Aside from extra exterior moldings in comparison with the usual V60, Cross Country fashions additionally characteristic a novel grille.
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A automotive or truck does not should be the perfect in each measure to be extremely fascinating. The 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country is not essentially the most versatile automobile accessible right this moment, neither is it the quickest, fanciest or greatest geared up. But man, it is a terrific all-around package deal, one which seems like greater than the sum of its Scandinavian elements.
LikeAll-weather performanceSound driving dynamicsSumptuous inside
Don’t LikeInfotainment tech might be betterSome points with Pilot AssistStarchy experience high quality
Riding about 2.5 inches taller than the V60 wagon (with a beneficiant 8.3 inches of floor clearance) and fitted with customary all-wheel drive in addition to hill-descent management, the Cross Country is designed for gentle off-roading, to get you up that icy driveway or throughout a meadow to your favourite fishing spot. Special wheel-arch trim and exterior moldings present a extra sturdy look and are a nod to that enhanced functionality. You would possibly suppose these injection-molded add-ons would spoil a stupendous design, however the Cross Country is simply as fairly and elegantly proportioned as the usual V60.But not like its lower-riding stablemante (which is on the market with a potent plug-in hybrid powertrain), the V60 Cross Country is just supplied with one engine, a 2.0-liter turbo-four that belts out 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Smooth, servile and practically silent, this little dynamo nonetheless gives loads of giddy-up and an estimated 0-to-60-mph time of 6.4 seconds.
This Volvo’s engine is backed by an incisive eight-speed automated transmission that is as clean as sandwich unfold — besides when it is chilly, then it’s kind of sluggish to shift. Fortunately, this sluggishness disappears as soon as the drivetrain thaws out. Speaking of heat, for what it is value, the V60 Cross Country has the quickest-acting steering-wheel heater I’ve ever skilled, and the butt-warmers are equally efficient.Driven in frigid Midwestern climate with loads of winter precipitation, this Volvo is a succesful steed, by no means shedding its footing or inflicting me to second-guess its poise. Get overzealous with the accelerator and it’ll go playfully sideways on snow or ice earlier than the stability-control system gently intervenes to get you pointed in the appropriate route.
Among different issues, the $2,800 Lounge Package will get you luxurious Nappa leather-based for a super-premium really feel.
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The V60 Cross Country’s steering is gentle to the contact however nonetheless fairly exact. A bit extra front-wheel suggestions could be good, as would softer springs. The experience is actually properly managed, however I discover it rather a lot stiffer than it must be. At least considerably offsetting the stony experience is that this Volvo’s posh cabin. The entrance seats are supremely comfy and for an additional $500 can provide you a mild therapeutic massage. The backseat additionally presents loads of passenger area, at the very least for the outboard riders; anybody relegated to the center place should deal with a big hump within the flooring.
Aside from its annoyingly extensive sills that streak your pant legs with grime in case you’re not cautious when disembarking and the cheap-feeling, non-extending solar visors, the remainder of this V60 Cross Country’s cabin is luxurious. This instance’s stunning, brown Nappa leather-based and laminated, open-pore wooden accents look richer than an aristocrat’s research. The $2,800 Lounge Package additionally will get you a stitched dashboard cowl, four-zone local weather management, ventilated entrance seats and some different niceties. If issues really feel a bit too cozy, simply retract the usual panoramic sunroof’s shade to let slightly gentle shine in. This inside’s total design is mostly hotter and friendlier than what you get from German automakers today, although among the tech might be improved.Volvo’s acquainted Sensus Connect infotainment system is as intricate because it’s ever been. And despite the fact that it appears noticeably snappier on this Cross Country’s 9-inch touchscreen than I’ve come to anticipate, it is nonetheless not my favourite multimedia array. Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are customary, although they do present up a bit small on the portrait show since it is so tall and slender. Augmenting that panel is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that is reconfigurable however at all times appears a bit washed out.The V60 Cross Country is rattling good.
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When it involves security and driver-assistance options, it is a Volvo, so, yeah, there’s a lot. The standard goodies like lane-keeping help, automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring are all customary and work just about seamlessly. Full-LED exterior lighting can also be included at no additional cost. Beyond all that, this V60 Cross Country can also be fitted with Pilot Assist, Volvo’s adaptive cruise-control system with lane centering. It comes bundled together with a head-up show, a 360-degree digicam and a wi-fi telephone charger within the $1,900 Advanced Package. This ever-attentive cruise-control system easily regulates the Cross Country’s pace relative to different site visitors, although the lane-centering might be improved. Occasionally it will get confused and can tug forwards and backwards on the steering wheel, which is a bit unnerving.Stick to the freeway the place Pilot Assist is in its component and the V60 Cross Country ought to return 31 miles per gallon. Around city, it is rated at 22 mpg and mixed it ought to ship 25. In combined use, I’ve been averaging round 24 mpg, which isn’t too shabby contemplating the chilly climate.
Even although Volvo is just not the one automaker to supply a lifted station wagon, the V60 Cross Country is sort of in a category of its personal. The pretty Audi A6 Allroad and new Mercedes-Benz E450 All-Terrain are a riff on the identical method, although they’re greater, extra highly effective and actually a greater rival to Volvo’s personal V90 Cross Country. Still, it is conceivable consumers would possibly cross-shop these German choices with the smaller V60 Cross Country, and in the event that they do, they will discover it considerably extra inexpensive. As examined, this instance checks out for $57,290 together with $995 in supply charges, a determine that additionally incorporates a smattering of choices, by far the priciest of which is the $4,000 Bowers and Wilkins premium sound system. Eschew any extras and you may take one in all these elevated station wagons house for lower than $47,000, round 20 grand lower than an entry-level Allroad or All-Terrain.The 2021 Volvo V60 Cross Country might not excel in any explicit space, nevertheless it’s nonetheless stunning and upscale, presents loads of options and is nice to drive. With ample consolation, enhanced versatility and Swedish good style, it is proof you do not have to be the perfect to be a winner.