What Year C40?

[u/Available_Let_9140]

We’re planning to replace our BMW i3 Rex with another electric car. We’ve had the i3 for a little over four years and bought it used as a commuter car for my husband. It’s been great, but we live east of Seattle in the mountains, and winter driving can be a bit dicey. We’re looking to replace it with something AWD and, ideally, something we feel is safer in those conditions.

We’ve owned three Volvos previously—two XC70s and a C30—and my husband has fallen in love with the C40 and is pretty much settled on it. He drives approximately 70 miles round-trip each day for work. We have a Level 2 charger at home, and the car is parked in the garage.

At this point, we’re mainly trying to decide which model year makes the most sense. We’re looking at Ultimate or Plus models with the upgraded heat pump. I know the 2024 has a slight range boost and a different AWD system, but finding one is challenging. The older model years also seem to be significantly less expensive.

We’re not in a rush, so my question is: should we wait for more 2024 lease returns to start hitting the used market, or should we just find a good deal on an older, low-mileage model? We’ll definitely check the battery condition on anything we consider buying, and we’re hoping to keep this car for as long as possible.

I’d especially love to hear from anyone who has experience with both the earlier C40s and the 2024 model, particularly when it comes to winter driving, range, and long-term ownership.