2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country Fills Wagon Needs
According to Volvo, the V60 Cross Country “takes the elegance of the V60 and transforms it into an all-road estate that delivers safety, practicality, comfort, and performance in a capable and adventurous package.” I spent a week test-driving the 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country T5 AWD, and I want to explore Volvo’s statement claim-by-claim.
I accept this claim as true. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently named the V60 Cross Country a Top Safety Pick Plus, and a five-star (their highest) overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Volvo has a well-deserved reputation for safety, and an ongoing commitment to the goal that no one should be killed or severely injured in an accident in a Volvo vehicle. Standard safety equipment in the Cross Country includes LED headlights, LED foglamps with cornering, blind-spot information system with steer-assist, cross-traffic alert with autobrake, City Safety, driver alert control, run-off road protection and mitigation, lane departure warning and lane-keeping, oncoming collision mitigation, airbags, whiplash protection system in front seats, and more.
I accept this claim as true. I could argue that the wagon form is the most practical of all passenger vehicles. With the same footprint as a comparable sedan, the wagon offers more cargo capacity, better outward visibility, and a greater sense of interior space. The penalties for a wagon are minor – slightly worse aerodynamics than a sedan, which could reduce fuel efficiency; and a debatable aesthetic knock. I actually like the looks of the V60 better than its platform-mate, the S60. And the V60 is certainly better-looking than its SUV brother, the XC60. The wagon has a slight advantage in cargo capacity (50.9 cubic feet vs. 49.8 cubic feet). The SUV carries around an extra 100 lbs (4,143 lbs vs. 4,031 lbs) and takes a knock at the gas pump. The V60 Cross Country T5 AWD is rated at 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway/25 mpg combined, while the XC60 T5 AWD comes in at 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway/24 mpg combined.
I accept this claim as true. Under the ownership of Geely Holding Group of China since 2010, Volvo has evolved into a luxury car maker with some of the most elegant interior designs available in any mass-market cars. The unique Scandinavian influence on the V60 Cross Country’s interior extends from simple, elegant shapes to high-quality, authentic and sustainable material choices. The result is a car that not only transports and protects its occupants, but also surrounds them with luxury and comfort. The “Cross County” designation of the V60 is reflected more on the exterior, with modest body cladding and special wheels and tires, and in the engine programming and mild off-road technology. The V60 Cross Country doesn’t ask its occupants to rough it.
I accept this claim as true – though I wish it could be truer. The V60 Cross Country comes in just one setup, with a 250-hp direct injected turbocharged gasoline engine that displaces 2.0 liters and cranks out 258 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard, along with an eight-speed automatic transmission. That’s fine, but it’s the only choice, and Volvo has much more potent powertrains in its arsenal, already sized to fit in the 60 series cars (S60, XC60, V60) on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform. Call me an American, but knowing there’s more horsepower and torque available but out of my reach leaves me feeling sad and unpatriotic.
Would that keep me from considering a 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country for my stable? Absolutely not. There aren’t a whole lot of new wagons offered for sale in the United States right now. In the luxury category, you can find a few at Audi and Mercedes-Benz, but the BMW wagons aren’t coming here anymore. Subaru still makes the Outback, but Buick stopped building the Regal TourX. Volvo offers the V60, the V60 Cross Country, the V90, and the V90 Cross Country, so they are practically the wagon giants.
The 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country T5 AWD, starting at $45,450, is an all-road estate that delivers safety, practicality, comfort, and performance in a capable and adventurous package, just like Volvo said it was. And for many shoppers, it will be all the wagon they need.
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