2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country Road Test and Review

For that slice of U.S. buyers who want added cargo versatility but find minivans too soccer-mom-ish, and who seek all-wheel drive but think SUVs are a bit on the chunky side, there’s the station wagon. Few folks call them station wagons anymore, and even fewer automakers offer them in their lineups. But Volvo, with a long “wagonmaster” history dating back to the mid-1950s, has several 2020 models worth taking a look at.

The V60 is the brand’s mid-size wagon and the V60 Cross Country is the version with enhanced off-pavement capability courtesy of a taller ride height and standard all-wheel drive. Other Cross Country features that imbue it with added off-road functionality include standard hill-descent control, body sill protection, recontoured bumpers, underbody shielding, and a specific off-road driving mode. Including the $995 destination charge, the five-passenger 2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country is priced at $46,095. It’s also one of the available models that buyers can choose as part of Volvo’s subscription program. Pricewise, the V60 Cross Country goes head-to-head against the Audi A4 Allroad, and it slots between more luxuriously optioned versions of the Subaru Outback and the more expensive (and larger) Volvo V90 Cross Country, Audi A6 Allroad, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon.

Think of the V60 Cross Country as a V60 wagon that’s spent some time at an off-road outfitter. It’s got a more adventurous look about it, courtesy of its reworked bumpers and lower bodyside cladding. A modest 2.5-inch body lift and 8.3 inches of total ground clearance help it clear underbody obstacles that might snag other wagons with lower ride height.

The V60 Cross Country also has roughly the same amount of cargo space as Volvo’s mid-size XC60 SUV, but with a cargo compartment that’s a few inches longer and about a half-foot lower. That lower roof compared to SUVs like the XC60 make the V60 Cross Country great for loading canoes, surfboards, pods, bikes, and such on the standard roof rack without the need to grab a stepstool.

The V60 Cross Country is available with a single powertrain combination. It’s equipped with a 250-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive, enough to propel the 4,000-lb wagon to 60 mph in around 6.5 seconds. For more power, the XC60 SUV offers a range of heartier engine options.

The V60 Cross Country is EPA-rated at 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway/25 mpg combined. In 52 miles of mixed suburban, freeway, and unpaved rural roads, I saw an observed 26 mpg — not bad for a big, roomy wagon. Paired with a responsive and quick-shifting eight-speed Aisin automatic transmission, the turbo engine builds boost quickly, good for satisfying acceleration from a stoplight as well as worry-free interstate merging or overtaking on rural two-lane highways. The 258 lb-ft of torque is available over a broad range of engine speed, making for effortless part-throttle response around town.

Inside the V60 Cross Country’s luxurious cabin, no one is going to think they’ve sacrificed comfort or convenience for utility. With an emphasis on simple but elegant Scandinavian design, the Cross Country offers a winsome blending of top-quality materials, clutter-free details, and a soothing color palette. Unlike the offerings at some other luxury automakers that make much of the really nice stuff optional at extra cost, the V60 Cross Country comes loaded in base form.

All seats are leather-covered, as is the steering wheel. The heated, lumbar-adjustable, and 10-way power-operated front seats offer the sort of orthopedic comfort we've come to expect in Volvos, with front seat massagers, ventilated Nappa leather or City Weave Textile seat coverings, and bottom cushion extenders available as options. A panoramic power sunroof and dual-zone automatic climate control are also standard, with a four-zone system available optionally. Another option is a head-up display, part of a $2,600 Advanced package. One odd omission for a luxury car is the lack of a power-adjustable steering column; the V60 Cross Country’s is manually operated.

In recent Volvos, there’s a unique way to turn the engine on and off: Unlike the common push-button, Volvo provides a twist knob on the console. Also on the console is the Cross Country’s driver-selectable driving mode roller switch. Compared to the default Comfort mode, Eco mode delivers a more gradual throttle response, earlier transmission upshifts, and a coasting function with no engine braking above 40 mph. Dynamic mode makes for quicker throttle response, higher engine revs, sportier steering, and brake responses and disables the stop/start function that shuts off the engine at idle to save gas.

Off-Road mode enhances off-pavement control and is usable up to 25 mph. With it, hill-descent control is automatically activated and the throttle response, shift map, and electronic stability control are optimized for off-road traction. The V60 Cross Country’s all-wheel drive is an automatic system with no buttons to push. It’s working behind the scenes all the time to deliver motive force to the wheels with the most traction. On dry pavement, it apportions 100% of engine torque to the front wheels, adjusting under slippery conditions to deliver as much as 50% of that to the rear wheels. When stopped, AWD is fully engaged to help get the wagon moving.

Standard fare in the V60 Cross Country is Volvo’s Sensus Connect infotainment system with a vertical 9-inch infrared display that can be operated while wearing gloves. Unlike the system in many other SUVs and wagons, imbedded navigation is standard as well. The homepage display has four horizontal tiles, one each for navigation, audio, cellphone, and apps such as Pandora and Spotify. Sensus is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, though these smartphone interfaces only take up the lower horizontal tile, leaving the other three tiles still visible and usable. Included with the Sensus system is 4G LTE Wi-Fi for in-car device connectivity.

A good-sounding 220-watt 10-speaker audio system with AM, FM, HD radio, and SiriusXM is standard, with a concert hall-worthy 1,100-watt 15-speaker Bowers and Wilkins surround sound system available as a rather pricey $4,000 option.

The V60 Cross Country is a five-seater. Volvo didn’t attempt to squeeze in a tiny third-row seat just for kids. There is three-across seating on a 60/40 split bench with a center folding armrest. Heated rear seats are a $750 option that also includes a heated steering wheel.

Standard dark-tinted rear-seat and cargo glass helps maintain privacy, while power-folding rear seat headrests can be lowered by the driver to improve rearward visibility when the rear seats are unoccupied. Power child-lock rear doors are standard.

Enhanced cargo hauling is a major reason people buy wagons over sedans, and here the V60 Cross Country does not disappoint. With the 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded flat, the cargo bay is nearly 6 feet long from the back of the front seats to the cargo door and offers nearly 51 cubic feet of cargo space.

Even with the rear seatbacks up, the V60 Cross Country has 23.2 cubic feet of stash space, more than in the XC60 SUV or any full-size sedan’s trunk. Access is via a standard power liftgate door. More space is available under the cargo floor for cameras, tablets, purses, and other small valuable around the spare tire

Unlike many of its luxury brand competitors, the Volvo V60 Cross Country makes most of its safety and driver-assistive technology standard, not extra-cost. Standard features include a blind-spot warning with steering assist, a rear cross-traffic alert with brake assist, a driver alert system, a lane-departure warning, lane-keeping with steering assist, oncoming lane mitigation, run-off road protection and mitigation, road-sign identification, a backup camera, and a forward-collision warning system with pedestrian, cyclist, and large-animal detection, steering avoidance, and automatic emergency braking.

Optional in the $2,500 Advanced package are active headlamps that rotate slightly when the steering wheel is turned; a 360-degree surround-view parking camera that gives an overhead view of the wagon and its immediate surroundings; and the Pilot Assist enhancement to adaptive cruise control. With Pilot Assist, the V60 driver gets assistance with steering, acceleration, and braking at speeds up to 80 mph even if there is no vehicle in front to follow. Pilot Assist, however, is not a hands-free system and is best used on limited-access highways.

Although the wagon market has gotten smaller in the U.S. in recent years due to the huge rise in popularity of SUVs and the departure of brands like Volkswagen, BMW, and Buick from the segment, Volvo has found a niche for a small but loyal following that prefers the carlike ride and proportions of a wagon to those of a bulkier SUV. The latest V60 stretches about half a foot longer than its predecessor — adding interior space and creating a luxury brand-appropriate cab-rearward design profile with a longer nose and shorter overhangs.

The modest stretch doesn’t diminish the wagon’s on-road ride and handling, feeling as stable and secure as any Volvo sedan. With a seating position that’s just slightly elevated over the standard V60, the Cross Country doesn’t exhibit any of the tippy feel sometimes experienced in SUVs. Body motions are well controlled, the variable-effort steering is well-weighted and precise, and the brakes are strong. Overall, the 2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country is the non-SUV with plenty of cargo space, safety systems, and infotainment tech, and a long roster of luxury amenities to get you and up to four passengers where you want to go — in style.