Item: Volvo V40 Cross Country
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

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Volvo V40 Cross Country

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

By the standards of premium hatchbacks like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q3/estate/review/n43">Audi A3</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17371">Volkswagen Golf</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n88">Mercedes A-Class</a>, the Cross Country looks fairly expensive – but the standard <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/v40/hatchback/review/n21">Volvo V40</a> is more of a rival for those cars and as such competes more directly with price. Compared to small premium SUVs such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x1/estate/review/n100">BMW X1</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gla-class/hatchback/review/n17173">Mercedes GLA</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q3/estate/review/n43">Audi Q3 </a>the Cross Country’s prices look better matched.

That said, against all of its rivals the Cross Country is predicted to lose more of its value and will end up costing buyers more in depreciation throughout ownership.

The Cross Country has 18in alloy wheels as standard, plus copper trim, roof rails and an off-road look to its body styling. Like R-Design, Cross Country is essentially an appearance pack, although it does bring a slightly higher seating position and Volvo’s ‘Dynamic Chassis’.

You also get all the standard tech from the V40 range, including front and rear parking sensors plus rear camera, cruise control, sat-nav, 12V socket with USB connection, and the infotainment system mentioned earlier.

As well as the usual array of airbags and electronic driver aids, the Cross Country has a City Safety system (<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">automatic emergency braking (AEB)</a> as it's otherwise referred) that automatically applies the brakes if you get too close to the vehicle in front. Volvo has also fitted an external airbag that pops out from under the bonnet to cover the windscreen and front pillars if sensors detect a collision with a pedestrian.

These extra features helped the V40 it’s based on achieved a maximum five-star crash test rating from <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-are-the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n3387">Euro NCAP</a> back in 2012, with a seriously impressive 100% score awarded for its safety assistance features. It would be likely to receive similar scores even under today’s more stringent testing. Security kit includes an engine immobiliser and an alarm, and security experts Thatcham rate it highly for resisting theft and break-in.

As it’s just a trim level, the Cross Country didn’t feature specifically in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17826">2018 What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, but the V40 didn’t do particularly well; it finished 12th out of 14 contenders in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/family">Family Car category</a> and was beaten by everything from the Kia Ceed to the BMW 1 Series.

Volvo as a manufacturer finished 21st out of 31 contenders for reliability, too, which is equally disappointing. The three-year/60,000-mile warranty is on a par with most rivals, and includes three years of cover for paintwork and eight against rust perforation.

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The V40 Cross Country is available with Volvo’s D3 2.0-litre diesel engine, with 148bhp output and the option of a manual or automatic gearbox, or with the 1.5-litre T3 petrol as an automatic only.

The diesel is a good bet. It offers plenty of poke for everyday driving, and you won’t have much trouble taking on motorway trips. It also gives you the strong low-rev pull that diesels are famed for, so you won’t find yourself having to change down a gear too often.

It’s a shame the T3 petrol isn’t available in the Cross Country with a manual gearbox, but the automatic gearbox isn’t too disappointing. It’s smooth and happy allow the engine to rev hard, but the T3 does lack the low-down pulling power you’ll experience in the D3 diesel.

Whichever engine you go for, there’s quite a bit of road noise at higher speeds and the diesel engine does sound gritty and strained if you let it rev. At least on a steady throttle or at lower speeds it’s fairly quiet. The petrol is much quieter most of the time.

The V40 Cross Country is adequate but unexceptional in terms of its ride and handling. It doesn’t feel too jarring over bumps and ruts but the body moves about a lot, leaning heavily through corners and bobbing up and down over most scruffy surfaces. All of the family car and small SUV rivals mentioned drive more keenly and have a better ride quality.

Still, at least it settles down well at higher speeds, and while the steering feels vague, it’s weighted well enough to offer confidence whether you’re in town or on the motorway.

Walk over to the nearest window, have a peek outside and these days it’s very likely you’ll see a small SUV parked somewhere nearby. Their popularity seemingly knows no bounds, and the Volvo V40 Cross Country is, in some ways, trying to appeal to exactly those buyers.

This means you can look at the Cross Country in two ways; one that it rivals <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/family">premium family hatchbacks</a> such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n26">BMW 1 Series</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n77">Audi A3</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n88">Mercedes A-Class</a>, and the other that it faces competition from small SUVs like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q3/estate/review/n43">Audi Q3</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x1/estate/review/n100">BMW X1</a>.

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The Cross Country is based on <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/v40/hatchback/review/n21">Volvo’s V40</a> family hatchback and is offered purely as a trim level rather than a whole separate variant. It gets a slightly raised ride height and tough-looking plastic bumpers that intend to give it an SUV stance, plus off-road allusions such as roof rails and side scuff plates. You can choose between the higher-powered diesel or petrol engines from the V40 line-up.

Whether the Cross Country is the right V40 for you will be revealed over the next few pages. If you’ve made your decision, head to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying</a> pages to find out how to save thousands on your new car purchase.

There’s a wide range of seat and steering wheel adjustment to help you find a good driving position, and the Cross Country has the most comfortable seats in its class. There’s full electric adjustment for the driver plus lumbar support for both the driver and front passenger, and leather upholstery throughout.

The centre console feels very outdated and cluttered, though, with a selection of small and fiddly buttons that are hard to tell apart at a glance. There’s DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and a USB input that will allow full control of Android and Apple phones through the standard 7.0in colour display. However, combined with the messy dash, it all feels a long way behind the large, clear touchscreens of the Volkswagen Golf, or the Audi Q2’s class-leading MMI infotainment system.

Forward visibility in the V40 is fair, but rear visibility is quite poor because the rear windows narrow noticeably and the thick pillars at the back of the car cause big blind spots. The high, slim rear window can make it hard to judge where the back of the car ends, too.

Front and rear parking sensors are standard on Cross Country cars, as is a rear camera and Park Assist Pilot – a system that will steer the car into a space as you operate the accelerator.

In typical Volvo fashion, the V40’s interior is one of the smartest in the class, even though its German rivals set a high bar when it comes to overall perceived quality. Brushed metal finishes and a variety of soft-textured plastics and materials mean that it looks classy and modern, and feels high-end in all the key places. The switches are well damped, and it’s not until you start prodding around beneath the seats and in the footwells that you find some sharp-edged plastics.

Estate

Volvo is now a true rival to the likes of Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, offering an alternative take on premium executive cars to a rapidly growing fanbase.

After a string of strong launches – notably with the Mk2 XC90 and XC60 SUVs – it struck gold in early 2018 when it launched its smallest SUV, the XC40. When our testers compared the car with its rivals, they concluded that it was the best launch of the previous 12 months, earning it our coveted overall Car of the Year Award.

The good news is that, like many car makers, Volvo now uses the same structure underneath most of its cars – so if they get it right on one model, it usually bodes well for the rest. That’s the case here, with Volvo’s subsequent saloon and estate launches complementing the SUVs and making for a generally extremely appealing line-up.

VOLVO

Both the family and small SUV classes have moved on and left the Volvo V40 Cross Country feeling dated

There’s plenty of room up front for even taller drivers to get comfortable, although the Cross Country has fractionally less head and legroom than the Audi A3 or VW Golf. Avoid the optional panoramic roof if you’re particularly lanky, though, as it cuts into head room.

Storage space is also good, and there’s a shallow, rubberised cubby hidden behind the centre console that’s ideal for storing parking change, as well as space inside the centre armrest for your mobile phone. The glovebox also gets clever touches such as a pen holder, a sunglasses compartment and a drained compartment for the ice scraper.

In the rear, the middle passenger will be less comfortable, though, because the V40’s cabin is fairly narrow, and the centre seat is raised and fairly hard. A high central tunnel means they’ll have to splay their legs either side of it, too.

A couple of small cubbyholes at either side of the bench could be used to store small items at a push, but in reality they’re fairly useless. Instead, the door pockets (which will hold a 500ml bottle) or the map pockets on the back of the front seats will have to suffice for most items.

The Cross Country’s boot is smaller than those of most rivals by a fair margin. It has a narrower boot opening, too, so if you regularly carry really bulky items then this isn’t the best option. The boot floor is hinged, and it’s an easy, one-handed job to lift it and secure it in place, which gives you full access to the space below. When folded up, the divider also keeps your shopping bags in place.

Both the family and small SUV classes have moved on and left the Volvo V40 Cross Country feeling dated. The standard V40 range makes much more sense. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

Volvo V40 Cross Country review

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The Volvo V40 Cross Country on the road review including ride and handling information. Pick the best engine and compare performance with similar cars.

The V40 Cross Country is available with Volvo’s D3 2.0-litre diesel engine, with 148bhp output and the option of a manual or automatic gearbox, or with the 1.5-litre T3 petrol as an automatic only.,The diesel is a good bet. It offers plenty of poke for everyday driving, and you won’t have much trouble taking on motorway trips. It also gives you the strong low-rev pull that diesels are famed for, so you won’t find yourself having to change down a gear too often.,It’s a shame the T3 petrol isn’t available in the Cross Country with a manual gearbox, but the automatic gearbox isn’t too disappointing. It’s smooth and happy allow the engine to rev hard, but the T3 does lack the low-down pulling power you’ll experience in the D3 diesel.Whichever engine you go for, there’s quite a bit of road noise at higher speeds and the diesel engine does sound gritty and strained if you let it rev. At least on a steady throttle or at lower speeds it’s fairly quiet. The petrol is much quieter most of the time.The V40 Cross Country is adequate but unexceptional in terms of its ride and handling. It doesn’t feel too jarring over bumps and ruts but the body moves about a lot, leaning heavily through corners and bobbing up and down over most scruffy surfaces. All of the family car and small SUV rivals mentioned drive more keenly and have a better ride quality.,,Still, at least it settles down well at higher speeds, and while the steering feels vague, it’s weighted well enough to offer confidence whether you’re in town or on the motorway.

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Volvo V40 Cross Country review

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