Charcoal Leather

Type: Leather

Cost: £900 (except on Inscription, Inscription Pro and Recharge Pro, where it’s no-cost standard fit)

Available On: All models except Momentum Core

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

The most widely available interior on the XC40, as it is a cost-option upgrade on almost all models and the standard interior on upmarket Inscription, Inscription Pro and Electric Recharge Pro cars. It’s Charcoal leather of a suitably high quality, and the only other thing to note is that it comes with a Blond headlining wherever it is specified, except on the R-Design/Pro variants where a Charcoal headlining is included instead.

Blond Leather

Type: Leather

Cost: £900 (Momentum), no cost (optional on Inscription and Inscription Pro)

Available On: Momentum, Inscription, Inscription Pro

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

A lovely, light-coloured finish teamed to a Blond headlining and one which also changes panels in the door cards to match, Blond leather isn’t widely available in the XC40 range – you can spec it on the Momentum for the same fee as Charcoal leather, and it’s a no-cost alternative to the Charcoal hide in the Inscription and Inscription Pro cars. That means you can’t have these off-white seats in any R-Design or P8 Electric Recharge variants, no matter how nicely you ask.

Charcoal Leather And Nubuck

Type: Leather and Nubuck, dual finish

Cost: £650 (Recharge and Recharge Plus), no cost (standard fit R-Design and R-Design Pro), no-cost option (Recharge Pro)

Available On: R-Design, R-Design Pro, Recharge, Recharge Plus, Recharge Pro

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

With contrast stitching and a brushed Nubuck leather centre to all of the seats, this combination is the sporty-looking cabin you get as standard on all R-Design XC40s. It is paired to a Charcoal headlining, so this gives the R-Design and R-Design Pro models quite a dark, brooding interior ambience, despite the use of silver ‘Cutting Edge’ dash trims. For the electric P8 Recharge models, which are also considered high-performance as they have 408hp, it is a £650 upgrade on the 2 lower specifications, while it is a no-cost alternative to the standard Charcoal leather you get on the Recharge Pro.

Charcoal City Canvas (Recharge)

Type: Cloth

Cost: No cost (standard interior Recharge and Recharge Plus), no-cost option (Recharge Pro)

Available On: Recharge, Recharge Plus

Available With All Body Colours?: Yes

This is identical cloth to the same fabric you’d find in the Momentum XC40s, but here in the P8 Electric Recharge versions it is teamed to different dash finishers, as well as a Charcoal headlining instead of a Blond item. This is the standard upholstery in the Recharge and Recharge Plus models, although you can ‘downgrade’ to this interior for free on the range-topping Recharge Pro if you don’t fancy either the Charcoal leather or the leather and Nubuck alternatives.

Check out our latest Volvo XC40 lease deals here.

More On The XC40

Volvo xc40 review
Volvo XC40 Review
Our car expert Mark Nichol puts the Volvo XC40 through the Vanarama road test...Read Review
Volvo xc40 vs volvo xc60
Volvo XC40 Vs Volvo XC60
Volvo has a range of some of the most desirable premium SUVs going right now - but which is best, the XC40 or XC60?Read More
Volvo xc40 lease deals
Volvo XC40 Lease Deals
Drive an XC40 for less with our unbeatable offersRead More