Exclusive: Volvo S60 Cross Country Review
Siddharth Vinayak Patankar
1 min read
Mar 04, 2016, 12:33 PM
The Volvo S60 Cross Country is what some would call an ingenious idea and yet others might think it completely bizarre. But that is how most disruptive products are seen when they first come around. First let me answer the question - is the S60 Cross Country disruptive? Maybe it is too early to say that in a global context - but here in India I have to say it can be. If this were coming from a bigger player it would have been easier to judge. But Volvo is still fairly small in India, so it will be that much tougher to say. Okay so what is the car all about?
In the interest of disclosure I have to say that when Volvo first revealed plans for the S60 Cross Country at the start of 2015, I was one of the sceptics. A crossover sedan? Really? The idea seemed preposterous to me, and even when I saw the pictures in January 2015, I was not convinced. Then I saw the car in the flesh for the first time at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, I started to cross over to the other side! The car had presence, looked surprisingly rugged, and certainly unique enough to warrant bragging rights for Volvo.
And now that I have driven it, I can say that Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson's idea to do a crossover sedan is not entirely crazy! The S60 sedan is a very sporty car to begin with - with a taut and upright look. So when you throw in the SUV-like cladding, skid plates and a different 'Cross Country' front grille, it doesn't look entirely out of place.
The regular sedan has a ground clearance of 136mm. Now compare that to the rivals and it is not the highest number, with others like the BMW 3 Series breaching the 150mm mark at 157mm. The S60 Cross Country though has a ground clearance of 201mm - a whole 65mm more than the sedan! Compare that to the compact SUVs and it's going to sound even more generous - the new BMW X1 has 193mm, while the Audi Q3 has 170mm of ground clearance. Let me put that into perspective for you - the V40 has a ground clearance of 136mm while the V40 Cross Country bumps that up by 9pmm at 145mm. When you compare the difference in the two, the S60's looks like lipstick on a pig, doesn't it? The S60 Cross Country also has 18-inch alloys by the way as opposed to 17 on the sedan version.
So okay what does all this mean for the driving dynamics of the car? Now, the S60 was always a sporty and fun car to drive - and I like the tight sense you get from it. The Cross Country variant loses some of that tautness due to the extra height - and so it isn't as sharp or sporty as the regular sedan. But the good news is that while it may lose that handling character, it seems to gain on the fun quotient by providing a very nice ride quality that swallows up any undulations or broken roads. It also gives you the sense of driving an SUV. This means that it's not like once you get in, you are transported into a sedan like drive feel. The S60 Cross Country provides more SUV-like seating and a commanding driving position, and gives you a slight sense of that height when you're on the road. Now if you compare all this to a regular sedan you may come off thinking less of the car. But compare it to a crossover or SUV and you will love the response from the car.
The 2.4 litre, 5-cylinder diesel does feel a touch clunky - especially when you compare it to the more modern and newly designed VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture) range. But while the S60 has the new VEA diesel powerplant, the reason the Cross Country does not get, it is because it cannot be mated effectively with the car's optional AWD system. In India Volvo has played it smart and has gone with the AWD as standard on the Cross Country. This will be a big differentiator because that is one of the other reasons why the car has such a distinct character - and I think I might shudder a bit as I say this - I liked it! Yes I did, because it is distinct, different even. And also because I really do believe the car works for Indian conditions!
Inside the cabin you will find the usual kit to be expected from a luxury segment offering. The infotainment screen could have been bigger, but comes loaded with navigation, Bluetooth, music, car computer and reverse camera with parking sensors. There's also the characteristic virtual instrument cluster, sunroof, leather all around and lots more. The S60 Cross Country gets a different seating position than the sedan, and the front seats are the sports kind - which hug you better, are very ergonomically designed and give you great ride comfort. The seats are a carry over in a sense from the XC range to add to the SUV-ness of this car! They also come in dual leather with a double stitching motif that looks very upmarket.
Okay so bottomline - is it the most practical and therefore a logical sedan choice for India? No, of course not. But for those who want to pull up at a 5 Star's portico for an evening out, and also be able to head to their construction project sites or farmhouses - this is a good blend of two cars in a sense. It will never be as satisfying to drive as say a 3 Series, or heck even the S60 itself, but it sure will offer something unique that neither a sports sedan nor an SUV could. And then there is the fact that Volvo has played the value card on this car - despite offering a fairly well loaded trim. At Rs 38.9 lakh the car will not just appeal to S60 buyers who will need to stretch just about Rs 3 lakh or so. But more so to buyers of both the rival sedans and the premium compact SUVs that I have mentioned above..
In the interest of disclosure I have to say that when Volvo first revealed plans for the S60 Cross Country at the start of 2015, I was one of the sceptics. A crossover sedan? Really? The idea seemed preposterous to me, and even when I saw the pictures in January 2015, I was not convinced. Then I saw the car in the flesh for the first time at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, I started to cross over to the other side! The car had presence, looked surprisingly rugged, and certainly unique enough to warrant bragging rights for Volvo.
And now that I have driven it, I can say that Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson's idea to do a crossover sedan is not entirely crazy! The S60 sedan is a very sporty car to begin with - with a taut and upright look. So when you throw in the SUV-like cladding, skid plates and a different 'Cross Country' front grille, it doesn't look entirely out of place.
Volvo S60 Cross Country Front Grille
So okay what does all this mean for the driving dynamics of the car? Now, the S60 was always a sporty and fun car to drive - and I like the tight sense you get from it. The Cross Country variant loses some of that tautness due to the extra height - and so it isn't as sharp or sporty as the regular sedan. But the good news is that while it may lose that handling character, it seems to gain on the fun quotient by providing a very nice ride quality that swallows up any undulations or broken roads. It also gives you the sense of driving an SUV. This means that it's not like once you get in, you are transported into a sedan like drive feel. The S60 Cross Country provides more SUV-like seating and a commanding driving position, and gives you a slight sense of that height when you're on the road. Now if you compare all this to a regular sedan you may come off thinking less of the car. But compare it to a crossover or SUV and you will love the response from the car.
The 2.4 litre, 5-cylinder diesel does feel a touch clunky - especially when you compare it to the more modern and newly designed VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture) range. But while the S60 has the new VEA diesel powerplant, the reason the Cross Country does not get, it is because it cannot be mated effectively with the car's optional AWD system. In India Volvo has played it smart and has gone with the AWD as standard on the Cross Country. This will be a big differentiator because that is one of the other reasons why the car has such a distinct character - and I think I might shudder a bit as I say this - I liked it! Yes I did, because it is distinct, different even. And also because I really do believe the car works for Indian conditions!
Inside the cabin you will find the usual kit to be expected from a luxury segment offering. The infotainment screen could have been bigger, but comes loaded with navigation, Bluetooth, music, car computer and reverse camera with parking sensors. There's also the characteristic virtual instrument cluster, sunroof, leather all around and lots more. The S60 Cross Country gets a different seating position than the sedan, and the front seats are the sports kind - which hug you better, are very ergonomically designed and give you great ride comfort. The seats are a carry over in a sense from the XC range to add to the SUV-ness of this car! They also come in dual leather with a double stitching motif that looks very upmarket.
Okay so bottomline - is it the most practical and therefore a logical sedan choice for India? No, of course not. But for those who want to pull up at a 5 Star's portico for an evening out, and also be able to head to their construction project sites or farmhouses - this is a good blend of two cars in a sense. It will never be as satisfying to drive as say a 3 Series, or heck even the S60 itself, but it sure will offer something unique that neither a sports sedan nor an SUV could. And then there is the fact that Volvo has played the value card on this car - despite offering a fairly well loaded trim. At Rs 38.9 lakh the car will not just appeal to S60 buyers who will need to stretch just about Rs 3 lakh or so. But more so to buyers of both the rival sedans and the premium compact SUVs that I have mentioned above..
Related News
4 mins read
Weather Ready With New Volvo XC90 Research More on Volvo S60 Cross Country
8.0/10
*Ex-Showroom Price
₹ 51.76 Lakh
Popular Volvo Models
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
car&bike Team | May 7, 2026Maruti Suzuki Eeco Gets New ‘Star Edition’ Accessory PackageMaruti Suzuki has introduced a new Star Edition package for the Eeco, offering 18 accessories worth Rs 20,000.1 min read
car&bike Team | May 7, 2026Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 Becomes Fastest FWD Production Car At NurburgringIn its second run at the Green Hell, Volkswagen’s Golf GTI Edition 50 lapped the circuit in 7:44.523 minutes.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | May 7, 2026Lexus TZ Electric SUV Unveiled; 3-Row SUV Offers Up To 530 km RangeLexus’ first-ever three-row electric SUV shares its underpinnings with the new Toyota Highlander EV unveiled earlier in the year.1 min read
car&bike Team | May 7, 2026Royal Enfield To Set Up New Two-Wheeler Manufacturing Facility In Andhra Pradesh At A Cost Of Rs 2,200 CroreThe new facility is expected to add 9 lakh units to RE’s annual production capacity.2 mins read
car&bike Team | May 6, 2026Harley-Davidson Sprint To Be Introduced Based On Made-in-India X440Harley-Davidson is set to introduce affordable models including a 440 cc global model and a new Sportster in a bid to kick-start turnaround.3 mins read
car&bike Team | May 6, 2026TVS iQube S 4.7 kWh Launched At Rs 1.54 LakhThe 4.7 kWh battery pack option is only offered on the S trim of the iQube.2 mins read
Jafar Rizvi | May 3, 2026River Indie Gen 3 Long Term Report: 1 Month, 400 km AfterAfter a month and 400 km, the River Indie impresses with its utility-first approach, smooth ride and standout design, despite a few everyday usability compromises.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | May 2, 2026Volkswagen Taigun Facelift Review: Still The Driver’s SUV, But Improved!The updated Volkswagen Taigun gets a new 8-speed automatic, a refreshed design, and added features. But does it still deliver the best driving experience in the C-SUV segment?5 mins read
Shams Raza Naqvi | Apr 29, 2026Toyota Innova Hycross Vs Mahindra XEV 9S: Choosing The Right Three Row Family MoverIn a battle of three-row cars the electric Mahindra XEV 9S takes on the Toyota Innova Hycross. Which one ticks more boxes?1 min read
Janak Sorap | Apr 26, 2026BMW F 450 GS First Ride Review: Almost A Proper GS With Big Bike DNANew 420cc twin, premium build, feature-loaded and Easy Ride Clutch — but does it deliver where it truly matters?8 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Apr 25, 20262026 MG Majestor Review: Bold, Feature-Packed And Off-Road ReadyWe spent time with the MG Majestor to see how much of an improvement it is over the Gloster, and whether it can take on the segment leader – Toyota Fortuner.9 mins read