To appeal to luxury car buyers after something that’s not a traditional 4x4 but competent on low-grip surfaces, Volvo has created rugged variants of some of their established models.

Previously we’ve had the V40 Cross Country hatchback and the V70-based XC70 estate for instance. Now we have the freshly introduced V60 Cross Country, based on the smaller estate in Volvo’s product range.

Compared to a standard V60, changes for the Cross Country include new body panels which give the car a tougher, but still smart-looking profile. The suspension has also been raised and optional four-wheel drive is available to swap the standard front-wheel drive.

While the V60 Cross Country is unquestionably an estate, it has a coupe-esque look which comes across as sophisticated and it stands out next to the competition.

The V60 Cross Country’s rivals include the Audi A4 Allroad, Volkswagen Passat Alltrack and Skoda Octavia Scout.

Performance

Engines for the V60 Cross Country include a couple of 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesels from Volvo’s new, eco-focused Drive-E line-up. There’s the D3 variant with 148bhp and the D4 variant with 188bhp. For both engines front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox are standard, but an eight-speed Geartronic automatic ‘box is optional.

There’s also the D4 AWD specification which uses a 2.4-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel with 188bhp, hooked up exclusively to a six-speed automatic ‘box and four-wheel drive.

At the moment at least, there’s no petrol option available for the V60 Cross Country in the UK, but the diesels already pack a decent punch. The D4 diesels used for the front and all-wheel drive models impress in particular, offering smooth power delivery plus a pretty slick gear change.

While the D3 and D4 AWD take roughly nine seconds to go from zero to 62mph, the front-wheel drive D4 takes 7.8 seconds to cover the same sprint. For a car this big and heavy, those are some impressive times.

Ride and Handling

A car like the V60 Cross Country is unlikely to be the sort to attract driving enthusiasts in the first place.

The V60 Cross Country’s driving experience is a mixed bag. The best thing about it is how comfortable it is. The set-up with the raised suspension does a decent job of soaking up the various bumps and imperfections drivers typically face on the road. If you go for the D4 AWD, then the extra grip from the four-wheel drive is very welcoming but front-wheel drive variants do offer a decent level of grip on the road themselves. Approach a corner or deep undulation at 40-plus mph, however, and this car’s tall ride height really shows it itself via a lot of body roll. The steering wheel, which offers plenty of adjustment, reacts with precision to any small adjustments and corrections. The weighting of it, however, is light and artificial, creating a rather numb feel to the steering. A car like the V60 Cross Country is unlikely to be the sort to attract driving enthusiasts in the first place. But while the decent turbodiesels feel feisty enough to inspire some exuberant driving, the body roll and steering will quickly curb that particular feeling.

Interior and Equipment

Volvo first started making rugged, off-road-friendly versions of its existing family cars back in 1998, with the introduction of the V70 XC.

Modern day Volvos have a welcome habit of offering well-presented, high quality interiors and the V60 Cross Country is no exception. The large seats hug nicely and feel really classy when finished in leather (a standard finish for the two highest trims). The positioning of certain controls might catch you off-guard at first – the parking brake switch is found near to the driver’s door for instance – but otherwise the trim and buttons generally feel of high quality and neatly laid out. Cabin space is decent at the front and you should convincingly fit three children or two adults in the back. Keep in mind though that because of the coupe-esque profile, tall adults could struggle for headroom at the back. Standard boot capacity is 430 litres, which is unchanged from the standard V60 and not exactly class leading. The Audi, VW and Skoda alternatives offering near or over 500 litres. Still, there is enough room in the back to fit a week’s worth of shopping with little trouble. The rear seats can be folded in a 40/20/40 fashion and you can fold them perfectly flat as well. When they are flat, the V60 Cross Country’s total load capacity goes up to 1,241 litres. There are four trim levels from launch – SE, SE Nav, Lux and Lux Nav - and standard kit is plentiful. On all models you get LED daytime running lights, cruise control, electronic climate control and an auto-dimming rear view mirror. If you go for the Sensus Connect centre console device (standard for Nav models), this gadgets utilises a seven-inch display and controls climate, navigation and infotainment functions.

Cost

Pricing starts at just over £30,000, undercutting its Audi and VW rivals and costing slightly more than the Octavia Scout.

The V60 Cross Country is in its most frugal guise when you go for the D3 or D4 front-wheel drive combined with the manual gearbox. This returns an official fuel economy of 67.3mpg and a CO2 output of just 111g/km. That’s around 10mpg better and 20g/km less compared to the best which similar premium estates can offer. The single four-wheel drive model is a little less impressive, averaging 49.6mpg and a CO2 output of 149g/km. Pricing starts at just over £30,000, undercutting its Audi and VW rivals and costing slightly more than the Octavia Scout. Cross Country prices go up to at least £31,000 for the SE Nav, or about £33k for the Lux and from around £34k for the Lux Nav. The D4 AWD version starts from just over £35,000, but in the top trim it costs over £38k. Bear in mind too that options, such as the automatic gearbox for front-wheel drive models or certain luxury kit packs available, can each add roughly £1,500 to the total price.

Our Verdict

The Volvo V60 Cross Country is a good-looking car that feels comfortable and classy to sit in, but it’s also comes across as a heart over mind type of purchase. If you really fancy a premium estate with some off-road ability, then it makes the most sense to go for the AWD specification, but it isn’t cheap and similarly priced rivals offer more practicality. If four-wheel drive is not a priority, you may as well go for a more traditional and cheaper estate car, like the standard Volvo V60 for instance.