Although its new XC90 has been garnering plaudits left, right and centre, as something of a stalwart in the AWD estate circle, Volvo has stuck to its guns and bravely brought the new V90 Cross Country into a market where SUVs hold sway as the practical vehicles of choice. But given the virtues of this now-niche car, it begs the question; do you really need that SUV?
Cross Country the sole offering
Volvo may be brave in bringing an estate model into an SUV-enamoured market, but it’s not foolish enough to disassociate itself completely from this popular milieu. As such, Volvo has decided to place all of its estate eggs in one more SUV-alternative flavoured basket by making the V90 Cross Country the sole estate offering in our market.
An upmarket hiking boot
It would’ve been all too easy for Volvo to adhere closely to the plastic-clad/flared-wheelarch/bolder-grille school of off-roader styling that’s leading many of the offerings on sale dangerously close to ubiquity. Instead, Volvo has taken these elements and smoothed them subtly on a graceful-looking estate canvas. In fact, opting for a darker colour all but hides the slim-line lower body cladding and model-specific grille to the extent that the main tell-tale sign of this model’s dirt road-going credentials is its elevated ride height.
While it sports many of the smooth, upmarket styling cues applied to the S90 sedan, its sheer size – just 14 mm shy of the XC90’s 4 950 mm overall length – lends it plenty of kerb (or unpaved) presence.
That estate shell plays host to an interior that’s generously proportioned, with a spacious cabin, fore and aft, coupled with claimed load bay dimensions of 913 litres (with under-floor storage included in that number) and a cavernous 1 526 litres of utility space with the rear seats folded. It’s also a clean, tastefully executed and solidly constructed interior, with much of the ancillary switchgear integrated into an iPad-like central touchscreen infotainment system.
The oily bits
The Volvo V90 Cross Country is underpinned by the company’s scalable SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform, which also sees service in the XC90 and S90. Coupled to this model’s turbocharged 2,0-litre inline-four turbodiesel is an always-on BorgWarner all-wheel drive system that apportions drive, up to 50:50 fore and aft, according to conditions underfoot. The suspension comprises a MacPherson setup on the front axle and, in the case of our launch unit, an optional rear air suspension system. For Cross Country duty, Volvo has raised the V90’s suspension by 60 mm, contributing to a handy 210 mm of ground clearance.
On (and off) road
The raised ride height lends the V90 a pleasing degree of rough-road ability. No, it won’t tread fearlessly where many SUVs will go but the front-biased torque-apportioning AWD and a stability control system that intervenes in a measured fashion makes it feel surefooted on loose, rocky surfaces. While the ride quality is largely commendable, the optional rear air suspension setup, although pliant, sometimes gets caught out at lower speeds on the washboard surfaces that are characteristic of well-used dirt tracks. Otherwise, the V90 Cross Country wafts along rough surfaces with ease, and while the steering sits more on the comfort-oriented side of the dynamic spectrum, the grip and well-measured body control keeps you well abreast of what the car’s doing beneath you.
With nearly two tonnes of car to hustle, you’d expect the four-cylinder turbodiesel to have its work cut out propelling V90 Cross country with any fervour, but Volvo’s claim that the PowerPulse system – essentially a booster that spools up the larger of the engine’s two turbos – negates lag is a solid one. This unit’s power delivery feels near-linear and, with a healthy dollop of low-end torque and an eight-speed transmission that’s smooth and responsive, lends the V90 Cross Country sufficient overtaking punch. If there is a blot on the engine’s report card, it’s that mechanical refinement isn’t quite as resolved as it could be, with noticeable diesel chatter, even when the engine is warm.
Tech aplenty
The Volvo V90 Cross Country D5 AWD Inscription Geartronic I sampled bristled with safety technology; the most notable being the Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system. With driving autonomy being one of the current buzzwords in the automotive sphere, it was with some eager anticipation that I glanced at the green steering wheel graphic in the digital instrument binnacle as the V90 Cross Country took most of the controls.
Fed information from a battery of LiDar (laser/radar) and cameras that read road markings, this system keeps the V90 on track with powered steering inputs and applies brakes and throttle according to what the surrounding traffic is up to. Admittedly, it’s a bit abrupt in its actions round town but on more open roads it’s a lot more fluid and proves a genuine boon in providing the driver with some respite from the physical drains of long-distance driving. Other features such as lane-departure assist, fatigue detection and road sign recognition not only further safety but also contribute to keeping the driver a little more relaxed.
Verdict
Outside Europe, the estate car is something of a dying breed, being all but usurped by a slew of SUVs. But having sampled the Volvo V90 Cross Country, I think it’s fair to say that I feel as much pity for the less enlightened folk who automatically assume an SUV is a superior choice as I do for estate cars as a collective, because their preconceptions will see them missing out on a wonderfully polished and practical product.
Its near-halo placing means that it’s not cheap, but it’s possessed of enough dirt road ability to tackle 90-odd percent of what the average driver will throw at an AWD vehicle and serves up a driving experience that’s more resolved than most SUVs. With these virtues in mind, you’ll find it a genuine foil to even the most accomplished premium SUVs out there.
