The Volvo XC40 is a surprisingly excellent off-road car. Key features include 8.3 inches of ground clearance and an optional 248-horsepower four-cylinder engine.

Late summer and early fall bring some of the finest outdoor weather in North America. Why spend your autumn days indoors when you could be pounding down a woodland trail towards your favorite fishing or camping spot?

Every great off-road adventure starts with an excellent off-road vehicle. If you’re in the market,

Jerry

, the

car insurance

expert and

trusted comparison tool

, is here to help. Read on to learn about the Volvo XC40’s off-road rating.

And if you need Volvo XC40 car insurance (or insurance for any other vehicle), Jerry’s got you covered there, too!

Can the Volvo XC40 go off road?

Technically, any vehicle can go off road. Getting back to civilization is the tricky part.

Nothing spoils an off-road adventure like being stuck in the mud or ripping out your undercarriage on an underlying boulder. However, if you own a Volvo XC40, off-roading should be no sweat.

Starting at $33,700, the Volvo XC40 is a great off-road vehicle. Let’s find out why!

Ground clearance

Ground clearance is the distance between the ground and the lowest point on a car’s chassis. Basically, it’s a measure of the separation between your car’s undercarriage and all the stuff running underneath it.

Experts recommend that a car have at least 6 to 8 inches of ground clearance to go off-roading on a well-groomed trail or 8.8 to 10.8 inches of ground clearance to go over-landing.

Volvo XC40s have 8.3 inches of ground clearance. That’s pretty good! As long as you stick to relatively clear trails, you should have zero worries about damaging your undercarriage. If you want to go over-landing or you want a little more peace of mind, you can always purchase an aftermarket lift kit for your XC40.

Torque

Low-end torque is another key spec to consider when purchasing an off-road vehicle. Basically, you want a vehicle that generates a lot of torque at low RPMs. If a vehicle doesn’t, it may get stuck.

XC40s generate 221 lb-ft of torque at 1,400 RPM. That’s very solid for an SUV its size. If an XC40 gets stuck, it’s probably due to gross negligence on the part of its driver, not because its engine isn’t up to snuff.

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Tires

Volvo XC40s use P235/55HR18 tires. Make sure you outfit yours with

all-terrain tires

for better off-road performance.

All-terrain (A/T) tires are molded to increase traction in wet and snowy conditions. They are also crafted to improve stability and braking. Equipping your XC40 with the right set of A/T tires can save you a lot of time, frustration, and money when off-roading.

Drivetrain

All-wheel drive is not a “nice to have” when off-roading. It is an absolute “must have.” Sadly, all XC40s come standard with front-wheel drive.

Luckily, all have the option to upgrade to all-wheel drive.

When buying an XC40 for off-roading, you must upgrade to all-wheel drive. Fail to do so and you risk getting stuck in the mud.

Angles

Two specs that most drivers fail to consider when purchasing an off-road vehicle are approach angle and departure angle.

Approach angle is a measurement of how steep an incline a vehicle can claim without degrading its performance. Departure angle is the maximum angle it can descend.

Volvo XC40s have an approach angle of 21.7 degrees and a departure angle of 30.4 degrees. For perspective, 25 degrees and 20 degrees are considered adequate approach and departure angles for off-roading.

Essentially, your XC40 shouldn’t have any problem descending hills. But you may want to avoid climbing steep inclines.

Off-road rating: Rough and Ready

So, that was a lot of numbers, but what do they all add up to? Is the Volvo XC40 a solid off-road vehicle?

According to

Jerry’s

DIRT classification system, it is, earning our R—Rough and Ready rating. Below is a breakdown of our rating system:

Rating	Meaning	Description
D	Don’t Try It	Under no circumstances should you take this vehicle off-roading
I	In a Pinch	Don’t go off-roading unless you absolutely have to
R	Rough and Ready	Stick to well-groomed trails and you’ll be fine
T	Trail Boss	Don’t even worry about it. Go nuts!

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With its powerful four-cylinder engine, ample ground clearance, and solid low-end torque, the XC40 is a good—bordering on great—off-road vehicle. The only thing keeping it from a Trail Boss rating is its shallow approach angle, which inhibits it from climbing steep inclines.

MORE:

The best old-school off-road vehicles

The best off-road alternatives to the Volvo XC40

The Volvo XC40 is a totally solid off-road vehicle. However, before buying any vehicle, you should take a look at its competitors.

Below is a quick overview of some of the top competing off-road models to consider as an alternative to the XC40:

Alternative	Model	Price	Description
Best for luxury off-roading	2022 BMW X7	$74,900	The 2022 BMW X7 comes with a roaring 300-horsepower 3.0-liter straight 6-cylinder engine. At 21 mpg, it also gets decent gas mileage.
Best for family off-roading	2022 Volvo XC90	$50,900	The 2022 Volvo XC90 is capable of seating up to 7 passengers. The 2022 XC40 can seat only 5. With a 250-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, the XC90 is no slouch on power either.
Most reliable alternative	2022 Toyota 4Runner	$37,605	Toyotas are known for their reliability, and the 2022 4Runner is no exception. As long as you keep up with 4Runner’s routine maintenance, you should get years of off-road adventures out of it.

MORE: Cheap off-road trucks

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How to find affordable car insurance for off-road vehicles

Buying a sweet off-roading ride is just the first step. Before you hit the trails, you need to buy an equally awesome

car insurance

policy.

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