2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country: Taller, Still as Seductive

Even though SUVs are more popular in the U.S., Canadians love their wagons. After all, they’re comfortable, spacious and offer a more eye-catching and refined style (in my opinion, anyway). But salespeople looking to sell you a pseudo-truck often use the same argument: in Canadian road conditions and weather, SUVs are better able to clear snowbanks and are less likely to leave you stuck on a frigid winter morning.

Enter Volvo’s Cross Country line. This family of wagons (plus one sedan) comes complete with a higher beltline and underbody protection for active drivers who like to get off the beaten path. During a presentation in Colorado—at 2740 metres in altitude—the Swedish brand unveiled the most recent member of the family, the 2017 V90 Cross Country.

• Also: Let’s Discover the 2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country!
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Cast from the same mould

The new V90 Cross Country is based on the V90 wagon that we discovered in Spain a few weeks ago. In fact, it’s not just based on this seductive Swede, it’s practically identical to it, with just a few differences to speak of.

Case and point: the mechanical organs are the same. All V90 CCs are equipped with the T6 variant of Volvo’s Drive-E engine, which is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with both a turbocharger and a supercharger. It delivers 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. Behind the four-cylinder mill is an eight-speed automatic gearbox connected to an all-wheel drive system.

The V90 CC’s interior also matches the wagon’s. The seats are the same, even the cushion height, unlike in some SUVs that are based on cars. The massive 9.5-inch centre screen is also taken directly from Volvo’s 90 Series. The steering wheel comes to us unchanged, just like the 1526-litre cargo hold. In short, once you slide behind the wheel, it’s hard to know if you’re in a regular V90 or the Cross Country version.

Gets the job done

There are two notable differences: the suspension and vehicle body.

Let’s start with the style. Visually, all Cross Country models are taller and feature a few plastic body accessories to make them look more brazen. The V90 CC’s side panels come with plastic strips designed to prevent scratches. The fenders have also been enhanced and plasticised. In front, the wagon’s bumper gets a silver bottom that suggests there’s a protective shield under the engine components.

However, the most striking difference is the suspension. Instead of just raising the beltline, Volvo completely revised the vehicle’s geometry. The Cross Country is 21.1 centimetres off the ground, which is 6.5 centimetres more than the regular V90. The plastic fenders have added 2 centimetres of width up front and 4 centimetres in the rear.

According to Volvo, the vehicle’s off-road capabilities will meet customer expectations; in addition to the ground clearance and protective shields, the computer has been tweaked to take you beyond where the pavement ends. An Off-Road mode was added to the drive system (which already had Comfort and Sport modes), which optimizes the driver assistance systems for rocky surfaces or loose rock.

We didn’t get the chance to drive the V90 Cross Country at the media unveiling, but having driven the regular 2017 Volvo V90 and other Cross Country products, I can speculate on a few aspects: A few centimetres of suspension should translate into an appreciably more comfortable ride, but the vehicle will probably handle more like a car than an SUV. The soundproofing should be impressive, as will be the infotainment screen and sound system. Finally, a little extra height makes it easy to get in and out of the car. Let’s just say that we’re biting at the chomp to drive this new product!

The Volvo V90 Cross Country is expected in dealerships in early 2017 for a starting price of $61,900, making it slightly more expensive than the XC90. We’ll have to see whether buyers opt for the SUV or elevated wagon—and naturally we’ll compare the two in a side-by-side match-up.