2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country is ready to rough it
Its upgrades focus on taking the car further away from the pavement.
Volvo's Cross Country line is all about giving its wagons a dose of off-road cred. Not everybody wants a sport utility vehicle, after all. Volvo already unveiled the V90 Cross Country , and now that the V60 has been kicking around for a minute, it's time to lift this wagon to the sky, too.
The Volvo V60 Cross Country is, in essence, just a taller V60. Its chassis and suspension have been tweaked to accommodate some light off-roading, including about 2.9 inches of additional ground clearance. All-wheel drive is standard, and there's a special Off-Road mode to switch to when the wheels hit the dirt.
Otherwise, it's the same V60 that we've already come to dig. When it goes on sale in Europe in time for the 2019 model year, it'll be offered with either Volvo's D4 diesel powertrain or the T5 gas powertrain. It won't arrive in the US until the 2020 model year, and it's safe to assume that we'll only get the gas option, which relies on a 250-horsepower I4. Volvo did say that plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid variants will be available in the future, as well -- and who doesn't want a 400-horsepower, off-road-ready station wagon?
You'll probably see more V60 Cross Country models with a roof rack than without. It's a lifestyle thing.
The V60 Cross Country will also get the same tech that we've seen in the standard V60. This includes a standard Sensus Connect infotainment system with a vertical screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. On the safety front, automatic emergency braking is standard, as is lane departure warning.
If it drives anything like the standard V60, it'll definitely impress. I took a spin in the V60 earlier this year, and I walked away excited. The packaging both looks and feels better than the larger V90 wagon, giving the V60 the kind of athleticism that I'd hoped for in the V90. Yet, when all I wanted was a sedate cruiser, it was perfectly content to deliver a comfortable ride. It's the best of both worlds.
Care By Volvo, the manufacturer's subscription plan, will also be available to V60 Cross Country buyers. A single monthly fee covers the cost of the car, in addition to maintenance and insurance. There's no word on pricing yet, but that makes sense, since the car is still a ways away from its US debut. We'll likely learn more as we progress into 2019.
2019 Volvo V60: Come with us as we take Volvo's newest wagon for a spin.
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