Ever since Volvo revealed the V60 mid-size estate earlier this year, we've been eagerly awaiting the Cross Country version. Volvo made that muddy leap today, injecting a little more adventure into the 60 Series with the lifted, all-wheel-drive wagon. If the pure bulk of an SUV doesn't appeal to you, but you still want the all-terrain versatility necessary to venture from suburb to skogen (that's Swedish for forest), the new V60 Cross Country might just look very nice in your driveway.
The V60 Cross Country follows the V90 Cross Country in adding some all-terrain capability to the new Volvo Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) estate lineup. Its purpose-tweaked chassis and suspension provide up to 3 in (75 mm) of lift compared to the standard V60, adding the ground clearance it needs to breeze over rocks, roots and other obstructions.
All-wheel drive comes standard and is complemented by helpful standards like hill descent control, off-road driving mode, corner traction control and electronic stability control.
Like the standard V60, the Cross Country benefits from the latest technologies included within SPA, bringing standard systems like city safety with auto-brake, run-off road mitigation and oncoming lane mitigation. Cross-traffic alert with auto-brake can be added as an option.
The Sensus Connect infotainment system, meanwhile, offers a tablet-style touchscreen display and compatibility with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and 4G.
We like Volvo's Cross Country wagons in general, but the new generation of SPA models really offers an impressive mix of sleek styling, rugged utility, estate sizing and cutting-edge technology. Cross Country models stand as very intriguing alternatives to bigger, bulkier SUVs and crossovers.
The US-market V60 Cross Country will be offered initially with a 2.0-liter T5 AWD gas powertrain, while Europeans will also have an AWD diesel option. Mild and plug-in hybrid versions will follow in the future. In addition to more traditional sales and lease options, the V60 Cross Country will be offered under the Care by Volvo premium subscription service.
Pricing will be announced closer to the V60 lineup's early 2019 launch. For reference, the outgoing 2018 V60 Cross Country starts at US$41,850.
Source: Volvo
