What's the news?
So obsessed is the market with SUVs and 4x4s that now all our estate cars have to be rugged and MacGyver-ised too. Volvo's V60 is the latest victim of this trend, with a 65mm increase in ride height, lots of black plastic wheel arch extensions, bash plates and the option of four-wheel drive to try and make it more appealing to the adventurous set.
Sitting alongside the XC60, XC70 and V40 Cross Country in the range, the V60 Cross Country will, rather predictably, be offered mostly as a front-wheel drive car in either D3 or D4 diesel forms. You can, of course, have a four-wheel drive version but, confusingly, that uses the old five-cylinder D4 engine, though the Irish line-up has yet to be confirmed.
To add to the rugged look there are new 18- or 19-inch wheels with balloon-profile tyres to keep them protected from rocks and stones (or more realistically the pavement outside Dunnes...) and the interior gets either black leather seats contrast-stitched with brown thread or a new two-tone leather.
"We are delighted to add the third true Cross Country model to our product portfolio. The successful combination of dynamic styling and rugged capability places the V60 Cross Country in a class of its own," said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Cars. "With ground clearance increased by 65mm compared to the V60, the Cross Country's sturdy construction offers unparalleled control on and off the beaten track, coupled with an enhanced sporty driving experience thanks to torque vectoring technology and corner traction control. The V60 Cross Country really is a getaway car - enabling an adventurous lifestyle in pure rugged form."
Anything else?
You can order your V60 Cross Country from January and deliveries start next June, though pricing has yet to be announced.
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