Still Sharp, But Starting to Feel Its Age

I’ve always wanted a Volvo—specifically, an older one, like a 240 wagon. Because I’m mechanically inept and need a reliable daily, I’ve always thought a new V60 Cross Country might be the next best thing. It’s still a Swedish wagon, and one that looks sharp in a sea of chunky SUVs. Obviously, that would mean spending a lot more money, and after testing one for a week, I’m torn.

No question about it, the V60 Cross Country is a family car; it’s just not a big family car. In much the same way, it’s better suited to leave the pavement than other wagons without being a real off-roader. It’s also peppy without being high-performance; more premium, but not overly luxurious; and more affordable than its Audi A6 Allroad counterpart, although far from cheap at $64,135 as-tested. And on top of all that, it’s older than everything it competes with.

If the Volvo excelled in just one of those areas, I think I’d have a much easier time vouching for it. And I want to be clear: It’s not bad. Not at all. It’s totally fine in pretty much every way, but because of its age, I don’t believe that’s enough.

The Basics

Volvo is embracing its SUV era more than ever. You can see that in its new car design language, like the high-riding ES90. The Swedish automaker still builds sedans and wagons; they just aren’t the brand’s bread and butter anymore, and they haven’t been for a while. This generation of V60, born in 2018, is proof.

This means the V60’s design is a remnant of sorts, and a good one at that. I still like the way it looks after all these years, and I’m glad that Volvo didn’t give it the Lexus treatment by working in some garish maw on the face. It’s slick, svelte, and nicely proportioned—about as good as it gets for 21st-century wagons.

Inside, it’s largely the same as it was before the turn of the decade. Nice materials and colorways help it feel fresh amid all the sterile German luxury models that offer grey and dark grey as their upholstery choices. My tester’s seats were wrapped in Amber ventilated Nappa leather, a bold kind of tan color that I liked. There’s some woodgrain on the dash of Ultra trim models like this one, and somewhat begrudgingly, piano black on several touchpoints that are easily smudged. But hey, at least the 9-inch infotainment screen doesn’t look tacked on.

The V60 Cross Country comes with one powertrain option: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and an eight-speed transmission. It splits 247 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque between all four wheels. For anybody wanting more power, they’ll have to switch to the non-Cross Country V60 T8 Recharge.

Driving the Volvo V60 Cross Country

I mentioned earlier that the V60 isn’t a car for big families. Well, that proved tough given that I’m 6’5″ and have three kids, with two in car seats. (My 5’2″ wife gets a pass here; she’d fit in anything but prefers her Expedition.) We all fit inside, but just barely, and my oldest had a heck of a time sitting between his sisters.

Once we were all loaded, the drive was nice. I toggled the gear shifter—which is made of a genuine Orrefors crystal, mind you—and set off on the twisty two-lane highway beside my house. This is where I immediately went off-script compared to how most of these Volvos are driven and goosed it on pavement.

The mild-hybrid 2.0-liter turbo isn’t a barn-burner, but it is zippy, particularly down low. It will pull away hard from a stop sign, but once you’re going 55 mph, it loses its zing. Again, that’s not bad considering this car was never supposed to be a performance model. Plus, just look at it.

It’s undeniably solid around town, too. I drove the V60 Cross Country through Bentonville, Arkansas, to get to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art for no other reason than to take pictures there. Just felt like the right place to shoot such a stylish car, y’know? And as somebody who’s used to driving a big SUV everywhere, it was nice to have a vehicle capable of carrying my family and their stuff—however tightly—that fits in parking garages without a worry. That’s the appeal of any wagon, of course; all the room of a crossover without the height or heft to deal with.

Like I mentioned, I quite liked the screen package that Volvo baked into the V60, as it has everything you need and nothing you don’t. The 12.3-inch digital dashboard looks clean and gives an in-cluster maps view that I found handy. Then, the infotainment screen, which is admittedly small by today’s standards, was still plenty easy to read with Apple CarPlay enabled. Even with CarPlay turned off, Volvo’s native Google infotainment OS is smooth and simple. I wouldn’t be mad about using it if I left my phone behind or something.

Will customers in this space be cool with such a subdued look when Mercedes offers a “Superscreen” on the E450 All-Terrain? Tough to say.

Where the Volvo stood out to me in comparison to other makes and models I’ve tested is the feel. I mean that both in terms of the quality of materials and also in the quirkiness of it all. For example, the center screen has a “driving journal” feature that automatically logs your trips. That’s great, if not entirely necessary, and I can appreciate Volvo for baking that in. It’s not German or Japanese; it’s Swedish, and better for it.

This shows through in its everyday refinement. Road noise is practically nothing, and combined with the well-thought-out material selection inside, you can tell what separates this from a Subaru. The V60, at this point in its life, isn’t going to wow anyone with tech or luxury, but it does daily duty well enough to make it part of the conversation alongside other, fresher competition.

The Highs and Lows

I know this is hard to quantify, but I appreciate the V60’s vibe more than most other cars I’ve tested. It’s a cohesive package that doesn’t try to be something it’s not. You buy one of these because you want a practical runabout vehicle that’s nicer than an Outback but every bit as stealthy. Whether or not the people around you appreciate it, you have a classy ride that can take you to the dinner theater or the mountain bike trail, and you don’t look out of place at either.

It’s just a little long in the tooth to buy a new one, and as I mentioned earlier, it’s cheaper than a new Audi A6 Allroad, but the tech isn’t nearly as advanced. I found a used 2024 V60 Cross Country with under 10,000 miles for $41,500, and that feels like a much more fitting price point considering what you get. I wouldn’t be surprised if people in the market for a new premium wagon would pay more for something German simply because they’re more modern.

Volvo V60 Cross Country Features, Options, and Competition

Buyers get to choose between two equipment levels: Plus and Ultra. Plus models start at $51,495 including destination and come standard with all the key features, such as the panoramic roof, Google services, and the digital dash. Driver assists such as lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control are also included. Upgrading to the $56,595 Ultra model adds interior niceties like the crystal gear shifter and ventilated seats, along with a Harman Kardon sound system, heads-up display, and four-zone climate control.

My tester was an Ultra model featuring several other add-ons, like a $750 climate package with heated rear seats, a $390 luggage cover, 20-inch wheels that cost $3,200, and a Bowers & Wilkins sound system that added another $3,200.

The V60 Cross Country competes with only a few other premium wagons. Audi sells both an A4 and an A6 Allroad with starting prices of $48,495 and $71,795, respectively. Mercedes-Benz also sells an E450 All-Terrain that’s more expensive still at $76,100.

Fuel Economy

The Volvo’s mild-hybrid 2.0-liter turbo is pretty fuel-efficient. In fact, it’s the best among the bunch listed above. Its 31 mpg highway figure is matched only by the Mercedes E450 All-Terrain wagon, while its 24 mpg city rating is unmatched. It doesn’t get too fancy with EV drive modes or anything like that, but the result is still a solid 27 mpg combined.

Value and Verdict

There’s very little not to like about the Volvo. At the same time, there’s not a ton to get excited about besides its tasteful interior and sharp, Swedish look. It’s completely unoffensive, and I can appreciate a car that doesn’t try to be too much of anything just to get a response from people. I’m just left wondering if that’s enough to warrant a $60,000+ purchase when the V60 has been around in its current form for so long.

And to be clear, I don’t believe a car needs something so silly as a “Superscreen” to be worth the asking price. It’s just that folks who prefer something simpler, like the Volvo, would probably rather pay less than the MSRP set on these high-end Cross Country models.

I don’t think anyone will land in a V60 by accident. If you buy one, it’s because you like it more than the rest. But unless it’s more your taste than the Audi or Mercedes alternatives, I’m not convinced there’s enough reason to spend that type of money on a new one.

A used Cross Country for $20,000 less, though? Shoot. Sign me up.

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