Volvo V60 Cross Country Review 2024

Volvo V60 Cross Country At A Glance

3/5
Honest John Overall Rating
A high-riding estate car, the Volvo V60 Cross Country takes an already impressive wagon and adds all-terrain capability. It’s a sensible alternative to an SUV.

+Raised ride height makes for genuine off-road ability. Interior is very comfortable. Plenty of standard equipment.

-Now only available with a (not very efficient) petrol engine. Infotainment touchscreen is not very intuitive to use. Expensive to buy.

New prices start from £37,755
Insurance Groups are between 28–35
On average it achieves 69% of the official MPG figure

Buying an SUV seems like the default option for those who require practicality and some off-road ability. However, the Volvo V60 Cross Country proves there is an alternative. Like the larger Volvo V90 Cross Country, and cheaper Volkswagen Golf Estate Alltrack, this rugged estate car gives buyers the best of both worlds.

Stylish without being brash or ostentatious, the Volvo V60 Cross Country acts as a reminder that an off-road-capable estate car is a viable alternative to some of the best SUVs on the market.

Volvo has been producing its Cross Country line of estates since 1997, when it launched the Volvo V70 XC.

Despite the company releasing a number of SUVs since, it has persevered with its line of off-road biased wagons, and as our Volvo V60 Cross Country review will show, the formula of a raised ride height and protective body cladding still works well.

For this second-generation Volvo V60 Cross Country, some 60mm of ground clearance compared to the regular Volvo V60 estate has been added.

There is also bespoke body styling, with charcoal-coloured plastic trim helping to keep the Volvo V60 Cross Country’s paintwork safe.

Proving that the Volvo V60 Cross Country is not just a styling exercise, all-wheel drive is fitted as standard. This is combined with a bespoke off-road driving mode, allowing for greater precision when tackling slippery terrain.

A hill-descent control system is fitted, too. This all means the Volvo V60 Cross Country is surprisingly capable in the dirt, and well suited to traversing unfinished country lanes or grassy fields.

The Volvo V60 Cross Country is now offered solely with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and turbocharged petrol engine. Producing 250PS, it makes for relatively rapid progress, aided by the traction from the all-wheel drive system.

However, the mild-hybrid technology cannot overcome the inherent thirstiness of the petrol engine, with average fuel economy of just over 30mpg.

It might not be the firm’s largest estate, but the Volvo V60 Cross Country still delivers when it comes to practicality, with a sizeable boot and plenty of space for passengers.

There is also a host of standard equipment, including LED headlights, leather upholstery and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. Such features go some way towards justifying the premium pricing, which sees the Volvo V60 Cross Country start from nearly £49,000.

Off-road estates like the Volvo V60 Cross Country are something of a rarity, with very few alternatives left in the marketplace. The Audi A4 Allroad has been discontinued, as has the Skoda Octavia Scout.

This leaves the much cheaper Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, along with the larger Volvo V90 Cross Country, as the only real alternatives.

The biggest challenge to the Volvo V60 Cross Country comes from within the company’s own model range. For less money, buyers can opt for the Volvo XC60 SUV, which offers similar practicality and more off-road ability.

There is still the option of a diesel engine with the Volvo XC60, too, and it can tow a heavier trailer.

However, the Volvo V60 Cross Country is a great option for those who don’t want to drive an SUV. It means not picking the obvious choice, and standing out from the crowd.

And so the Volvo V60 Cross Country is worth celebrating for that alone. The fact it makes for a thoroughly impressive estate car is a welcome bonus.

Ask Honest John

Can you recommend an Audi A6 Allroad replacement?

"My second Audi A6 Allroad has just passed 100,000 miles and although I am not considering changing it yet (my first one did over 200,000 miles), I have to consider what to buy now that Audi have stopped making it available in the UK. It ticked all my boxes as I need a vehicle that can go onto a sometimes rocky North Wales beach to launch and retrieve a boat, and drive to and around the Alps. I would like AWD, adjustable suspension, under floor protection, hill descent and I would prefer an estate car rather than SUV. Are there any alternatives? "
Unfortunately we're not aware of any other modern off-road estate cars that have height adjustable suspension - the majority have standard passive suspension with a raised ride height. It's a dying market as most people have moved to SUVs. Really the only two left on sale today are the Volvo V60 Cross Country and Subaru Outback, but there's also the smaller Audi A4 Allroad that was taken off sale last year.
Answered by Lawrence Allan

We need a car with good ground clearance but most SUVs don't meet the requirement. What do you advise?

"My partner and I are very fortunate to be taking early retirement and moving to Spain soon. Our property there is at the end of a 2km farmers' track, so we have been looking at cars with good ground clearance. However, we also expect to be driving around Europe so want a car that is economical and comfortable for long-distance driving. Many SUVs (e.g. Hyundai Tucson) may fit the bill, but their ground clearance isn't much higher than a standard car. Given that we will use the track a couple of times a week, but distance-wise most of our driving will be on smooth roads, should we just get a normal car and drive very carefully up & down the track, or is there a better compromise? Our budget is £13k to £18k and we'd like to keep the car for at least the next 5 years."
How about a rugged version of an estate car? Something like a Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Skoda Octavia Scout or Volvo V60 Cross Country could fit the bill. They're four-wheel drive, with a bit of extra ground clearance and some extra body protection. With frugal diesel engines, they won't cost a fortune to run, although finding one might be tricky – they sold in much smaller numbers than comparable SUVs.
Answered by Andrew Brady

What are the best tyres for my Volvo?

"The front tyres on my Volvo V60 Cross Country need replacing (currently Michelin X Green Primacy 3 235/50 R18 101W) which are the same as the back tyres. Would you recommend replacing them with another identical set of Michelins so that all four match or would an alternative be acceptable and if so, what would your recommendations be?."
If the car is four-wheel drive it has an automatic 4WD system so all the tyres need to be the same and within 3mm tread depth of each other or it confuses the system that can detect the disparity as slippage. If it's 2WD then this isn't a problem and you can just go ahead and replace like with like. We don't recommend 'cheap tyres', only expensive tyres bought at the lowest possible prices. See how low you can get Michelin X Green Primacy 3 235/50 R18 101W. An alternative is Pirelli Scorpion. Check Tyres On The Drive (https://bit.ly/2ZlEVaR) and Blackcircles.com (https://bit.ly/2JM6bqG) for sizes and prices and read our Tyre Buying Guide (https://bit.ly/2wsFHBU).
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Volvo V60 Cross Country cost?