The Volvo V60 Cross Country features a head-up display, 9.0-inch central multimedia screen, 12-inch digital instrument display, leather-accented trim, four-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and start, Apple CarPlay, 10-speaker 220W audio (with digital radio), multi-adjustable electric front seats (with two-position memory on both sides) plus heated seats (front and rear). Then there’s ‘Google built-in’ for four years (Google Assistant, Google Maps, Google Play and more), adaptive cruise control, auto LED headlights, 19-inch five-spoke alloy rims and a power tailgate. A solid package for the money.

The V60 is powered by a 2.0-litre, all-alloy, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 183kW (from 5400-5700rpm) and 350Nm (between 1800-4800rpm). Drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission then a computer controlled Haldex AWD system built around a high-pressure hydraulic pump and multi-plate transfer clutch pack. 

A starter/generator unit recovers kinetic energy from vehicle braking and stores it in a small 48V battery. The system is then able to pull power from the generator, assisting the engine with a 10kW/40Nm boost, especially when starting off from rest and under acceleration.

The Volvo V60 Cross Country will accelerate from 0-10km/h in 6.9 seconds and its top speed is 180km/h.

The Volvo V60 Cross Country seats five, with back row seat split-folding 40/20/40 to increase cargo capacity. With chubby, adjustable cushion and backrest bolsters, as well as customisable under-thigh support the front seats look racy but give nothing away in terms of comfort. The rear seats are also neatly contoured.

The Volvo V60 Cross Country’s interior is understated, yet there’s plenty of visual interest thanks to the multi-layered dash, mixing soft-touch plastics and brushed metal elements with trimmed and stitched insert panels. A portrait-oriented central multimedia screen and customisable digital instrument cluster add just the right amount of techiness, with a common-sense mix of digital and physical controls attached to various functions.

Volvo’s official fuel economy number for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 7.4L/100km. Over a week of city, suburban, and some freeway running we averaged 10.1L/100km. The official number translates to a range of around 810km, which drops to just under 600km using our real-world figure.