Volvo S60 Cross Country India review, test drive

The first ‘cross sedan’ to hit the Indian market might seem like a niche too far, but somehow, it just works.

Published on Mar 07, 2016 06:03:00 PM

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Volvo S60 Cross Country India review, test drive

Make : Volvo

Model : S60

What is it?

Traditionally, in the car world, the word ‘crossover’ refers to a monocoque SUV that’s usually front-wheel-drive biased, not so great off-road, but relatively more spacious and easy to drive than a traditional ladder-frame 4x4. Strictly speaking though, crossover can mean the combination of any two contradicting ideas, and when you think about it, we’ve had several of them over the years. There have been crossover estates like the Fiat Adventure, crossover MPVs like the Tata Aria and, of course, so many crossover hatchbacks. But a crossover sedan? That seems a step too far, right? Volvo doesn’t think so, which is why we have this – the S60 Cross Country.

Unlike the V40 Cross Country, where the differences from the standard car are purely cosmetic, the S60 Cross Country has also had its suspension lifted. The ground clearance is now a proper 201mm which, Volvo is happy to point out, is more than what any of the current crop of compact luxury SUVs offer. It also gets all-wheel drive as standard, and of course, there is the usual smattering of rugged add-ons – black plastic wheel-arch cladding, silver scuff plates and a rather nice-looking honeycomb grille. The look actually works surprisingly well, and the S60 CC comes off as purposeful, rather than awkward. What really helps are the larger wheels and tyres, which add some much needed bulk to fill up those wheel arches. They’re attractive 18-inchers with 50-profile tyres, and that means ride comfort should also be well catered to.

Volvo is pitching the S60 Cross Country as a car for those who like having a sedan and don’t want to buy a second car (an SUV) just to drive out to their farmhouse or factory where the roads are less than desirable. Is that stretching the crossover idea too thin? That’s what we aim to find out.

What’s it like on the inside?

Pretty much identical to the standard car, and while that’s no bad thing from a luxury standpoint, we would have liked to have seen some differentiators on the interior. This cabin is also really starting to show its age now, and doesn’t feel quite as special as something from BMW, Audi, Mercedes or even Jaguar. The Cross Country is available in only one fully loaded trim, and so what you see on this test car is what you get. It’s pretty substantial – electric front seats, driver’s seat memory, sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are all on the list. I am a big fan of the digital instrument cluster, but I’m less of a fan of the infotainment system; it’s functional, but feels a little old school. Volvo has made sure to give the S60 Cross Country a space-saver spare wheel, which is nice, but the cradle this wheel sits in is so massive, it takes up half of the boot, which is not really saving any space at all, is it?

The front seats, as ever, are very shapely, comfortable and supportive, as are the ones at the back, except here, you’re sat a little low and the windows are small. Still, space and comfort are pretty decent no matter where you’re sat. You barely notice the slightly higher step you have to take into the cabin, but it actually makes ingress a little easier. Similarly, from the driver’s seat, you don’t get the sense that you’re sitting higher off the ground; it feels like a normal S60. You actually have to remind yourself that you have the extra buffer of about 60mm more ground clearance, and that you can drive this car with reckless abandon over rough roads.