Volvos have always held a special spot in my heart. A vehicle which is usually a rare sight on the Indian roads will be a left field option, isn’t it? Volvo V90 Cross Country for that matter caters to a niche audience. Those who prefer station wagons instead of your regular SUV or luxury sedan. These customers can also take solace in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All Terrain and the Audi RS 6 Avant. We will tackle those cars at a later date but for now, we have the V90 Cross Country. The Volvo V90 Cross Country is available in a lone Inscription trim and with a diesel engine.
Volvo V90 Cross Country Looks
Volvos are not known to be aggressive in design. Volvo V90 Cross Country too isn’t so much of an aggressive option either. The grille is a smaller interpretation of the one found in the S90. The Thor hammer DRLs looks smart and are very bright. Then there are the adaptive bending LED headlights. Volvo, unlike other premium car makers, offers fog lights too. These are LED units too. Nestled between the fog lights is a aluminium skid plate that enhances the butch look of the car. Move on to the side and the spindle alloys will grab your attention. The wheels are 20-inch and have low profile rubber. At the rear, you will find the haunched lights. These are a Volvo signature. The bumper also has the same aluminium skid plate found in the front and there are twin exhaust outlets too.
Volvo V90 Cross Country Interior
Brown leather upholstery adorns the cabin of the Volvo V90 Cross Country. There is a head-up display that can also be adjusted. Given the higher ground clearance that this one comes with, it is a bit disappointing to see that you are still seated quite low. There are a host of features. This includes a heated steering wheel, massage function for the front two seats with cooling as well as heating function, power adjustable and memory function seats in front, four zone climate control and a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The latter is a piece of art and while it doesn’t have Apple or Android phone support, it is a fluid unit. The 19-speaker 1400W Bowers and Wilkins music system is good but not the best. The rear seat can accommodate two people at best because of a hump in the middle.
The seats are comfortable and fatigue free. The boot space is around 600 litres. It can be enhanced to around 1,500 litres plus by electrically tumbling the last row. The loading lip too is low and helps pile on luggage quite easily. Volvo V90 Cross Country will be quite useful while moving houses too.
Volvo V90 Cross Country Engine and transmission
Volvo V90 Cross Country uses a 2.0-litre D5 diesel engine. The engine produces 235PS of power and 480Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and there are paddle shifters behind the wheel too. The engine sounds decently insulated at low speeds. However as the revs climb, the engine becomes noisy. The gearbox is quick to upshift but then the downshift takes a moment of hesitation. The overall fuel efficiency we achieved during the drive was around 13.6kmpl. The vehicle is very comfortable cruising in around 120kmph. The top speed is closer to 200kmph.
Volvo V90 Cross Country Ride and handling
Volvo uses MacPherson struts in the front and air suspension at the back. The ride quality is a bit jiggly at low speeds while at higher speeds, the ride is flat. The 20-inch wheels and the Pirelli rubber do a wonderful job of isolating the road imperfections at higher speeds. One will also be happy to know that the Volvo V90 Cross Country will clear road imperfections nicely. Even with a full load, Volvo V90 Cross Country doesn’t scrape on speed breakers. High speed stability too is excellent.
There are four driving modes on offer, activated by a scroll button in the centre console. This includes Eco, Comfort, Dynamic and Off-road. As the names suggest, the engine response as well as throttle too are altered based on the mode selected. Only Off-road mode gets deactivated post 40kmph. All wheel drive is called upon only in Off-road mode though. Dynamic weighs up the steering more. Comfort dials down the response while Eco dulls it even more.
If you are interested in knowing about the safety features, then there is a lot to know. There are front as well as rear parking sensors, cameras at the back and side, parking assistance for both getting into a lot and out, City Braking Assist, lane change assist, collision warning, ABS with EBD, traction control and airbags.
Verdict
At Rs 64 lakh, ex-showroom, the Volvo V90 Cross Country is very reasonably priced. It comes in as a CBU and Volvo has also increased the number of dealerships and service centres. More are set to be joined sooner. If you are looking at a stylish and excellent mile muncher, you should choose the Volvo V90 Cross Country. We loved the way it attracts attention and despite being a large vehicle, is so easy to drive as well.
FOR ALL THE AUTOMOTIVE NEWS FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM