Very first Drive Evaluation
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We wheel the XC70′s smaller, sexier sibling.
We at Vehicle and Driver like our wagons low, stylish, and fast, so when Volvo showed its low, fashionable, and (in some forms) quick V60 wagon in tall, pseudo-crossover Cross Country kind, not all of us were totally stoked. Does the globe require an additional crossover-y thing, or maybe much more cynically, do we want yet another apologist wagon that feels the need to butch itself up? Furthermore, does Volvo, of all businesses, want a vehicle like this, given that the V60 Cross Country will share showroom space with the thematically similar XC70?
These concerns aside, we’re not disappointed with the execution. Volvo’s designers restrained themselves from slathering the vehicle with off-road addenda like body cladding, roof cross rails, and brush guards. Indeed, what we have here is primarily a V60 with 2.6 inches of further ride height, blacked-out window and mirror trim, dark window tinting, front and rear “skid plates” (neither of which appear to protect a lot of anything), silver rocker trim, and a honeycomb grille. The fender arches are trimmed in black to visually fill the gap developed by the lifted suspension, and regardless of whether you choose the $ 41,940 Premier or the $ 45,590 Platinum trim level, each V60 Cross Nation will ride on the identical set of diamond-cut 18-inch wheels wrapped with 235/50 Continental all-season tires. All together, the high-riding V60 projects a remarkably diverse aura than does the standard V60, and it operates, mainly because it nevertheless appears like a appropriate wagon.
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Inside, occupants face the exact same fairly dashboard as other S60/V60 variants and sit on some of the world’s most comfy chairs (Contour seats, in Volvo-speak). Our test instance was gussied up with $ 400 wood inlays, despite the fact that the advancing age of the interior style is evident in the button-heavy center stack and fussy user interface. The configurable instrument screen, however, appears slick, serving up information in Eco, Elegance, or Overall performance themes. Low-pile sisal-like floor mats and contrast-stitched leather upholstery also are normal, along with navigation, a sunroof, and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity.
Higher Ridin’
A jaunt in California from scenic Calistoga to Lake Tahoe in the V60 Cross Nation taught us little we couldn’t have predicted: It is tall, tippy, and soft, pretty a lot the precise opposite of the V60 Polestar. The taller perch provides occupants a commanding view of the road ahead even though enjoying the innately far more relaxed (read: significantly less upright) seating position of a appropriate vehicle, and that we truly like. The familiar 250-hp turbo 5-cylinder emits its distinct growl upon complete-throttle acceleration, despite the fact that its energy is merely sufficient. (Volvo claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 7. seconds, which is possibly about correct.) The steering and brakes lack significantly in the way of zeal or bite, and amplified physique motions decrease cornering speeds to crossover levels. On the upside, the ride is velvety and the cabin remains hushed even at triple-digit speeds.
What the V60 Cross Nation does reasonably properly, even so, is invite off-pavement-ish adventures ranging from the benign—say, parking with 2 wheels off the shoulder at a roadside fruit stand—to the moderately challenging, such as exploring muddy 2-tracks. We wouldn’t attempt considerably far more, even though. But in between the added wheel travel and the Haldex all-wheel-drive system, which can send up to 50 percent of engine torque to the rear axle before the front wheels have slipped even 1/17th of a rotation, the Cross Nation can easily go where other V60s can’;t. All the whilst, we noticed no squeaks or thunks when traversing diagonal ruts, and the properly-tuned shocks dulled impacts both off-road and on.
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Cannibalistic?
Of course, the elephant in the room—which is to say the other crossover-y wagon thing in the showroom—is the aforementioned XC70, which is about 8 inches longer, 2.3 inches taller, and .4 inch greater off the ground. And at $ 38,490, its base price is less expensive than the V60 Cross Country’s. Add in its vastly much more capacious cargo location (72.1 cubic feet maximum versus 43.8 for the V60) and the XC70 is the more sensible option, even although the V60 CC’;s lackluster 20/28 mpg city/highway fuel economy is better than that of the XC70 AWD and its straight-6.
So what’s the point of the V60 Cross Nation? By Volvo’s personal admission, the V60 Cross Country is unashamedly more about style than practicality (the oddball S60 Cross Country sedan version getting even far more so). That calculus might alter some, nevertheless, as soon as the XC70 scales up to the upcoming S90 sedan on Volvo’s new SPA platform in the coming years. Although it’s debatable whether the planet wants another faux CUV, it is good that an additional station wagon has been added to the landscape, and we’ll continue to take these in whatever kind they come.
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2015 Volvo V60 Cross Country Very first Drive: Unapologetically Wagon-y
