Volvo V60 Cross Country review 2023: the Swedish wagon in smart wellies

• What exactly are the differences between a V60 and V60 Cross Country?
• Do the changes actually make any differences?
• Volvo V60 Cross Country review: the comfortable estate car
• Buying decisions: which engine and spec is recommended?
• Prices
• Will it actually off-road?
• Volvo V60 Cross Country: verdict
• Specs

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► 2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country review
► We test Swedes’ latest soft-roader estate
► More rugged V60, priced from £48,440

The Volvo V60 Cross Country is what you buy if you want a car that’s more capable off-road than the regular V60 estate, but isn’t an SUV. It’s a neat way of bagging some more rugged, go-anywhere creds without going full 4×4.

Put simply, the V60 Cross Country is a raised-up V60 with all-wheel drive and some of the accoutrements of the soft-roader genre pioneered by various Audi Allroads, Subaru Outbacks and Volvo’s own XC sub-brand over the years. Same engine, same gearbox, same interior. There’s really very little in it and you’ll often have to squint at a passing V60 or V90 to tell if it’s a standard estate or Cross Country version.

We like that subtlety. But should you opt for a V60 Cross Country over the regular wagon, especially since you’ll stump up nearly £6k more for the privilege? To answer this, our Volvo V60 Cross Country review starts by going into a little more detail on what you get for your money.

What exactly are the differences between a V60 and V60 Cross Country?

If we’re going to get technical, there are a number of tweaks to speak of. Firstly – and perhaps most importantly – the ride height has been increased by 60mm over the V60, while all-wheel drive, an automatic gearbox and Hill Descent Control are fitted as standard.

Volvo quotes a ground clearance of 197mm, meaning the body is raised up enough to clear many obstructions if you’re driving down a green lane or over a bumpy field towing a horsebox or similar.

Front parking sensors also make the kit list, as does comfort-biased suspension and, crucially, that extra body cladding that just seems to ooze effortless, Wallander-esque cool (it’s there for a reason: to protect the paintwork from stonechips). The wheel extensions, lower front grille and sill mouldings all benefit from a dash of charcoal coloured hard-wearing plastic. Tough.

Do the changes actually make any differences?

We’ve tested the 2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country on a variety of roads – from suburban streetscapes to motorways, rural B-roads and even the Arctic Circle for a dose of mild off-roading. We’re pleased to report the V60 CC proves itself to be very capable family transport no matter the circumstances.

That extra ride height is the most useful change for those who may veer off the tarmacadam occasionally: it doesn’t matter how good your tyres are if you keep scraping the car’s nose during off-road manoeuvres. It’s surprisingly capable on muddy lanes and scrabbling up grassy slopes, and you can’t really ask for much more than that.

The increase in ride height, combined with the softer suspension, means that there is a slight agility penalty (and an increase in bodyroll) compared with a regular Volvo V60 estate, but in all honesty it’s marginal and we suspect many drivers won’t notice the difference.

The V60 has never been able to rival the BMW 3-series Touring or Mercedes C-Class Estate for sporty driving dynamics and that’s just fine. Volvos are at their best when they craft their own luxier, softer vibe. This car has a languid chill to proceedings that’s quite addictive.

Volvo V60 Cross Country review: the comfortable estate car

This combination of loftier stance and squishier suspension lends the V60 Cross Country a greater comfort; there’s a soft, flowing quality to the ride, soaking up the bumps and lumps that sadly nowadays make up the majority of British roads. It’s quiet and absorbent and you feel very isolated from the road surface in a way that you don’t always in a stiffly sprung German rival.

Drive it on a damp country road in the UK that’s caked in mud and rough surfaces, and the Cross Country skips across with less disturbance to the whole experience than a regular V60 would, making it a very capable thing indeed.

And in a world of faux-sporty trim levels – that, whisper it, are really just firmer (and more uncomfortable) versions of the standard car – the V60 Cross Country’s take on things makes a nice change.

With Audi withdrawing the A4 Allroad and Skoda retiring the Octavia Scout, Volvo remains one of the few car makers to offer more rugged versions of its estate cars. We can’t deny it’s a more interesting alternative to the regular wagon: it has more personality, more coolness. It’s one of the most accomplished all-rounders going.

Buying decisions: which engine and spec is recommended?

At launch in 2018, the V60 Cross Country was offered with a choice of two engines:

• D4 187bhp/295lb ft 2.0-litre diesel, 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds
• T5 247bhp/266lb ft 2.0-litre petrol, 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds

The turbodiesel has been quietly dropped (blame the emissions scandal kicked off by Volkswagen) and in 2023 there is a solitary engine choice: the petrol B5. That signals there’s mild hybrid technology at play, harvesting energy produced when braking in a 48-volt battery to reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2. Emissions are some 20g/km lower than the original T5, despite similar power.

The B5 has promising outputs of 247bhp and 258lb ft from its 2.0-litre turbo; a reminder that a lot of punch is available from a small capacity these days. It’s not a lightweight car, at 1886kg, but it’s considerably nimbler than most chunky SUVs and performance is well judged in daily use.

The V60 XC can scarper from 0-62mph in just 6.9sec and acceleration on the road is always ample; just watch out for a raw, guttural four-pot soundtrack when revved (oh how we miss the mooing five-pots of yore!). And – no surprise – this powerful, all-wheel drive petrol turbo is quite thirsty: we struggled to push economy much beyond 30mpg.

Prices

Volvo has considerably hiked the V60 Cross Country price since launch. When it first arrived in the UK, it cost from £37k – fast forward to 2023 and the solitary model now starts at £48k. Go figure. Choose from two specs:

• Plus Four-zone climate control, Google infotainment with four years’ subscription, wireless phone charging, 19-inch alloys, powered tailgate for 519-litre boot, heated windscreen and steering wheel
• Ultimate Adds panoramic roof, Harman Kardon hifi, Pilot Assist – and £4700 to your bill

We tested the V60 Cross Country Ultimate and that full-length glass roof bathes the cabin in soft diffuse light. It’s an airy cabin with a lovely Scandi vibe. Taller adults will be comfy in the back row, though space to park your feet under the front seats is a little tight and there’s a very wide and tall transmission tunnel hindering space for a third rear passenger.

The new-for-2023 Android infotainment is a step forward for Volvo. Essentially the same package pioneered in the Polestar 2, it brings Google Assistant and Maps and introduces very clever voice control. It’ll recognise pretty much everything you ask it.

It’s just a shame Volvo has succumbed to putting tiny, fiddly heating controls on the touchscreen (those tiny arrows at the bottom of display above). It’s a far cry from the big, logical and chunky dials of the past that were designed for ease of use while wearing wintry Scandi gloves…

Will it actually off-road?

With a name like Cross Country, did you think we wouldn’t test its mettle? CAR has whizzed the rugged V60 around a tough wintry off-road course in Sweden and can report that it’s surprisingly capable away from the tarmac.

The modest suspension lift doesn’t sound much, but Volvo claims a 300mm wading depth, a 17-degree approach angle and 22.4deg departure angle. Let’s be honest: it’s more than most of us will ever need.

It works in practice: even driving over bumpy terrain, we never once bottomed out and the traction control prevents wheels spinning, directing drive to the tyres with grip.

The standard all-wheel drive never wants for traction, even in the depths of a slip-slidey British winter. Sling a set of all-seasons or winter tyres on this and you’ll rarely get stuck.

Volvo V60 Cross Country: verdict

The V60 Cross Country could well be the pick of the range, so long as you can stomach the chunky premium over regular versions. It does away with any sporting pretensions and delivers what should be a better all-round experience for it, amplifying the easygoing, luxury experience that the standard V60 does so well.

It’s a consummate all-rounder that’s well equipped for family life, especially if you occasionally venture off-road or, more likely, across muddy fields at your local pony club. Just watch out for long-ish waiting times, currently quoted at 9-10 months in early 2023.

Specs

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