The Volvo XC40 is not your typical Volvo. It’s got some radical styling that I’m used to seeing in brands like Nissan and Hyundai. It’s a very compact SUV and falls into the sub-compact space. Mount choices are going to be limited.
We previously looked at the Volvo XC90. A much larger SUV and if you like the brand, have some extra money and need extra room, that’s another choice to consider (and spoiler alert, you can mount more stuff in to the XC90).
Volvo XC40 Mount Analysis
Our usual photo of the interior accompanies this article. The windshield is a close reach and that makes for a good mounting location. The vents are some of the most unusual shapes ever seen. These are long and vertical. It’s a poor mount location. There isn’t a CD player. The dash is close and flat and nothing is blocking it so that’s a possibility. There is a pair of cup holders but it’s very close to the shift and it’s a very small vehicle so probably a poor location. While a seat bolt or floor mount can be used, the vehicle is very narrow and it’s not going to work well.
Windshield and Dash Mounts
Clearly, the windshield or dash are the best locations to mount a phone or GPS. So we’re going to recommend a few mounts that will work well in those locations.
First mount to consider is one that will work on a windshield or dash and will fit a phone or GPS. One of our favorite mounts is the Arkon MegaGrip Suction Cup Windshield and Dash Mount. The suction based mount features a vacuum locked suction cup and pivoting arm. The phone can swivel into any orientation. The expandable cradle opens to 3.4 inches and will hold most phones with or without cases.
This mount includes an 80mm adhesive disk that can be adhered to the dash. The suction cup will stick to it like it does on the windshield.
Remove the cradle and adapter from the above mount to hold a Garmin GPS. The ball is 17mm in diameter. It will snap right into the socket on the back of any cradle from a Garmin automotive GPS like a Nuvi or Drive.
Another good choice for the windshield is the iOttie Easy One Touch 5 Car Mount Phone Holder which provides an extendable rigid base combined with an expandable cradle. Unlike many similar mounts, the iOttie Easy One Touch 5 has an extension arm that expands from 5 to 8 inches. The included cradle expands to approximately 4 inches and there’s a magnetic cord holder on the back.
This mount also comes with a dashboard pad which uses a unique rechargeable sticky base. Use this pad to adhere the mount to a dashboard.
Cup Holder Mounts for a Small Tablet
Mounting a tablet on the windshield or dash will cover up too much of the view.
The cup holders are in a less than ideal location. However, this might be the only location for mounting a tablet. Use the cup holder closest to the back seat to avoid the gear shift. Only use this for apps that don’t need to be referenced while driving. It’s a poor choice something like a navigation app. It’s not in a good location for viewing. Limit your mounting to a small tablet. Nothing like a full sized iPad will fit well in this compact vehicle.
Consider the Cellet Tablet Mount with Cup Holder Base. These fit practically all size tablets. The base expands to fit and can fit vehicle cup holders from 2. 86 inches up to 3. 47 inches. The mount features a ten inch rigid arm and the device can rotate into any orientation.
Volvo XC40 Mount Summary
So we have a few possibilities for phone and GPS mounts in a Volvo XC40. The windshield and dash are good locations for a phone or GPS. The vents are a poor choice and so is a seat bolt mount. The cup holder is a less than optimal location but is the only choice for a tablet.