We recently drove the Volvo V90 Cross Country in India at a media drive event organised by the brand. We drove this car between Mangalore city and Madikeri in Coorg to experience the new model in different conditions including city drive, driving in the hills, a mix of wide city roads and also on narrow passages in the hills with some patches of bad roads and mud. We also drove through heavy rains so we got a fairly good experience of the car in varying conditions. This Volvo V90 Cross Country review here will take you through my experience of this car.
Also read- Volvo V90 Cross Country Price, Variants, Colours and Features Details in India
Volvo V90 Cross Country Review – Design & Exteriors
The Volvo V90 Cross Country has an estate body style which combines the comfort of a sedan with the convenience of an SUV. The design is unlike any luxury car in this price bracket of around Rs. 60 lakhs. Despite it being a very unconventional design, the car looks fairly attractive and is surely a head turner. The sheer road presence of this car is quite strong with about 5 meters of length (4939mm to be precise). It measures around 2 meters wide and 1.54 meters tall. Large exterior dimensions also correspond to a spacious cabin and oodles of boot space.
The front of the car is quite bold and attractive. If you look at it in its front profile, the V90 CC looks like a sedan only. From the side view is where you get to understand the unique character of this body style, the station wagon styling, which is longer than a conventional sedan’s 3 box style. The rear seems quite extended but it is not as high as a typical SUV.
The side profile gets pronounced wheel arches in black colour along with side mouldings and sporty roof rails finished in silver colour. The B and C Pillars are blackened here for a classy and upmarket styling.
The rear of this car gets signature Volvo styling with sporty tail lamps extending till the roof, rear spoiler, and sleek brake lamps cluster. Dual exhaust in chrome adds to the sportiness of the car. There is pronounced Volvo and Cross Country badging at the rear of the car.
Large 20-inch alloys make it look very masculine with wide aspect ratio tyres giving it the sporty aesthetics along with the grip needed to keep this car sure-footed. All in all, the exteriors of this car are stylish, elegant as well as sporty at the same time.
Volvo V90 Cross Country Review – Interior Design, Features
Step inside the cabin and you are greeted with ample luxury. The front two seats come with electrical seat adjustment with memory function as well as massage function. The seats are also ventilated to make your commutes even more comfortable. The front two seats also come with adjustable under-thigh bolstering to give you the most comfortable seating position. There is also tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel to find you comfortable seating arrangements while driving. There is a heads up display which helps you keep your eyes on the road and not get distracted. There is a full touchscreen infotainment system with B&W audio which sounds excellent. The infotainment system is also equipped with all the controls for the car including climate control, front seat massage features, audio controls, car’s diagnostics data, phone controls to name a few. The steering wheel also gets steering mounted controls for controlling the infotainment system and cruise control system.
The car is loaded with loads of creature comforts like rear AC vents with individual climate control settings for all 4 zones (2 zones at the front, 2 at t rear). The seats use Nappa leather in tan colour which looks very classy. There is a lot of room inside the car for 4 adults. The rear seat has a foldable armrest which can be folded to make space for a 3rd passenger at the rear if needed. In short, the car is loaded to the gills with features.
Below is complete feature list of the Volvo V90 Cross Country:
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Performance- Ride, handling, driveability
At the first glance, it may seem too big a car to be a good handler, but once you get behind the wheels, you are pleasantly surprised. Volvo has really worked hard to make this car handle very in a very crisp and precise manner. The Vovlo V90 Cross Country has multiple driving modes like Eco, Comfort, Dynamic and off-road which change the way the car’s suspension, engine and steering respond to driver’s inputs. If you are a performance junkie, you should try dynamic mode which makes the suspension stiffer, steering more precise and throttle more responsive. Whereas on a weekend trip with the family, you can switch to comfort or Eco mode which makes suspension softer, steering lighter and engine more relaxed.
In terms of engine performance, the Volvo V90 Cross Country D5 variant is powered by a turbocharged 4 cylinder diesel motor which churns out a peak power of 280 HP and peak torque of 480 Nm. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission which is quite agile and smooth. We found the engine response to be quite agile in spite of the car being quite large in size. We were able to accelerate very quickly for the overtaking manoeuvres. This combination not makes the car quick, but also quite fuel efficient.
Verdict
If you are looking for a car which can be your chauffeur driven sedan on the weekdays and be your adventure SUV on the weekends, Volvo V90 Cross Country is a great fit for your lifestyle. It offers oodles of comfort and luxury with the capabilities of an SUV when it comes to adventurous drive. The space inside the cabin and boot space make it appropriate for your long weekend getaways.
