Volvo V60 Cross Country

V60 Cross Country generations at a glance

Why Volvo made a Cross Country version of the V60

Volvo has sold raised estates since the V70 XC of the late 1990s, and the formula is simple: more ground clearance, plastic wheel-arch trims and underbody protection, while keeping the low roof and driving manners of an estate. The V60 Cross Country brought this idea to Volvo's mid-size estate for the first time.

Volvo revealed it at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November 2014. Orders opened in spring 2015, according to the old 1cars text, with the European and other markets following the North American launch. The car was a rival to the Audi A4 allroad quattro and the Subaru Outback, both of which use the same raised-estate idea. For a taller SUV alternative from the same brand, see the Volvo XC60.

First generation: design, size and cabin

The first V60 Cross Country was based on the facelifted V60 of 2014. Volvo added skid plates front and rear, side scuff plates and wider wheel-arch extensions. New 18-inch and 19-inch wheels came with high-profile tyres, which Volvo said improved comfort and reduced road noise.

The cabin is the same as in the standard V60, with the "floating" centre console that was typical of Volvos of that period. The old 1cars text praises the quality of materials and the front seats, but notes that the centre rear passenger has to sit over a high transmission tunnel. By our calculation, the 65 mm of extra clearance is a 48 % increase over the standard car.

First-generation engines and fuel consumption

Volvo offered three main engines, with the choice depending on the market. Front-wheel-drive versions used the new four-cylinder Drive-E engines, while all-wheel-drive versions kept five-cylinder units.

The all-wheel-drive system uses a Haldex clutch at the rear axle. Hill Descent Control was standard on all-wheel-drive cars and holds a steady speed on steep slopes. According to the old 1cars text, the top speed of all versions was electronically limited to 210 km/h.

First-generation safety and equipment

Safety was a strong point. City Safety braked automatically at speeds up to 50 km/h, and Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection could also stop the car. Other systems included Lane Keeping Aid between 65 and 200 km/h and the Blind Spot Information System, which monitored up to 70 m behind. Cross Traffic Alert helped when reversing out of parking spaces, and Active High Beam Control was also available.

The old 1cars text lists three trim levels, Kinetic, Momentum and Summum, with a 5-inch screen on the base version and an 8-inch display on the upper trims. Electric power steering offered three levels of assistance.

Second generation: SPA platform and new styling

The second V60 Cross Country was announced in September 2018, shortly after the new V60 estate. It uses Volvo's Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), shared with the Volvo V90, the XC60 and the XC90. The body is just under 4.8 m long and just over 1.9 m wide.

Volvo raised the ride height by 75 mm according to its launch information, while a British road test gave 60 mm. The suspension was developed for rough roads, and an Off-Road drive mode joined Hill Descent Control. The car has a black wide grille with vertical bars, extra body cladding and its own wheel designs.

The boot holds 529 litres and 1,441 litres with the rear seats folded. In the same 2019 test, the Audi A4 Avant offered 504 litres and the BMW 3 Series Touring 495 litres, so the Volvo leads its premium rivals on space.

Second-generation engines, performance and towing

At launch the only engine was the D4 diesel: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 140 kW (190 PS) and 400 Nm. It came with an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, reached 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds and had a top speed of 210 km/h. Combined fuel economy was 42.8–47.9 mpg in the WLTP cycle, or about 5.9–6.6 l/100 km by our conversion.

A T5 petrol with about 183 kW (249 PS) followed. From 2020 in Europe, Volvo switched the range to B-badged mild-hybrid engines with a 48-volt system. In the United States the V60 has been sold only as a Cross Country since 2021, and mild-hybrid versions replaced the plain petrol engines there by 2023.

V60 Cross Country against its rivals

The Subaru and the Insignia offer slightly more boot space, while the Volvo has the most complete safety equipment and the better-finished cabin. Use the 1cars comparison tool to compare dimensions and data side by side, or estimate running costs with the fuel cost calculator.