Volvo V90 Cross Country Test Drive Review

Volvo V90 Cross Country Review

Car Tested: Volvo V90 Cross Country; Road Test No. 840; Test Location: Coorg

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 71,03,766/-

The Volvo V90 Cross Country might seem off-beat but it has a lot going for it

Station wagons have never caught the fancy of Indians because of their boxy appearance and boring design. This inhibition hasn’t stopped Volvo from getting its latest offering, the V90 Cross Country, to Indian shores. The Swedish company is betting big on their latest product offering and are confident that this car will carve out a brand new segment by itself. The Cross Country is not new to India, this will be Volvo’s third Cross Country model after the V40 and S60. The V90 Cross Country promises to be the perfect fit between a SUV and sedan, or does it? We were down the beautiful countryside of Coorg to find out.

Motor Quest: Volvo is on a product offensive in India. The automaker launched the all-new XC90 in 2015, followed by the S90 in 2016, the S60 Polestar in 2017 and now this, the V90 Cross Country. The Swedish automaker offers CBU products but even then, all of their cars are priced very competitively.

Exteriors – The V90 Cross Country is based on the S90 sedan and if you look closely, the front fascia and half side profile is nearly identical. You get the same sharp LED headlamps and the only difference here is that the front grille has slightly different looking slats. Go to the rear quarter and you will notice the SUV profile. There is no denying that this car is probably the best looking station wagon we have seen. The design is dynamic with key highlights being the sloping windscreen and the signature Volvo tail-lamp cluster.

Black cladding runs along the wheel arches which looks full with massive 20-inch diamond cut alloys. Both these are reminiscent of the SUV character it imbibes but it’s not all show, there are a lot of functional bits too. Ground clearance has been raised by 60 mm from the S90 to a mammoth 210 mm which is more than most of the SUVs out there.

Interiors – The interiors too are inspired from the S90 but you now have an option of a yellowish beige upholstery which appears to get less dirty over time. You can also order a grey upholstery if you like the interiors to have a darker tone. The cabin layout is identical to the S90 sedan and quality, fit and finish is simply stupendous. Volvo has surely taken luxury too seriously and everything in the cabin feels good, the leather, the stitching or the aluminium inserts on the dashboard. Starting from the XC90, Volvo has done away with the insane number of buttons seen on the dash, you now have a very intuitive 9-inch touchscreen which controls everything.

The seats on the V90 Cross Country are the best we’ve seen in this price bracket

The front seats offer phenomenal levels of comfort. These electronically adjustable seats get memory function, hot and cold ventilation and if you are in the mood to pamper yourself, you can take advantage of the massage function. There are 4 types of massage on offer with 3 intensities and speed. The seats also have electrically adjustable side bolsters, lumbar and thigh support. On the other hand, the rear seat doesn’t get massage function and isn’t as comfortable as the front. There is adequate headroom and legroom in both rows. The rear also has a large transmission tunnel which makes it best for two passengers. Clearly, this car is targeted towards those who will be occupying the front seat more often.

There are tons of features on offer and most of them actually work and aren’t the usual marketing gimmicks. You have a powered tailgate, Sensus navigation, panoramic roof, full LED headlamps, rear and front park assist and a 1400 Watt, 19-speaker Bower & Wilkins audio system which gives out some amazing sound. This car is also equipped with Tyre Pressure Monitoring system, Nappa Leather perforated upholstery, 4-zone climate control, rain sensing wipers, Radar-guided distance alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Park Assist Pilot, Heads-Up display & rear camera.

Performance – Powering the V90 Cross-Country is the D5 engine which also happens to be the most powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine by Volvo in India. Churning out a massive 235 BHP and 480 NM of torque, this engine competes with the 6-cylinder units offered by the competitors. Power delivery is linear and there is no sudden surge in power. The engine has a strong low-end and mid-range and powers tops at a little over 4000 RPM. When you floor the throttle on urgency, there is barely any lag and the V90 Cross Country takes off effortlessly. Even though this is a 2.0-litre oil burner, power seems adequate for the job, be it city driving or the highway. This engine is also expected to return best-in-class fuel efficiency.

The 2.0-litre engine has adequate power on tap, with driveability being good

In order to reduce turbo lag and ensure good driveability, Volvo is using a very clever piece of tech in this car. Known as ‘Powerpulse’, this technology uses compressed air which is stored in a cylinder. Once you give the throttle the beans, the compressed air gushes into the turbo, thereby reducing lag and improving driveability. Mated to this engine is an 8-speed automatic transmission which works well in both city and highway conditions. There is no sports mode on offer but you can use the paddle-shifters when you want to drive with urgency. The V90 Cross Country is only the second car to get it in India after the S60 Polestar.

You also have 4 driving modes to choose from. Eco, Comfort, Off-Road and Dynamic. The Eco mode, as the name suggests is about driving to get maximum fuel economy. The gearshifts are relaxed and shift way before the rev limit. In Comfort mode, the steering feels lighter, the shifts are relaxed and the suspension setup favours comfortable ride over handling. The Off-Road mode is the one which truly highlights the essence of this car. In this mode, ground clearance is maximised, hill descent control is turned on and more torque is channelled to the rear wheels making this car tread into terrain which a sedan wouldn’t dare. Mind you, the low profile tyres may be the spoilers for the party as you could easily bust a tyre in some tricky ground. Once you cross 40 km/hr in this mode, the car automatically moves to comfort mode. It is unlikely that V90 Cross Country owners will get into some serious off-roading. The Dynamic mode is what enthusiasts will prefer. In this mode, gearshifts are more aggressive, the dampers tighten up and the chassis shines around the twisties. The steering too weighs up giving a more predictable feel.

Driving Dynamics – The V90 Cross Country gets All Wheel Drive as standard and in routine the power is channelled through the front wheels. However, when the wheels detect slip or the car is in the Off-Road mode, power goes through the rear wheels. In simple speak, this car offers tremendous amount of grip and those Pirelli tyres on our car only complemented the chassis. Ride quality was surprisingly good for a car which sits high on ride height. Volvo has got air suspension at the rear so from the ride point of view, the rear seat is more comfortable. Slow speed ride deserves a special mention, even in off-road conditions. At high speeds, the big craters do creep inside the car but only slightly. This car is heavy and with the added weight, there is some amount of body-roll. The brakes bite well with very predictable braking distances. The diesel clatter is obvious on the outside but the cabin is so well insulated, that there is practically no outside sound creeping inside.

Safety and After Sales Service – Volvo doesn’t have the best spread when it comes to after-sales in India and the automaker is in the process of setting up more and more service centres in various cities. Talking about safety features, you get multiple airbags, inflatable curtains, whiplash protection, ABS with EBD, BA, Traction Control, ESP, Hill Hold, Hill Descent Control, Park Assist, Lane Keeping Aid and a lot more.

Verdict – The Volvo V90 Cross Country is unlike any estate you will see and it offers tons of practicality. What’s more relevant is that it gives you the space of an SUV and dynamics of a sedan, striking a perfect balance for those who want both of these in one single package. This car also breaks away from what traditional wagons are known to be and offers ample amount of luxury with a long list of goodies. Volvo has launched it at a very competitive price making the deal even sweeter.

What’s Cool

* Looks beautiful undeniably
* Cabin feels excellent, long equipment list too
* Supportive seats and a plush suspension set up
* Drives good, off-road mode is a good plus

What’s Not So Cool

* Unconventional styling might not be liked by many

Alternatives: Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, Range Rover Evoque

Volvo V90 Cross Country Specifications

* Engine: 1969cc, DOHC, 4-cylinders
* Power: 235 HP @ 4000 RPM
* Torque: 480 Nm @ 1750-2250 RPM
* Transmission: 8-speed AT
* Fuel Consumption: 9-11 km/l
* Fuel Type: Diesel
* Suspension: Double Wishbone (Front), Air Suspension (Rear)
* Tyres: 245/40/20
* Brakes: Discs (Front & Rear), ABS
* Safety: Airbags, ABS, EBD, Hill Hold, ESC, TCS, Lane Keeping Aid

Volvo V90 Cross Country Dimensions

* Overall length x width x height: 4936 mm X 1879 mm X 1475 mm
* Boot Space: 560-1526-litres
* Wheelbase: 2941 mm
* Kerb Weight: 1933 kgs
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 60-litres

Further Reading –

Volvo V90 Cross Country Video Review