Volvo S60 Cross Country Road Test Review

Safety and style have been going hand in hand for Volvo in India. Today the Volvo Auto India stable has beautiful and dependable vehicles like the all new XC90, the XC60, the S60, the S80, the V40 and the V40 cross country. Now there is a new one in their stable here--The S60 Cross Country. Practically speaking, this car is actually meant for a country like India where roads are generally plastered with pot holes of all shapes and sizes. Besides you really are not sure where a road starts and where it ends!

The Cross Country tag means that this car is no ordinary four-wheeler. It is a luxury sedan with some sporty features. No, it’s not a hard-core off roader, but it is definitely a soft-roader that takes on the bumpy terrains with great ease. 

The car is powered by 2400 cc D4 diesel engine with an all wheel drive transmission. The engine produces 190bhp and a maximum torque of 420Nm. The best part of the sedan is that it’s got a ground clearance of 201mm. The S60, its city cousin has a ground clearance  of only 136mm. Let’s compare this S60 Cross Country with some of the existing SUVs and sedans in the country. The BMW X1 has a ground clearance of 193mm, the Audi Q3 has 170mm and the GLA from Mercedes has 183mm ground clearance. Coming to sedans, the BMW 3 series has a ground clearance of 157mm, the Audi A4 128mm, the Mercedes C class 157mm. In short, the S 60 Cross country is an weather, all terrain vehicle.

On the road, the S 60 Cross Country has an imposing and muscular presence. This sporty sedan has a cross over design and it stands tall with its high profile tyres (Michelin 235/50 R18). The car has black fender extensions, scuff plates, coated skid plates and integrated dual exhaust tail pipes , all of which add to the sporty stance of the vehicle.

The high ground clearance also means the car has a relatively high seating position.  Driving the Volvo S 60 Cross Country is akin to painting a landscape with Picasso holding your hands. This is because of the tons of electronics installed in the car that assist you drive on any type of terrain, however difficult it is. Be it straight roads or twisty roads, the car behaves pretty disciplined. The Corner Traction Control, the Hill Descent Control, advanced all wheel drive system with instant traction, the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control, all come into play whenever the need arises. For example, the AWD with instant traction has an electronic management system that constantly monitors the speed of the wheels, the throttle, the engine torque, engine speed and the brakes. As driving conditions change, wheels with the best grip get the most power. When a tyre loses traction, power is reduced to the wheel and instantly transferred to the one that has a better grip.

Mind you, this traction control feature comes so instantly and so seamlessly that a person driving the vehicle seldom notices it, except that you believe that you are the one driving superbly! On Indian roads this feature comes quite handy as our roads are extremely unpredictable with pot holes and rubbles surprising you at constant intervals while driving. 

The electronic treat does not end there. The Dynamic Stability and Stability Control helps in providing stability when roads conditions get slippery. The Corner Traction Control by torque vectoring balances the torque between the front wheels during acceleration while cornering, thereby reducing understeer. This feature comes into play when you are cornering the car at high speeds.

The automatic car can also be driven in S mode wherein you can use the paddle shifts to change gears. In sport mode you can experience better acceleration and can have fun with the car.

The car also comes with a lot of other capable features like Cruise Control, Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, Adjustable steering wheel, rain sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, ABS, Active High Beam headlights etc.

Once you are inside the car, the sculpted sports seats keep you firmly ensconced. The front seat positions can be adjusted electronically, besides there is also an option for three memory settings.

The leather seats with a combination of offblack and beechwood brown colours gave a very chic feel to the interiors. Volvo’s Sensu Connect offers full connectivity with entertainment and navigation apps.

The moment you sit in the driver’s seat you realise that the cockpit has been literally designed around you. The dashboard gently angles towards you, making it easier to see as well as reach out for the buttons on the dash. The three-spoke steering wheel feels solid when you grip it. With loads of electronics and the host of safety features installed in the car, the S 60 Cross Country is a premium car built with a purpose. The Volvo S60 Cross Country is a very practical car and is definitely an Indian delight!