Pleasure to drive, a real stress-free vehicle
Roseville, Calif. – Your dad’s classic station wagon from the 1960s and early 1970s disappeared for many decades, but has resurfaced in recent years.
There’s no longer wood paneling or a tailgate that kids often dangerously sat on while the vehicle was being operated. The new breed of wagons possesses some modern flair, and yes, many of them can be misidentified as SUVs due to the similarities.
The 2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country certainly fits the category. While Volvo clearly identifies the V60 as a wagon, it also gets frequently characterized as a midsize crossover SUV.
Pleasure to drive
From our perspective, if the vehicle in question has a sleek overall appearance and a distinctive low-slung, long roof that extends from front to back – it’s a wagon. And there’s no doubt the Swedish automaker likes manufacturing wagons. Four of them include the standard Cross Country, V60 Recharge (plug-in hybrid), V60 Cross County, and the larger V90 Cross Country.
Wagons like the V60 Cross Country offer extra space and handle much like a “regular” car. The Cross Country has lots of interior space, enough to easily transport five adults. A bonus is the wagon sits 8.1 inches off the ground and has standard all-wheel drive, giving it mild off-road capability.
While lacking any wow factor, the V60 engine is solid. It’s a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder that generates 247 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It goes 0-60 mph in 7.0 seconds and gets 23-30 mpg. Its large 15.9-gallon gas tank means it can go long distances before requiring a fill-up.
The V60 Cross Country is a pleasure to drive, a real stress-free vehicle. Acceleration is good and so is the handling. The wagon has a nimbleness and the overall ride quality is admirable.
Standard advanced driver safety features include blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, forward collision, lane departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, driver attention warning, rain-sensing wipers, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, and automatic high beams.
AT A GLANCE – 2025 V60 VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY
- Performance: turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, 247 horsepower
- Mileage estimate: 23-30 mpg
- Price estimate: $50,400 to $55,500
- Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles; drivetrain: 4 years/50,000 miles; roadside assistance: 4 years/unlimited; corrosion: 12 years/unlimited
Inside the V60
While not luxurious, the attractive interior is well above average. It comes with numerous standard features, including panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, heated, power-adjustable front seats with memory function, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, 9-inch infotainment touchscreen, 10-speaker audio system, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration.
The V60 also has a Google-based infotainment system. The owner can sign into their Google account to collect one’s favorites or contacts. Voice commands are operated by Google Assistant, which doesn’t require the remembrance of specific phrases to adjust the settings. What is tricky is mastering the infotainment system.
Seating is extremely generous in both rows, providing lots of comfort, along with sizable head and leg room. One expects lots of space with a wagon, and the V60 Cross Country delivers. It has 23.2 cubic feet behind the second row and expands to 50.9 cubes with the seats folded down.
If the goal is finding a well-rounded luxury wagon, keep the 2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country in mind. It has style, lots of space in a smartly designed interior, solid gas mileage, and the performance is commendable.
