The Volvo wagon as we know it is dying. The large V90 wrapped up its run last year, production of the V60 Cross Country for North America ended in April, and without a direct successor announced, all that’s left are the handful of V60 Cross Country models on dealer lots. It feels like a chasm’s opened up in the fabric of our automotive reality because once inventory’s gone, it’ll be the first time in decades that we won’t be able to buy any sort of new Volvo wagon.
Funnily enough, I’d already road-tested the V60 Cross Country last year, so you can click this link if you want standard-format consumer advice. However, with the car going away, it deserved fresh eyes. A requiem for a four-wheeled friend, so to speak. The news of this model’s demise isn’t new, but experiencing this last drive firsthand, I didn’t expect to feel quite so sad.
[Full disclosure: Volvo Canada let me borrow this V60 Cross Country so long as I kept the shiny side up, returned it clean with a full tank of premium fuel, and reviewed it.]
Dying In Designer
It’s been more than eight years since production of the current V60 kicked off, and it looks as well-styled as ever. Maybe even prettier, considering how the German big-three have jumped the shark on styling. Those distinctive hammer-shaped daytime running lights, crisp lines and pronounced haunches all work together fabulously. A grille that’s a normal size is a sight for sore eyes in an era of BMWs that look like Edsels undergoing mitosis, and those waterfall taillights flowing down from the roof like strawberry syrup get me every time. Even with the Cross Country cladding, this is one devilishly handsome car.
Beneath the sharp visage of the V60 Cross Country, you’ll find more practicality than you’d expect. Despite the raked rear window, there’s enough height to the cargo opening to load 26-inch tires standing up on their tread. A handy net on the left side of the cargo area keeps housewarming gifts and other sundries secure, while an optional reversible cargo mat with a rubberized underside flips over to keep the cargo area clean. Fold the 60:40 split rear seats with center through-loading down, and you’ll enjoy nearly six feet of cargo floor length, vastly superior to what most compact luxury crossovers offer. It’s a longer, lower space than said crossovers, but for prams and furniture and whatnot, the extra length matters. It’s different, but oh so sensible.
This theme of different but sensible carries over to some of the controls. Volvo’s insistence on a tiny joystick for power mirror adjustment may look odd, but once you actually use it, this arrangement makes perfect sense. The spindly control can be used with absolute precision entirely eyes-off. There’s no ambiguity when it comes to which direction your finger’s moving the control, all four directions are clear as day. Then there are the power seat controls, which use a toggle hanging off the lumbar adjustment pad to choose whether you’re adjusting the thigh support, the lumbar support, or the bolsters. It’s uncomplicated, easy to find, and simple to use. Oh, and the advanced driver assistance system? That’s as easy as activating cruise control with simple yet extremely legible graphics.
You’d think that the Android Automotive OS-based touchscreen infotainment system with minimal physical buttons would put a huge damper on this but empirically, the same setup in the XC60 is one of the least distracting systems that Swedish publication Vi Bilägare has ever tested in its eight-step test involving turning on the heated seat, lowering the temperature by two degrees, starting the defroster, powering on the radio, setting it to Sweden’s Program 1, resetting the trip computer, dimming the interior lighting to its minimum level, and turning off the center display. Less distracting than Tesla, less distracting than the old Subaru Outback and its real switches for trip reset and temperature control, less distracting than a Kia EV3, less distracting than even a previous-generation Volvo V60 with its flying VCR-remote center stack.
Indeed, the only bit of the infotainment system I didn’t get along with was the wired-only Apple CarPlay, but the optional Bowers & Wilkins sound system more than makes up for it. With 15 speakers and 1,410 nominal watts, it’s just about the gold standard in the entire car industry. The variant of this system in the XC90 and dearly departed V90 is better due to different staging, but this $3,200 option blows pretty much the rest of the industry out of the water. Scintillating clarity, huge yet tight sub-bass extension, a wonderfully wide soundstage, it’s the sort of stereo that will have you driving around all night just to listen to your favorite albums.
Oh, and once you’re done listening to LCD Soundsystem’s entire discography, you’ll emerge from the cockpit fresh as a daisy because the seats here are just about perfect. Firm yet wonderfully supportive, I could feel them fixing my posture in real time. Soft armrests and a highly adjustable tilt-and-telescopic steering column certainly help in establishing a good driving position, and the way the carpet wraps all the way up the center tunnel feels quality. You get loads of headroom and legroom too, and that extends to all but the middle rear seat position. There’s a big center hump back there, but once occupants get their legs around it, they’re treated to exceptional seat comfort too.
Movement
Alright, but what’s the V60 like in between sliding the optional Orrefors crystal gear lever into drive and twisting the ignition knob off? In a word, relaxing. Under the hood sits Volvo’s familiar two-liter turbocharged inline-four. This latest variant, dubbed “B5”, features a 48-volt mild hybrid system with auto stop-start so smooth and unobtrusive, it puts full hybrids to shame. Granted, 247 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque aren’t monumental figures in the context of a 4,100-pound car, but a flat torque curve and relatively short gearing make the most of it. Besides, the V60 Cross Country isn’t the sort of car you drive in haste. It can certainly overtake once the occasionally languid transmission calibration kicks down, but even though the throttle calibration is a bit eager, the last Volvo wagon is perfectly happy to just cruise along.
Fingertip-light steering adopts a remarkable sense of dead-ahead once at speed, and my word, that brake pedal. It’s like dropping an anchor through the mantle of the Earth, firm and effective yet easy to modulate. As for the ride quality, it’s largely comfortable and composed, although it has a whole-grain quality over sharper impacts. It’s never uncomfortable, but on the optional 20-inch wheels, quick lumps and bumps are more noticeable than in cars riding on newer platforms, manifesting as little murmurs beneath the carpets. A reminder that Volvo’s SPA architecture is more than a decade old.
There Will Be Tears
Still, the thought of the Volvo V60 Cross Country riding off into the sunset is one of unease. It’s the last compact wagon on sale in America, even though it’s lifted and plastic-clad. Once the stock of these is gone, an entire genre of vehicle is gone. Audi’s not bringing the RS5 Avant to America, BMW’s a we’ll-see when it comes to the next M3 Touring, and either way, both of those vehicles occupy an entirely different price echelon from the V60 Cross Country. This thing starts at $58,895 including freight ($63,545 in Canada), and while that’s definitely premium, it’s not outlandish.
I have a bit of a history with Volvos. The very first turbocharged car I ever rode in was a V70 T5, I have friends and family members who’ve owned 240s, and the idea of a 740 Turbo wagon was always appealing. I’ve never owned a Volvo wagon, but now I’m wondering why the hell I haven’t. They scratch an itch of deep pragmatism in a beautiful way, cosseting with sensational seats and robust build quality. They’re the archetype of well-to-do-but-not-a-prick, nice cars for thoughtful people. In this profession, I’ve been lucky enough to drive hundreds of cars. There are some I’d recommend, a smaller number than I personally like, and an even smaller number that I’d actually buy if I were in the market. The Volvo V60 Cross Country is one of those cars. Every mile behind the wheel feels like home, and with that disappearing, the entire motoring landscape is worse off. If you find one of these wagons lingering on a dealer lot near you, you know what to do.
Top graphic image: Thomas Hundal
“it’ll be the first time in decades that we won’t be able to buy any sort of new Volvo wagon.”
“entire genre of vehicle is gone”
This is so damn sad…pour one out to the Volvo wagon! I’m both sad and mad at newer cars in general and that most people drive SUV’s/CUV’s/trucks now; so then this happened and they ruined everything!
The EX60 sure seems like a wagon, except in marketing.
I’ve owned a 2002 xc70 wagon from 2004 to 2015, a 2015 xc70 T6 wagon from 2015 to 2025. And a 1967 Amazon wagon from 2004 to 2017. Never had any real problems with any of them over 25ish years and a couple hundred thousand miles. Solid cars and I miss them all.
I have an A6 Allroad that I deeply, deeply love. Go get yourself a wagon… you will not regret it.
I’m not crying you’re crying
I shopped the V60 hard a year and a half ago. I think they are one of the best looking wagons ever. Interiors were very comfortable and also look incredible. I just couldn’t get over the engine/transmission combo. It felt clunky. Had intrusive start stop and overall just didn’t feel up to the rest of the car. The other major issue was the AC. It just couldn’t keep up in the southern heat especially when stopped at a stoplight. Lots of reviews and forums mentioned the weak AC. I wanted to love it but just didn’t.
I wanted to buy a V60 but it felt so much tighter on the inside than the XC60 we bought.
Can you work out a licensing deal to include this test in all of your reviews? An infotainment distraction level score would be one of the most useful metrics I can imagine when shopping for modern cars.
I freaking agree. This could possibly be the best way to stop the proliferation of bad ergonomic design of interiors.
It does feel like a disturbance in The Force. And here’s another compliment for coining “Edsels undergoing mitosis.”
Good info Thomas… thanks! 🙂
Though I’d probably not own one given my prediliction for older Volvos, there’s no denying that the wagon versions of their regular sedans are among the most pleasant looking offerings in their line-up. I don’t even mind the cross country versions of the wagons: the lift isn’t excessive and the cladding isn’t overly thick/butch as on most recent Subarus (for example)… the Volvo XC models still retain their overall mature/tasteful appearance.
If the current/recent Volvo wagons turn out to be good as they get to be a decade+ old in terms of running costs/tech/service I might then think about picking up a well-cared-for example to add to my Volvo fleet, which includes a 240 wagon (manual/AC) and a first-gen XC90 (my daily, and my island of safety and tranquility in Los Angeles traffic).
The backseat on these are way too compact. Just give us back brick wagons.
When I see rear legroom of both the V60 and V90 being slightly less than an old 240 wagon, despite almost a foot of extra wheelbase, I wonder what the hell Volvo has been doing with their packaging.
I was quite interested in the V60 years ago when it came out, then test drove one, and didn’t even come close to fitting and was really surprised by how small the interior was compared to the exterior.
While I would have preferred a V90 when I got my wife’s car, the S90 was what I could find (used of course) equipped the way I wanted and priced well.
The backseat of the S90 is enormous. I don’t recall if there were distinctions between S90s such that there was a short and long wheelbase version, but ours is big enough that only the lankiest of basketball players would be a little tight.
Weird that the wagon would be so different.
Also, the B&W sound system is everything people say it is. Believe the hype.
Funny you mention, The S90 grew (at least in the US market) a year after its introduction in 2017. From 2018 onward, the standard length model was dropped for the long-wheelbase developed for China. It’s most obvious in the rear doors, where you can tell the stubbier brethren quite easily.
The rear is tight but the front has a ton of room, no? I am 6’4″ and perfectly comfortable in the front, just don’t sit behind me. I bought a Polestar version in May and have been happy with it.
The one I test drove when they were relatively new had the fixed headrest push on my shoulders, and my head hit the headliner if I tried to sit up straight-, after 10 minutes I was super uncomfortable. I’ve only got an inch on you, but that is common in most new cars for me. Especially anything higher end strangely.
I’ve got a 240 wagon, and while it is roomy in back for it’s (actually) modest exterior dimensions, back then (it came out in ’75 and is heavily based on the even older 140) there were lower standards for safety and NVH. The back half of a 240 wagon seems like a mostly-single-layer metal box, whereas newer cars have a thickness to their exterior structures making room for side intrusion beams, sprayed-in foam, stronger roof crossmembers, etc…
Don’t get me wrong: for it’s day the 240 was among the safest cars you could buy, but modern expectations and standards mean that today’s cars will be safer/quieter at the cost of backseat/cargo room relative to their exteriors.
I get the safety aspect, but I’ll still encounter new cars where the interior has a lot of room for a smaller car, so it’s still possible. Seems like there’s a better chance of some bare bones rental car being roomy than anything higher end with lots of features. I’m personally going to blame windows of various forms in the roof, since I’m tall and it seems like I don’t fit in anything with glass up top made in the last decade.
Even though I can’t afford one, this still sucks. The entry point to the wagon market is now Suburban levels of MSRP, which is ironic and also a total drag. I really wish that someone, really anyone, would bring over a wagon. Just one! Hell, VW, bring back the Golf wagon and I’ll regrettably pull the trigger this time.
There’s the EV6, Trailseeker, Crown Signia, and EX60 as long as you don’t listen to the marketing?
Modern Volvo isn’t Volvo to me anymore. I’ve had quite a few friends and family friends with them over the years and any with a Volvo newer than about 2012 eventually sold it early due to issues.
The classic Volvos were a total letdown for me.
Always wanted to have a P3 XC70. For me, one of the best looking cars. And additionally to it’s looks, it’s practical.
In 2023 I bought a used low milage one. The car looked like brand new, fresh from the dealer.
After some weeks both rear springs were broken. Alright, no big issue, but disappointing for the low milage. And some months later, the car started having massive electronic issues.
So yeah…after 2 years I sold it again and made a big loss.
I have a P3 XC70. This one is a bit shaggier than yours, bought from a tiny dealer with some issues. AFter the alternator was sorted (FYI, just get the OEM alt, so much time wasted). It has been pretty good.
Well, it was until my son crashed it into a bush. Tore the front off, messed up the pivoting headlights. It’s been a slow battle to make it right. Down to just making the parking sensor work again.
They are not easy to diagnose.
The drivers side power windows/controls stopped working at one point. Turns up, a common issue is the wiring bundle that passes through the hinge. I pulled it apart and found a few broken wires. When I was troubleshooting the alternator, I kept seeing errors for LIN bus. Turns up, the alternator is on the same bus as the door controls. I probably replaced that alternator for no reason other than the bad wiring in the door was firing off weird errors as it was shorting in/out. Once I got the door wiring fixed, there were never any other issues.
part of the crash repair was replacing a broken headlamp unit. This one has the bending lights that pivot when you turn. Son and I got it all back together, but now errors about the bending lights. Also a turn signal bulb was out; not the one that got smashed. Replaced the bulb. Turn signal still out. Looked deeper in, there is a second bulb daisy chained to the first bulb that we did not see. Replaced that. Turn signal works and all of a sudden, the bending light errors are gone and they work fine again.
They are not super easy to fix and Volvo’s early entry into modern systems architecture makes it hard to anticipate what systems are connected. VIDA or a good scanner is a must.
To be fair, the P2 wagon we have has a permanent check engine light because it thinks the o2 sensor is dead. Been replaced 2x. Still does not get any signal from it. I gave up as I was not about to pull apart a big section of the main wiring harness that runs deep through the engine bay. The hell with that, it’s a 20 year old car.
We all have different experiences of course, given the choices Volvo made when engineering the cars, and how the prior owner(s) treated them. I bought a P2 Volvo with about 135K miles on it from the original owner about five years ago and it’s been very reliable thus far, with only a small plastic valve thing needing replacement at a reasonable cost thus far.
On every modern car, a good diagnosis system is a must. First thing I usually get when I buy a car, no matter which brand.
For my P3 I used Vdash, as there are issues running the available VIDA versions on a 2016 model year.
VDash worked perfectly fine.
In General, they are not harder to work on, as other cars. I personall found it quite easy – except for the many electronical issues that my P3 had.
For me it was simply a bummer, as I always wanted to get a P3 XC70. And on top it was freaking expensive, as they are always on a very high price level here in Germany.
Previous owners treated it well, as it really looked like brand new from the Volvo Dealer and every service or repair was done and documented.
I’ve always thought a Volvo Wagon would be what Wilson Wilson from Home Improvement would drive. An intelligent quirky man with astute taste and knowledge one could only dream of attaining. I would prefer an older vintage but I can see the appeal of these
Hasn’t “jumped the shark” jumped the shark?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark
Also, the Volvo I owned was terrifyingly unreliable.
As a current Polestar 2 owner I would love if Volvo came out with an EV wagon but I doubt it would even come to the states as they have not said anything about bringing the ES90 over here.
Also I loved the looks for the V60 and V90 but the prices were just well out of what I would want to spend just sucks wagons are dying off and the last of them have just been 50K+.
Oh man, an electric V60 would be perfect.
Hey they are lifted and have cladding they are just a better all around Subaru
Alas, the Polestar 4 SUV (it’s a wagon) is coming, but not to the US
You can actually get the Polestar 4 in the US before they stop here at the end of the year (or might be night year think it is through the 2027 model year). Saw them while my car was in the shop for a warranty repair. They were decent looking but size wise seems a bit to wide and tall to be a wagon also to swoopy in the back for the lift back vs how a wagon back door/hatch (w/e you want to call it) is.
Oh and late edit I saw the new new Polestar 4 they are working on with a flat back hatch area yeah that is way more wagon then the current 4 but alas we wont get that due to said no more US Polestar.
I picked up a 2026 Polestar 4 and it’s superb!
> BMWs that look like Edsels undergoing mitosis
Chef’s kiss.
I wasn’t impressed. But then again I don’t know what mitosis is. Given the Edsel fame I might have gone a Adult Entertainment sized grille
Perfection.
I love Volvos, I love them so very much. But as a thought exercise, find 10 random Americans and poll them on “ when did Volvo stop making cars” and half of them will guess in the mid 2000s, the other half will say “what’s a Volvo?”
And I feel like a company bankrolled by a Chinese conglomerate has no excuse for making a 2026 product that looks like a 2016.
I think the final US Volvo wagon with a stick shift was the 2010 V50 T5.
So if I were to get a Volvo wagon, that’s the one I’d look for.
Dear Car Companies,
Please spend a few more dollars and paint-match the damn wheel well arches!
Sincerely,
All of us
At least make it an option.
BMW would make it a subscription.
So they’d send a repo-man to remove the body-colored arches and replace them with black plastic ones if you missed a subscription payment?
That’d be fun to just let it lapse, then sign back up, then let it lapse, etc. Especially if it were leased. 🙂
You read my mind there.
Why?
It usually makes a nice looking vehicle, like this one, look cheap. This particular example doesn’t look as bad as some others. Unless you’re going for the off-roading look, it just looks terrible.
Perfect example is the Mazda CX-30.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Mazda_CX-30_Touring%2C_2020_front.jpg/1920px-Mazda_CX-30_Touring%2C_2020_front.jpg
When I bought my Mazda 3, I could have gotten the CX-30 from stock. I chose to wait 3 months because of those wheel arches.
I’ve thought about this (the unpainted lower-body-cladding and wheel arches on the Mazda CX-30 in particular and other cars in general) a fair bit.
I agree that painting them body color gives the entire vehicle a somewhat more upscale appearance. But I’m not sure it would be a dealbreaker for me, were I actually contemplating a CX-30 or a semi-recent Volvo cross country wagon. It just doesn’t bother me that much.
You are a wise man. I love my Mazda3.