Driving impression: Volvo V60 Cross Country
The best way to kick off this driving impression is to just put it there that I am a huge Volvo fan. Ok, you already knew this…if you have read anything about my previous longterm V40 Cross Country that is. But there’s good reason to be a fan of Volvo…safety, luxury, performance, style…the list goes on. In fact, the XC90 just won Women on Wheels overall Car of the Year as well. In my opinion, Volvo just keeps getting better and better!
A usual launch of a new car involves a bunch of journalists meeting at a certain place, sitting through a sometimes lengthy and boring business presentation, driving the car to a lunch spot and then driving back to said meeting place. Volvo decided to do something completely different with the launch of its V60 Cross Country and boy! did they nail it. We were asked to choose a weekend in September to go to one of three destinations. I chose this past weekend and Grootbos Private Nature Reserve near Hermanus in the Western Cape. I nailed it!
As much as it could have been, this was not about the place or the fact that I was getting a free weekend away, it was more about getting to experience the V60 Cross Country in an environment it was made for. Don’t get me wrong, I was overjoyed to be getting out of the city with my partner for a weekend filled with good food, expensive wines and spectacular views, however, I was excited about experiencing a car the way it should be experienced.
The V60 Cross Country is aimed at people with active lifestyles and central to the Cross Country concept (which we first saw back in 1997 on the V70) is the expression of go-anywhere capability and rugged design. And where better to the experience this concept than in this perfectly located nature reserve that offers everything the Cape has to offer. And Cape Town was showing off this past weekend.
The only glitch in our perfectly planned weekend was the fact that my partner (now called Hop-Along) snapped his Achilles tendon two nights before we were due to leave. Hop-Along had to sit in the back of the V60 Cross Country with pillows keeping his leg above his heart. This was not how he was expecting to experience the space in the back, but nonetheless, it proved rather comfy and he seemed more than happy to be chauffeured around the Cape taking pics along the way. With that said, had he been able to sit upright, he would have had to deal with little legroom…there just ain’t a lot going on back there in terms of legroom, but if it’s small kids you have then no problems will be had.
The V60 Cross Country sits 65mm higher than the standard V60 and adds skid plates front and rear, side scuff plates and fender extenders. It looks the part! Volvo wants rugged and muscular with a sporty undertone. I think this has been achieved! So what is the V60 Cross Country exactly? Volvo calls it a “sport wagon” and before you roll your eyes and think station wagon, get your head out your ‘hoohah’ and think of the Audi Allroad and Subaru Outback. South Africans aren’t thrilled by wagons, but they should be!
I am asked about compact SUVs on a daily basis and most of the time it is because the person asking wants space and a raised ride height. Something like the Volvo V60 Cross Country offers all of this (the boot capacity is 557-litres), plus, it’s unique and it can take you places many of your SUV choices won’t be able to thanks to its AWD capabilities.
The cabin is refined and truly Volvo in every way. It’s easy to pair your phone and the multifunction steering wheel ensures everything is at your finger tips…literally. The only issue I had was with the Sat Nav. For the life of me I could not figure out how to set the address needed and resorted to using my phone instead. This could be explained as a ‘blonde moment’ but either way, Volvo may want to make this a bit more ‘dummy proof’.
Engine options on the Volvo V60 Cross Country is either a D4 AWD 2,4L Turbo mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission or the T5 AWD 2,5L Turbo also mated to a 6-speed auto transmission. I drove the diesel up to Grootbos on Friday and the petrol version back down to Cape Town on Sunday. The diesel is a rather vocal guy and if you want instant power, I would opt for the petrol instead.
The ride is comfortable and its composed through corners, even with its added ride height. The steering is sufficiently precise and weighted. This is the car you want to drive your family in, it feels solid on the road and being a Volvo, you know safety is guaranteed!
Is this the perfect family estate? It could be, but I would be happy to own this even as a ‘childless couple.’ It’s seriously comfortable, quiet, and wonderful to drive. I am sad to see it go. It wasn’t just the scenery, the spa treatments, dinner under the stars, bottles of mouth watering wine, lazing by a crystal blue pool, relaxing in a bath overlooking the reserve, driving along untouched roads and breathtaking coastal adventures, no, it wasn’t just this…it was the overall experience! And experiencing all of this in a car that you genuinely like is pretty much unbeatable.
The Volvo V60 pricing:
V60 Cross Country D4 Geartronic AWD Momentum: R499 900
V60 Cross Country D4 Geartronic AWD Inscription: R519 900
V60 Cross Country T5 Geartronic AWD Momentum: R533 500
V60 Cross Country T5 Geartronic AWD Inscription: R553 000