2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country: A Fine Wagon That May Be Doomed
| Strong points |
|
|---|---|
| Weak points |
|
Wagons, as you know, are a dying breed. The few that remain on sale in Canada all come from luxury brands including BMW’s M5 Touring as well as Audi’s RS 6 Avant, A6 Allroad and A4 Allroad. Mercedes-Benz no longer offers any.
What about Volvo? The Swedish automaker has a rich history of long-roof cars, but it recently axed the V60 and V90 from its Canadian lineup, keeping only their adventurous-looking, higher-riding Cross Country variants.
- Also: Pour One Out for These Lexus and Volvo Cars
- Also: 2026 Volvo XC60 Follows Big Brother’s Lead With New Looks and Tech
The 2025 V60 Cross Country, which is the one we tested earlier this winter, is nowhere near the athlete or powerhouse that the aforementioned M5 Touring and RS 6 Avant are. It’s more like the A4 Allroad in terms of size and vocation—maybe a tad less sporty but certainly more comfortable overall.
Timeless Looks
The rugged, compact wagon from Sweden might be several years old, but it still looks elegant. The lines are timeless and distinctively Volvo, complete with Thor's Hammer headlights, vertically stretched taillights evoking past models and the brand’s iconic crest representing the ancient chemical symbol for iron.
Inside, virtually all of the V60 Cross Country’s controls go through the 9-inch infotainment touchscreen with Google built-in, including those for the HVAC system in the lower part of the display. The interface is generally responsive (even when wearing gloves), although it has a track record of acting up or failing at times (that didn’t happen on our watch). The cabin looks clean, particularly with the contrasting materials and colours, and boasts superb fit and finish.
Comfort and safety are the foundations of Volvo's reputation. The seats continue to rank among the most enjoyable in the auto industry, although some people will find them a bit too firm on long trips. What's more, the V60 Cross Country has a ton of features and driving aids that come in handy and do a great job even when road conditions get worse. Build quality and chassis stiffness also deserve praise.
Instead of the standard Harman Kardon sound system, our tester was equipped with the optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins unit that delivers 1,410 watts of audio bliss. If you’re a music lover, you should seriously consider it despite the $3,750 premium. Combine this with excellent soundproofing and you end up with one of the best acoustic experiences around.
A Single Powertrain Option
The 2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country is available in three trim levels: Core (MSRP of $54,800), Plus ($60,100) and Ultra ($66,800). Since the T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain is no longer available, motivation comes exclusively from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with mild hybrid technology, codenamed B5.
Given the car’s weight of 2,350 kg, the 247 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque manage to deliver pleasant acceleration off the line and on the go. Incidentally, Volvo claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.9 seconds. That being said, the 8-speed transmission is reluctant to downshift when the throttle is depressed. It has a habit of shifting one gear at a time, often a few seconds late. This problem can be solved by engaging manual mode using the shifter. Strangely enough, said shifter needs to be moved left and right instead of fore and aft.
Even with the optional 20-inch wheels ($1,475) fitted to our test vehicle, the suspension adequately handled Quebec's bumpy and uneven roads. When cornering, the V60 Cross Country keeps body roll nicely in check despite its increased ground clearance, resulting in predictable handling.
With our test drive taking place in the middle of winter, we were able to assess the performance of Volvo’s all-wheel drive system, which usually relies on the front wheels but can send up to 50 percent of the engine's power to the rear wheels when necessary. Traction was never a problem when tackling snow or ice. And if you like to have a little fun, this wonderful wagon is a deft drifter, too. Furthermore, steering is precise and just heavy enough.
During a week where temperatures ranged from minus 13 to minus 1 degrees Celsius, fuel consumption on the highway settled at a low 7.4 L/100 km, meaning we could have travelled over 780 km on a full tank of gas. Including city driving, our combined score was actually 9.4 L/100 km after 713 km and two separate visits at the gas station. Oh, we forgot to mention that maximum towing capacity is 900 kg (2,000 lbs).
Is Reliability a Concern?
While Volvo doesn't have a glowing track record for reliability, the V60 Cross Country's is seemingly better. The thing is, the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) was designed over 10 years ago. Recurring problems mainly affect electronics and the infotainment system, which is hardly surprising since there are so many components and technologies on board. So, with that being said, we wouldn’t feel too confident about long-term reliability. What's more, as a luxury vehicle, maintenance costs are typically higher than most.
Introduced in 2019, the Volvo V60 Cross Country now faces an uncertain future. Only 406 units of the V60 were sold in Canada last year, down 34 percent from the previous year. It's a shame because here we have a competent wagon with high levels of comfort, safety and versatility. A redesign might be a good idea. Let's see what Volvo comes up with over the next few months.
