Estate of Play
Getting a bit bored of SUVs? James Fossdyke thinks the Volvo V60 Cross Country might be the answer
Itโs strange how things slip in and out of fashion. Once upon a time, we thought flares were all the rage, while uber-cool hippies cruised around in camper vans that emitted smoke from the windows and exhausts. Then all that rather went away, and the coolest members of society suddenly turned up with spiky pink hair and jackets made from bin liners. Now, though, the hippy movement seems to be making a return as we rail against conspicuous consumption and attempt to protect the polar bears in any way we can.
But as we strive to recycle more and pollute less, our buying habits have changed. And not always for the better. Yes, weโre ditching single-use plastics and harnessing the wind to produce electricity, but weโre increasingly choosing to drive thirstier and more polluting cars. These days, one in three new cars sold in Europe is an SUV.
And thatโs a bad thing because although some of them are very capable and most have nice high driving positions that give you an air of imperiousness and status, they also tend to be bigger, heavier and more polluting than the equivalent saloon car. And despite appearances, the ones that drive well on the road arenโt always very good off it.
But theyโre safer, right? Again, not always. Remember the Jeep Wrangler I drove a while ago? That car has a one-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. The Alfa Romeo Giulia saloon, with which the Wrangler shares an engine, got five stars and scored a massive 98 per cent for adult occupant protection. Even a BMW X5 canโt match that.
But though crash protection may not be the Wranglerโs strong suit, it still makes more sense than most because it is at least capable off-road. The cheapest Range Rover Evoque doesnโt even come with four-wheel drive, so a BMW 1 Series will probably be just as much use on a muddy field or a snow-covered A-road. Itโll be more economical and just as practical, too.
So what if you want something roomy and safe and cool that will cope when the white stuff starts to fall? The answer, I think, lies before your eyes, and itโs called the Volvo V60 Cross Country. Admittedly, that sentence might not sit well with those who remember the boxy Volvo estates of old, but this is the new Volvo. These days, the Swedish company is channelling its inner Britt Ekland and building some staggeringly good-looking cars. Minimalist, svelte and striking in equal measure, theyโre as Scandinavian as a salmon in a sauna, and theyโre all the better for it.
To my eyes, the V60 estate (thatโs Volvoโs answer to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate, for those unaccustomed to the Swedish companyโs range) is the sexiest of the lot. The Cross Country version is even better, with slightly raised suspension and beefier bodywork. It has four-wheel-drive, too, so the engineering can cash whatever cheque the bodywork is writing.
And if you thought the outside was good, itโs got nothing on the inside. Itโs as simple and spacious and stylish as IKEAโs finest, but much better built. Volvos have always been solid, but these days theyโre really upmarket, with a huge, high-tech touchscreen and an even bigger digital instrument cluster in front of the driver. Once upon a time, Volvo screens had the graphics from a PlayStation2, but now theyโre as crisp and as cool as a Swedish snowbank.
But although the styling might not match Volvos of old, the practicality certainly does. With all five seats upright, the boot is bigger than youโll find in a BMW X3 or a Mercedes-Benz GLC. And if you fold down the rear seats, youโll find that space more than doubles. Kidsโ sports kit, musical instruments, dogsโฆ Itโll swallow pretty much anything you throw at it.
And thereโs bags of space for humans, too. The front seats are big and plush and comfortable, while the rear seats donโt go short of legroom or headroom. But if, for some reason, you want something bigger still, you could always have this thingโs big brother โ the V90 Cross Country. Sitting a tier above the V60 in the Volvo hierarchy, itโs even more spacious, but the extra length makes the proportions look a bit odd. Itโs still a great car, though.
As is the V60. Refreshingly, itโs designed not to be sporty in any way, and as much as I love supercars, thatโs fine by me. What you need is something thatโs quiet and comfy, letting you listen to your podcasts in peace, and the V60 scores well in that department. Admittedly, the 2.0-litre petrol engine doesnโt make an especially attractive sound, but at least it isnโt too loud. And its 247bhp output means the V60 has pace to burn, so you never need to put your foot down too hard.
Even so, it still burns through fuel at a fair lick. Volvo says itโll do about 35mpg, which isnโt brilliant for an estate car, so if youโre worried about the fuel bills, though, the 188bhp โD4โ diesel version might be a better bet. Although itโs still kinder to both the planet and your wallet than a BMW X3 or Audi Q5 with a similar engine.
Itโll be just as useful off-road, too, taking on everything youโd ever ask of it and winning. Muddy fields and farm tracks are no problem thanks to the raised suspension, which gives you about 20cm of ground clearance, and a four-wheel-drive system that means you almost always have traction. You certainly wonโt have to worry about getting snowed in.
Where it wonโt match some SUVs, though, is on the seating front. Thereโs no option of seven seats here, and similarly priced cars such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport do give you that flexibility. Unless you really do need those โoccasionalโ seats at the back, though, you wonโt find much to complain about.
So with that small caveat in mind, and unless youโre desperate to sit three miles above the road, this is where the smart money is spent. Yes, SUVs might have a bit more kudos, but the Volvo is better looking and better to drive than just about all of them. And when Greta and/or the government finally turn their sights on the Chelsea tractors, youโll be happy in the knowledge that your car has all the ability of a big 4x4, but youโre getting none of the abuse.
Volvo V60 Cross Country Plus T5 AWD
Price From: ยฃ47,955
Price as Tested: ยฃ49,640
Engine: 2.2-litre turbodiesel
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
0-62mph: 10.3 seconds
Power: 197bhp
Top speed: 99mph
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