Compare the2025 Volvo EX40VS 2025 BMW XM

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EX40 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW XM doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EX40 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW XM doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the EX40 and XM have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The EX40 Ultra has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The XM’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The EX40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The XM doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the EX40 and the XM have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

On the EPA test cycle the EX40 gets better mileage than the XM running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the EX40 gets better mileage than the XM running its gasoline engine:

The EX40 can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 260 to 296 miles. The XM has to start its internal combustion engine after only 31 miles.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volvo EX40 higher (10 out of 10) than the BMW XM (6). This means the EX40 produces up to 12.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XM every 15,000 miles.

For better maneuverability, the EX40’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the XM’s (37.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Volvo EX40 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1400 to 1650 pounds less than the BMW XM.

The EX40 is 2 feet, 2.4 inches shorter than the XM, making the EX40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the EX40 easier. The EX40’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the XM’s liftover is 32.8 inches.

The EX40’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The XM’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EX40’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The XM doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The EX40’s standard Keyless Entry & Drive allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Access standard on the XM doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EX40 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the XM only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EX40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The XM doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The EX40 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XM doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volvo EX40/XC40 outsold the BMW XM by over 11 to one during 2024.