Volvo V90 Cross Country review

As one of the very few off-road-oriented estates currently available, the Volvo V90 Cross Country is a rare breed.

But although it’s essentially a more rugged version of the conventional V90 estate, it has a proper off-road pedigree, too, thanks to a legacy that dates back to 1997 and the launch of the original Volvo V70 XC – the car that initiated this phenomenon of jacked-up everyday estates that can venture off-road.

It should be of no surprise, then, that a company with more than 20 years' experience in this sector has produced a car claiming an impressive breadth of abilities both on- and off-road. Intelligent four-wheel drive comes as standard to improve traction on poor surfaces, there’s a further 65mm of ground clearance to stop you bottoming out over rougher ground and Volvo has added extra drive modes so you can tailor the V90 Cross Country’s driving characteristics to the terrain you’re on.

As part of a series of updates for the 2021 model year, the Cross Country, along with the regular V90, received a sharper looking front bumper, new foglights, LED tail lights with sequential indicators, new interior air-vents, an extended standard equipment list and a range of new engines with mild-hybrid technology. 

So, if you want a car to take you across hill, vale and dale but don't fancy an SUV, the V90 Cross Country could be worth a look. But is it better than the Audi A6 Allroad Quattro and Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain? Read on for our full assessment of the Volvo V90 Cross Country and to see if it’s worth putting on your wish list.

And, whichever car you decide on, make sure to head over to our New Car Buying pages to see how much you could save with just a few clicks.