It has five different driving modes using either a scroll wheel on the centre console or a touchscreen on the dashboard:

• Hybrid: the default mode, suitable for everyday use where it automatically alternates between drawing power from the 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder Drive-E engine and the electric motor;
• Pure electric: when the high-voltage battery is fully charged it can power the electric motor over the rear axle with a range of up to 26 miles, helped by its regenerative braking system;
• Power mode: using the combined performance of the combustion engine and the electric motor for optimum acceleration performance, equivalent to that of a large displacement engine like the V8;
• All Wheel Drive: selected manually so the driver can use it when needed in slippery conditions;
• Save: this mode allows the driver to “freeze” the battery charge level and save it later or using the combustion engine to charge the battery fully.

Dr Peter Mertens, senior vice-president research and development at Volvo said: “We have been working hard to earn our competitive edge and to give our customers the ultimate combination of performance and low fuel consumption. Our Twin Engine technology has enabled us to build on our heritage of efficient powertrain development in a completely new way. Thanks to our new scalable product architecture, and our world class four-cylinder engines, we have a clear and leading position.”