New Volvo V90 Cross Country toughens up the V90 estate

Volvo has unveiled its new V90 Cross Country - an off-road estate model to sit below the XC90 SUV and rival the Audi A6 Allroad and forthcoming Mercedes E-Class ‘All Terrain’.

The brand-new Volvo V90 Cross Country was revealed at an exclusive event in Malmo, Sweden, while simultaneously being unveiled at locations in Switzerland and the US. The off-road estate car will go on sale early next year as a replacement for the ageing V70 Cross Country – and is the "last piece of the 90-series jigsaw puzzle" according to Volvo body CEO Håkan Samuelsson.

Following a series of teaser videos and images, the wraps came off the new V90 Cross Country showing a bulked up version of the standard V90 estate model, with a ride height raised by 60mm and subtle cladding on the front, side and rear of the car.

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Volvo has a long-standing history of creating off-road estates under the Cross Country or 'XC' moniker. Samuelsson said: "Cross Country has become the true expression of a Volvo car in many peoples’ eyes. It was a winning concept from the start, perfect for the tough climate and road conditions that we experience in Sweden."

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The V90 Cross Country will carry over the four-wheel drive powertrains from the Volvo XC90 SUV, as well as an all-wheel drive version of the entry-level D4 found in the standard V90. That car will do 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds, and emit 134g/km when mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The auto version posts identical acceleration figures, but emits 4g/km more.

A more powerful D5 will also be on offer from launch. Available only with an automatic gearbox, it’ll do 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and emit 139g/km of CO2. It should return around 53.3mpg.

The V90 and XC90 share the same platform - meaning the the powerful T8 hybrid should make it into the Cross Country at a later date. In the XC90, the T8 uses a four-cylinder petrol and an electric motor to produce 395bhp, giving it a 0-62mph time of 5.3 seconds and fuel economy of 134.5mpg, both of which should be improved on in the smaller Cross Country model.

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Despite its modest looks, the V90 Cross Country will be a truly capable off-roader. As well as raising the ride height by 60mm, the V90 CC gets special Pierelli tyres for better grip and a softer ride. Engineers have also tuned over 200 different chassis characteristics to make the Cross Country "as at home on the highway as it is on a frozen forest track".

Prices will be announced closer to the car’s on sale date, but expect the Cross Country to command a premium of around £4,000 over the standard V90 estate. Unlike the standard estate model, there is only one specification – with no Inscription or R-Design versions planned in the future. Buyers wanting a sportier looking V90 Cross Country can swap the black cladding for body-coloured items.

The V90 Cross Country D5 AWD should cost around £45,000 – putting it on a par with the six-cylinder Audi A6 Allroad. An entry-level D4 AWD will be several thousand pounds cheaper.

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