VOLVO V60 Cross Country 2020

Body, cabin and cargo space

Sometimes the expression “lifted station wagon” is used to describe certain kinds of SUVs. With the Volvo V60 Cross Country (CC) however, that applies pretty much literally. The 6.7 cm height difference between the CC and the regular V60 is entirely accounted for by the difference in ground clearance. All the other dimensions are the same, if you don’t count a tiny stretch of the CC for purely stylistic reasons. Elsewhere all that distinguishes the CC from the regular V60 are some extra shielding and more prominent wheel wells, as well as a special rim design.

That means the CC has the same spacious cabin as the other V60s. There’s enough room for four average-sized adults, although rear legroom gets skimpy if somebody up front puts their seat too far back. There are CC-length SUVs out there that don’t have that problem or are easier to get in and out of. It was tough for some of our testers to negotiate the CC’s high clearance, relatively low ceiling, and wide door sills.

Once settled in however, they immediately joined the chorus of praise heaped on the exceptionally comfortable and supportive front seats. Here the V60 is another chip off the Volvo block. The rear bench is every bit as warm and welcoming, except in the middle, where the hulking centre tunnel spoils the party.

The centre console up front is wide as well and can easily rub against the driver's right knee. It’s a common problem with European cars, as is the lack of right-foot space when you’re on cruise control. That forces you to use the accelerator pedal as a footrest, and whenever the weight of your foot exceeds programmed tolerances, you’ll speed up unintentionally. Otherwise the driving position should be good for most people.

The same can’t be said for the controls: Many will take some serious getting used to, like the trip computer and—heaven help us all!—the centre touch screen. Its size, straight up position, and flawless resolution should have made it a winner, but the tablet-style interface ruins it with endless complications. Swiping at a multidirectional display is one thing when you’re sitting in your living room, but driving is another kettle of fish.

And with practically every function running through that one place—from ventilation to heated seats—the result is a never-ending parade of opportunities to take your eyes off the road. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay do what they can, but it’s far from enough.

There’s no doubt that replacing so many controls with one screen contributes to the sophisticated minimalism Volvo has so carefully and tastefully cultivated. But we would have thought an automaker that’s practically a byword for safety would let function dictate form, not the opposite.

Other highlights

Cargo space: On paper it’s about the same as a compact SUV, but the lower ceiling restricts what you can do with it. On the other hand, it has a longer usable surface, whether the rear bench is up or down. And besides the usual 60/40 split, there’s also a pass-through in the middle for stuff like skis or hockey sticks with two passengers in the back seat.

Instruments: The 12.3-inch digital driver display is clear, easy to check, and customizable. It’s part of the popular Premier Package. The CC is the only V60 that you can’t get with a head-up display.

Convenience features: A power tailgate, keyless start, and heated power front seats are standard. Volvo is one of not too many luxury automakers still offering cloth seats, which some buyers prefer. A heated steering wheel, navigation system, and blind-spot-monitoring are still only options, but at least they’re grouped into one package—until 2019 Volvo had the annoying habit of sticking them into separate packages. Storage spaces are too few and too small.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill start assist
• Hill descent control
• Front airbags
• Driver knee airbag
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five adjustable head restraints; front restraints with whiplash prevention system
• Tire pressure monitor
• Rearview camera
• Forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking
• Lane departure alert with automatic steering assist
• Emergency steering assist
• Auto high beam
• Rear parking sensors
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic warning (with Premier Package)
• Lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, semiautomatic parking with front sensors, and surround camera system (with Premier Plus Package)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 5 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

Visibility

Merely OK, due to steeply angled front pillars, wide B-pillars, and side windows tapering towards the back. The side-view mirrors are also too small. The Volvo XC70 might not have been as sharp looking, but you could see out a lot better. Blind-spot monitoring helps but will cost you extra. Funny, considering that Volvo was a pioneer of such systems.

Headlights: The LED bending reflector headlights in the Premier Plus Package earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)’s highest rating. The standard fixed‑LED projectors were rated marginal (2/4), mainly because the low beams don’t reach far enough ahead on the driver's side. The high beams do better, and they also turn on automatically.

Mechanical overview

The V60’s second generation uses Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform. It debuted in 2016 with the XC90 SUV and now furnishes the base for the S60 sedan, XC60 sport-ute, and S90/V90 series. Its rigid structure provides outstanding crash protection, and we’ve noted neither creaks nor cracking sounds in any of the Volvos we’ve tested recently.

The Swedish automaker has designed some sophisticated suspension systems just for this platform. Instead of traditional struts up front, it has a double wishbone on each wheel. The multilink system further back seems relatively traditional, but a new transverse leaf spring made of composite material has replaced the usual coils. The idea is to keep the suspension from elbowing into the trunk, and to reduce the unsuspended weight without messing up the ride.

If you haven’t been following Volvo in a few years, you might not have heard that five- and six-cylinder engines are now a thing of the past. All the models built on the SPA platform now use the same 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, with a supercharger thrown in some trim levels for extra moxie. There are also plug-in hybrid variants whose 11.6 kWh battery is good for a 35 km range.

Curiously, Cross Country buyers have only the 2.0-litre “base” turbo to choose from—a 250‑horsepower engine developing 258 foot-pounds of torque between 1,500 and 4,800 rpm. The 316-horsepower supercharged engine and 400-horsepower hybrid are reserved for other series’ T6s and T8s.

They all however get the same automatic transmission. It’s an eight-speed by Japan’s Aisin Auto Parts, with a manual mode on the shift lever instead of paddle-shifters on the steering-wheel column.

The Premier Plus Package lets you switch between Eco, Comfort, and Dynamic drive modes, each with its own accelerator response, transmission behaviour, and steering assistance settings. The Individual function lets you mix and match those settings as you see fit.

The Volvo V60 CC comes with standard on-demand all-wheel-drive, which will transfer up to half the power to the rear wheels if the front wheels start slipping. Otherwise pretty much all the power goes to the front. The system is supplied by Haldex and can be found in all four-wheel-drive Volvos and some of Ford’s, GM’s, and Volkswagen’s.

Other highlights

Fuel economy: We averaged 8.6 L/100 km driving mainly on the highway in the dog days of summer. That’s OK for a car weighing 1,800 kg but looks positively high when compared to the BMW 3 Series we tested a week earlier. The Beamer—about the same size, perhaps a titch lighter, and unquestionably livelier than the V60 CC—got by on a mere 6.8 L/100 km under the same conditions.

Driving impressions

It’s often said that Volvos are cars for parents, thanks to Volvo’s emphasis on safety and practicality. Out on the road, the Swedish manufacturer’s attachment to that reputation is still in evidence, although the boxy style of yesteryear has been updated.

Yes, the engine delivers more than enough power to hustle this wagon wherever it’s going. You won’t power out, even if the smooth and nicely geared transmission occasionally pauses to reflect before a downshift. Volvo’s 2.0‑litre turbo is however nowhere near as lively as similar engines in BMWs and Hondas/Acuras, for instance. It could be a little smoother and quieter in hard acceleration too, particularly since its roar won’t set a lot of hearts racing.

Handling is in much the same line. The Volvo V60 Cross Country holds the road determinedly; the all-wheel-drive keeps a tight rein on the front end around curves, and the body is pretty well controlled for a “wagon on stilts.” The precise steering makes for first-rate stability at cruising speed.

But the steering wheel is too uncommunicative to give drivers a proper feel for the road, unlike, say, the BMW 3-Series or the Genesis G70. Dynamic driving mode, which damps down a bit of the steering assistance, doesn’t make much difference.

Still, the suspension smooths out the rough spots better than most of Volvo’s Teutonic rivals. Will the rear plastic leaf spring hold up in the long haul? There’s not much to go on at this point, but it certainly does a great job right now.

So, the V60 CC doesn’t exactly inspire pulse-pounding excitement. It does however inspire loads of confidence combined with lots of comfort. Considering the parlous state of so many of our roads, it might be exactly what many Quebec drivers are looking for.

Other highlights

Braking: Perfectly fine with lots of power, though not quite as impressive as the competition out of Germany. Predictable and easy to modulate. Stable panic stops.

Soundproofing: Filters out wind and road noise well. The engine is noisy during acceleration but quiets down at cruising speed.

Driver assistance: Warning lights for the blind-spot monitoring system are easy to see. They’re red rather than amber and L-shaped in the top corner of the side-view mirrors. Lane departure alert, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control are progressive and well calibrated.