Volvo V90 Cross Country review

Our overall rating:Rated 3 out of 5

The Volvo V90 Cross Country is an unconventional proposition: essentially a more rugged, off-road-orientated version of the conventional V90 estate.

It has 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 (which comes as standard) generates surefooted grip in adverse conditions, 65mm of added ground clearance gets you over rougher ground and various drive modes let you to tailor the V90's on and off-road driving characteristics.

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 V90 Cross Country and to see if it’s worth putting on your wish list.