Volvo Goes Off-Road With V60 Cross Country

Helping complete the 60-series lineup, Volvo has just released their latest variation on a theme. The V60 Cross Country takes the midsize wagon and moves it up.

That's up in height. And maybe up into the mountains. The Cross Country is Volvo's more rugged and outdoorsy version of the V60 platform. Here, rugged and outdoorsy means more height. That's thanks to a revised chassis setup and suspension that raises the car by 75 mm. Volvo says that's to enhance the car's off-road capability.

It also means more plastic trim. The V60 Cross Country gets generous helpings of the cladding that added to the last-gen car's more rugged appearance. This year, there's more of it surrounding the wheel arches.

The V60 CC gets all-wheel drive standard and packs useful off-road additions like hill descent control and an off-road drive mode. Adding height to the suspension puts the driver up high as well. That's a good thing for visibility, and if it keeps one more driver out of an SUV in favour of a wagon then we're for it.

The only drivetrain, at least at launch, will be the T5. That means a 2.0L direct injected and turbocharged four. Volvo didn't give power figures, but in the S60 sedan it makes 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

This is a Volvo, so it comes loaded with safety tech. Like City Safety with Autobrake that can recognize cyclists, pedestrians, and large animals. Then it can provide emergency braking to help miss them. Also on board are Pilot Assist that can steer, accelerate, and brake on "well-marked roads" up to 130 km/h. A bit of an advanced cruise control with some steering assist. It has run-off road mitigation if you leave the pavement and oncoming lane mitigation. Volvo's tablet-style touchscreen with Sensus connect supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

A Volvo spokesperson said that the V60 Cross Country should arrive in Canadian dealerships this Spring. Expect pricing closer to the car's showroom arrival.