Compare the2026 Volvo EX40 VS 2027 Chevrolet Bolt

The EX40’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Bolt doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the EX40 and Bolt 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 Bolt’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 Volvo EX40 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Bolt doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The EX40 Twin Motor has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Bolt doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the EX40 and the Bolt have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

The Volvo EX40 weighs 600 to 847 pounds more than the Chevrolet Bolt. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The EX40 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Bolt’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The EX40’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Bolt’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the EX40 for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volvo will pay for cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Bolt.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 2 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The EX40 Single Motor’s standard electric motor produces 38 more horsepower (248 vs. 210) and 141 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 169) than the Bolt’s electric motor. The EX40 Twin Motor’s optional electric motors produces 192 more horsepower (402 vs. 210) and 325 lbs.-ft. more torque (494 vs. 169) than the Bolt’s electric motor.

The EX40 Single Motor FWD can travel longer on a full charge than the Bolt (296 miles vs. 262 miles).

The EX40 has a standard locking charge port, which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The Bolt doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

For better stopping power the EX40’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Bolt:

	EX40	Bolt
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	10 inches

For better traction, the EX40 has larger tires than the Bolt (F:235/50R19 & R:255/45R19 vs. 215/50R17).

The EX40’s standard 255/45R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bolt’s 50 series tires. The EX40’s optional 235/45R20 front and 255/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the Bolt’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EX40 has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Bolt. The EX40 offers optional 20-inch wheels.

For superior ride and handling, the Volvo EX40 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Bolt has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The EX40 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the EX40 flat and controlled during cornering. The Bolt’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EX40’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the Bolt (106.4 inches vs. 105.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the EX40 is 3.5 inches wider in the front and 3.8 inches wider in the rear than on the Bolt.

For greater off-road capability the EX40 has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Bolt (6.9 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the EX40 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The EX40 has 3.4 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 4.5 inches more rear hip room and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bolt.

The EX40 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Bolt with its rear seat up (18.9 vs. 16.2 cubic feet). The EX40 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Bolt with its rear seat folded (57.5 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the EX40’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Bolt doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the EX40. The Bolt doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EX40’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Bolt doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

The EX40 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Bolt has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the EX40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Bolt doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The EX40 has a higher standard payload capacity than the Bolt (960 vs. 873 lbs.).

When two different drivers share the EX40, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Bolt doesn’t offer a memory system.

The EX40’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Bolt’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The EX40’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Bolt’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the EX40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Bolt doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 Bolt doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EX40 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Bolt doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EX40 also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

When the EX40 is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Bolt’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The EX40’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Bolt offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Volvo EX40 and Chevrolet Bolt offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The EX40 features standard power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Bolt’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The EX40 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Bolt. The EX40 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Bolt.

The EX40’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Bolt doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo EX40 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Bolt.