Luleå, Sweden, near the Arctic Circle, gets about five hours of daylight in January, with average temperatures that flirt with zero degrees Fahrenheit. It's the kind of environment where Americans would expect big SUVs and 4x4 pickups to be the only ways to get around. But that couldn't be further from the truth: The most common vehicles are European-brand wagons—usually with an awesome set of giant, round rally lights mounted to the front end—with a good majority being Volvos. So, it came as no surprise that Volvo chose Luleå as the location for the launch of its newest wagon, the V60 Cross Country.

The Cross Country formula amounts to raising the body of an existing Volvo model, adding some body cladding and SUV-like styling bits, and marketing it to active-lifestyle types—a formula so simple IKEA probably illustrates it. Volvo has been pumping out Cross Country models since 1998, with the lifted wagons almost always outselling the regular variants—sometimes by huge margins. For example, the outgoing V60 Cross Country found more than double the number of buyers as regular V60s in 2018, and the V90 Cross Country outsold the standard V90 by almost five times, although part of that discrepancy is that the regular V90 is now special-order only.

A Simple Formula

The new V60 Cross Country's ground clearance has been increased by up to three inches compared to the standard car, and adds an Off-Road driving mode (although it doesn't do much beyond slightly altering the standard all-wheel-drive system's programming and activating the car's hill-descent control, another new feature). The V60 CC wears the requisite black plastic body appendages on the bumpers and wheel arches, different wheel designs, a new grille, and some CC-specific metal trim on the interior. Everything else is typical 60-series Volvo goodness, meaning slick exterior styling, a stunning interior with a sometimes slow-to-react touchscreen infotainment system, and some of the best seats found in any vehicle.

View Photos Volvo

Volvo will offer the V60 CC only in T5 AWD form in the United States. That means a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four making 250 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, the same as in other T5 versions of Volvo's 60- and 90-series models, is the sole engine option. Unlike in the standard V60, the Cross Country won't be available with the 316-hp T6 powertrain, and neither wagon will offer Volvo's T8 Twin Engine plug-in-hybrid setup in the U.S. In routine driving the T5 powertrain is plenty powerful, and it pairs well with the eight-speed automatic, the only available transmission.

Solidly Capable

The V60 CCs we drove on the paved roads and snow-covered trails of Luleå were nearly fully loaded T5 AWD examples, all fitted with 19-inch wheels wrapped in studded Michelin X-Ice North 4 winter tires. While the studded rubber made it difficult to get a real feel for the car's on-road manners, they didn't detract much from the overall experience aside from adding a bit of extra road noise. The standard V60's balanced handling and well-tuned steering are still present, but the Cross Country does feel slightly more muted and a bit less sporty in its reflexes. The raised ride height and softer suspension tuning, however, make it noticeably comfier than the regular car, especially on rough roads, and it isn't so cushioned as to feel floaty or aloof. Volvo says that, unlike on the V90 CC, air springs aren't offered because buyers in this segment value cargo space, something an air setup would eat into on the -60 platform.

View Photos Volvo

On our second day of driving, Volvo took us onto the frozen Baltic Sea just off the coast of the city where it had created a makeshift racetrack that consisted of a fairly long straight, a couple dozen chicane-like curves, and two extremely long, sweeping right-handers. We were initially instructed to put the car in its Dynamic driving mode but keep stability control turned on. When trying to get the wagon's rear end to kick out or when carrying too much speed into a corner, the car's electronic minders easily reined in the fun, applying the brakes to help quickly regain traction and stop the car from skidding or sliding.

Later, we switched on the Cross Country's ESC Sport mode, which effectively disables the stability control, granting the driver more control. With this mode activated, we easily entered into long, controlled four-wheel drifts through the corners, the car nicely reacting to steering and throttle inputs. And aside from the couple of times when the seatbelt pretensioners attempted the Heimlich on us, there was no intervention from the V60's safety systems, such as abruptly cutting the power or applying the brakes. Granted, this exercise didn't have much bearing on how the Cross Country will perform in normal, real-world conditions while wearing non-studded tires, but it was a ton of fun. We also spent a few laps driving an XC40 T5 AWD on the same course, and the little crossover wasn't nearly as easy—or enjoyable—to slide around as the larger wagon.

A Smarter Utilitarian

Volvo also set up a mock off-road course in the snow to prove that the V60 Cross Country actually is as rugged as it looks. A steep downhill section followed by an uphill climb took advantage of the hill-descent and hill-hold features that are activated by selecting the Off-Road driving mode. Next were a couple of highly banked corners, a large ditch that had the V60 perched on two wheels, and finally a section of logs partially buried in the permafrost. None of the course was very intense, but there never was a moment when it felt as if the Cross Country couldn't handle the obstacles or that a higher-riding XC60 SUV would fare any better.

View Photos Volvo

When the V60 Cross Country hits dealer lots in the summer, its starting price should be a few grand higher than the V60 Momentum T5 FWD, suggesting a base price of around $42,000. (Unlike the regular V60, which comes in three trim levels in addition to the two powertrains, the Cross Country comes in a single configuration.) That puts the V60 CC in the same price range as a base XC60 crossover, which begs the question: With the V60 Cross Country, has Volvo made the perfect alternative to its own crossover?

We think it might have. The V60 Cross Country checks all the boxes that the typical crossover buyer wants: a raised ride height, butch styling, lots of cargo room, and at least a semblance of off-road ability. With nearly all the benefits of the XC60 and almost no downsides compared to the standard V60, Volvo has created an excellent compromise by continuing to fill this niche. Most important, at least to us, the V60 Cross Country is flush with a decidedly handsome character, both inside and out, which is not something found on spec sheets.

Specifications Specifications 2020 Volvo V60

Cross Country T5 AWD VEHICLE TYPE

front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback ESTIMATED BASE PRICE

$42,000 ENGINE TYPE

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection Displacement

120 cu in, 1969 cc

Power

250 hp @ 5500 rpm

Torque

258 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm TRANSMISSION

8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 113.2 in

Length: 188.3 in

Width: 72.8 in

Height: 59.0 in

Passenger volume: 93–95 cu ft

Trunk volume: 19 cu ft

Curb weight (C/D est): 3950 lb PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)

Zero to 60 mph: 6.4 sec

Zero to 100 mph: 16.4 sec

Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec

Top speed: 130 mph EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 25/22/31 mpg Expand Collapse

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