2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country

 
 

For this week’s review we’ve gotten our hands on the 2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country. When I hear Volvo, I think safety and wagons. They are one of the rare brands that have stayed committed to offering a wagon for decades in North America even with the trend moving towards SUVs. What makes the Cross Country unique is that it’s a bit higher off the ground and cladding added to the bottom. The platform of the V60 is on the same architecture as the S60.

Disclosure: Volvo Canada provided me with the 2020 V60 Cross Country for a week to test drive, and photograph. All photos in this blog post was taken by me. #VolvoV60CrossCountry

ACCELERATION: 8.5/10

  • 2.0L Turbo I4

  • 250 HP @ 5500 / 258 lb-ft @ 1500-4800

  • 8-Speed Automatic

  • Standard AWD

  • 6.8 second 0-100 km/hr

  • Very linear torque/power delivery

BRAKING: 8.75/10

  • Excellent stopping score. Vehicle came to stop quickly even when loaded full of wooden furniture.

HANDLING: 8/10

  • Overall handling is engaging and fun to drive

RIDE: 7/10

  • Plush ride quality on smooth pavement like highways. But in city driving where the roads are uneven or have pot holes, the ride can feel harsh. I wish the adaptive suspensions could go softer in the comfort mode!

ECONOMY: 8.5/10

  • 22/31/25 MPG (City/Highway/Combined)

  • Requires premium fuel - 91 octane

  • Eco mode really works great on the highway because it goes into a coasting state by having the free wheel disconnector decuple the transmission. If you drive on the highway a lot this is one of the highlights of the V60!

CABIN NOISE: 8.5/10

  • Road and tire noise is well controlled. Engine noise is noticeable depending on how you drive.

  • Since the engine is an I4 the interior could sound a bit like a vacuum cleaner when you push it.

  • Overall if you’re not always flooring the gas pedal, it’s a nice isolated space for you and your family.

EXTERIOR: 8.5/10

  • Cross Country version looks more rugged thanks to the additional cladding and ground clearance.

  • Sleek and striking design

INTERIOR FOR DRIVER: 8.25/10

  • Available in a vegan interior but you can opt for the full leather experience

  • Everything has a high quality feel to it

  • Driving the car is very smooth and linear!

  • Wish the arm rest was more forward to make it easier to use without having the seat too far back

  • Could have a bit more padding on the arm rest for the comfort aspect

INTERIOR FOR PASSENGERS: 8.25/10

  • Rear passengers will have plenty of leg and head room in the 2018 version overall legroom and headroom didn’t score high but this has been fixed in the 2019/2020 models!

  • Panoramic sunroof lets in lots of light creating a welcoming space for passengers!

  • Middle seat has a hump on the ground so may not be optimal to have 3 adults in the back

Combined Legroom:

  • 81.6 - XF wagon

  • 79.5 - XC60

  • 79.0 - Regal Tour X

  • 77.5 - V60 (2019/2020)

  • 77.0 - 3 wagon (2018)

  • 77.0 - A4 allroad

  • 75.4 - V60 (2018)

Headroom 2nd Row:

  • 40.1 - V60 (2019/2020)

  • 39.6 - Regal Tour X

  • 39.2 - A4 allroad

  • 38.3 - 3 wagon (2018)

  • 38.2 - XF wagon

  • 38.0 - XC60

  • 37.6 - V60 (2018)

INTERIOR STORAGE: 8.75/10

  • 23.2 Cu Ft with the seats up

  • 50.9 Cu Ft with the seats down

  • Plenty of usable cargo space especially with the seats down. It came in handy for us as we just purchased a new shelf and bed frame.

  • The opening is very wide making is easy to swallow up large items like a bed frame head unit.

  • Rear seats fold almost completely flat in a 60/40 style with a ski pass through the middle seat.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM: 7.5/10

  • Processing speed has been improved but is still a bit laggy when the car first turns on and the system initializes. Because the temperature, heated seats and heated steering controls are only accessible here you’ll have to wait a few seconds before it’s ready for use. After infotainment has initialized, it’s responsive and nice to use.

  • Supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE 2020 V60 Cross Country:

Volvo has long been a champion of making practical wagons and have been dedicated to keep offering it for the North American market for decades. The V60 Cross Country is made for someone like me. It’s a sleek and striking looking car that’s great to drive as an everyday wagon. The Cross Country version gives the V60 more ground clearance, additional cladding to give it a more rugged appearance, and AWD comes standard. If you’re in the market for a SUV and want something different while being practical, I would recommend giving wagons a look.

If you want a V60 wagon with more power, check out the V60 T8 Polestar Engineered version which outputs 415 HP and 494 lb-ft. I haven’t personally driven it but I’m curious how it stacks up as a performance wagon like the C43 AMG Wagon which I recently got a chance to experience.

If you go with a V60 Cross Country I think you’ll be very happy with it.

 
 
BC, Cars, Reviews, Volvoeat-with-maobc, carreview, car, wagon, volvo, volvov60Comment