All-Terrain Volvo Wins Over Suburbia
It’s tough to be a wagon fan these days. You have the option to buy a Subaru Outback or a few luxury wagons like the BMW 3 Series. A new Volkswagen Golf SportWagen is also trying to wiggle its way into wagon aficionado’s hearts, but I recently tested a suburban sweetie in the 2015 Volvo V60 Cross Country.
Related: 2015 Volvo V60 R-Design Gallery (31 Photos)
Now, the V60 is in a higher price class than the Outback or Golf. It starts at $36,890 including destination and that’s for front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is another $1,500. The Cross Country I fell for starts at $41,940 with destination and our tester rang in at $49,350.
Why did it resonate so much?
After driving the street-performance-focused R-Design, I thought that car didn’t live up to the sportiness the looks promised. But I was actually able to evaluate those muscles a bit in my daily life on surface roads. The off-road proficiency the Cross Country promises is a bit harder to put to the test on the way to the Costco parking lot.
On the road the Cross Country didn’t disappoint because unlike the R-Design, it didn’t promise too much. It’s a completely competent luxury wagon with plenty of power, comfortable ride and not too much noise despite the aggressive wheels and raised stance. The interior is simple but with some of the nicest leather seats in the class. It even has tiered cupholders perfect for holding a grande and a venti latte at the same time.
But it really is the look of the Cross Country that made my suburban neighbors jealous — I imagine. That raised stance and aggressive wheels plus dark fender moldings and the paint scheme — Twilight Bronze Metallic, a $560 option — on our tester just nailed the vibe one would want from such a machine.
Does that make it worth the $3,550 premium over the plain-Jane V60 with all-wheel drive? I’d say yes and not just from a biased wagon perspective.
Subaru has had huge success with its off-road-augmented Impreza called the XV Crosstrek. That model costs $2,900 more than a standard Impreza hatchback. And those starting prices are half that of the V60. So, using that logic, Volvo is charging half the premium Subaru is.
And while there is some tongue-in-cheek to my affection, the reality is that most shoppers are picking SUVs over wagons by a wide margin. The V60 Cross Country could sway even non-wagon lovers back to something that is easy to get in and out of and still packs utility.
