HE GOOD
Comfortable ride, lots of safety tech and all the practicality you're liable to ever need.
THE BAD
Its interior tech leaves an awful lot to be desired.
THE BOTTOM LINE
A rugged and capable all-rounder that will not leave you wanting.
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Roadshow Automobiles Volvo 2017 Volvo V60 Cross Country
Volvo's stunning XC90 SUV and S90 sedan leave many of its older cars, like this V60 Cross Country, in a somewhat uncomfortable place. These cars are a link to earlier days for Volvo, remnants of its Ford ownership and somewhat more humble styling. They're still great machines, but driving one you're left wondering just how long it'll be before they, too, are reborn into the same, classier look and performance of Gothenberg's latest.
But don't let such doubts dissuade you from including the $42,000 V60 Cross Country on your list if you're looking for a solid tall-rounder. This lifted wagon has the capacity and comfort to get you through just about everything life has too offer, plus enough off-road chops to handle the worst that a New England winter can throw your way.
2017 VOLVO V60 CROSS COUNTRY LOUNGES... See full gallery
2017 Volvo V60 Cross Country
1 - 6 of 40NEXTPREVV60, embiggened
To get the Cross Country, take a standard V60 wagon and give it a bit of a lift. Two and a half inches worth of lift, to be exact, thanks in part to more generous wheels and tires, but largely due to the revised suspension. The Cross Country also gets a hill descent mode, useful for those steep Vermont driveways, and a somewhat more limited engine selection.
OK, much more limited. The sole choice is the T5 specification, a two-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder delivering a healthy 240 horsepower. That's connected to a torque-vectoring Haldex all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed automatic transmission that's hardly sporty but is plenty smooth.
In fact, smooth is the best way to describe this car. That heightened perspective hasn't lowered the ride quality one bit and, if anything, the bit of lag from the turbocharged engine just seems to add to the cosseting nature of this car. Things get even more posh in the winter months, when heated seats and steering wheel will help keep your extremities toasty, and the heated front and rear glass will ensure you won't spend too much time hacking away with a scraper in the mornings.
Practically perfect
2016 Volvo V60 Cross Country
A fold-down cargo rack in the back is a smart choice for dog owners.
Tim Stevens/Roadshow
While the trend towards small, crossover SUVs continues, it's hard not to look at a car like the V60 and think it's the perfect solution for anyone needing practicality and comfort in a compact package. Both the front and rear seats have plenty of headroom for adults, and while this isn't the most generously proportioned wagon on the road, it would take one hell of a Costco run to reach full capacity.
My two large dogs had plenty of room in the back with the seats up and the (optional) cargo barrier folded down, but of course they preferred riding with the seats down -- and their heads out the window. Should you need more, the roof rails are standard and, if you add on a tow hook, the V60 will haul 3,500 pounds worth of whatever else you have to throw at it.
Unencumbered, the car is rated for 22 mpg in the city and up to 30 on the highway. In our mixed testing we split the difference, coming in at a respectable 26.
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