Volvo V90 Cross Country review

Volvo’s seats are famously comfortable, and the driver’s seat in the Volvo V90 Cross Country is no different. It's wide but still bolstered enough at the sides to hold you in place through corners. It’s also very supportive on long journeys and has a full range of electrical adjustment, which includes four-way adjustable lumbar support and a variable-length seat squab.

The pedals are near-perfectly aligned with the driver’s seat (in the Audi A6 Allroad and BMW 5 Series Touring they're offset to the right) and the steering wheel has masses of range forwards and backwards, as well as up and down. You also get a set of digital instruments that are easy to see so it's pretty hard to fault the driving position. 

Only the climate controls let it down. They're not physical buttons that are easy to use at a glance, as you get in the 5 Series Touring. Instead, you’ll find that they’re icons within the infotainment touchscreen and you have to look down every time you need to change the settings. 

Forward visibility is good and, while the V90 Cross Country isn't as boxy as Volvos of old, you get a pretty clear view out the rear. If the back seats are empty you can press a button to lower the rear headrests that makes your over-the-shoulder view even better.

If you're a nervous parker, rest assured: there are front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. A 360-degree camera is also on the options list, and you can upgrade (for a fee) the standard LED headlights for adaptive LED headlights – you can leave these on main beams and they won't dazzle other road users.  

The 9.0in infotainment touchscreen is portrait orientated and dominates the dashboard. The display quality is top-notch and it comes fully kitted out, with sat-nav, Bluetooth, a DAB radio, wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

The only problem is that the software isn't always as responsive as we'd like and it crashes occasionally. Once you've learned the layout it's fairly easy to navigate the menus, but the 5 Series' iDrive system, with its physical controller and responsive software, is the best in the business.  

The standard stereo has 10 speakers, which you can upgrade in one of two ways. The reasonable cost solution is the 13-speaker, 600-watt Harman Kardon upgrade, and that's pretty good. However, there's an 18-speaker, 1400-watt Bowers and Wilkins system that, while very expensive, delivers a stunningly good sound. 

All V90s have a lovely interior finish that's right up there with the best estate cars. The Cross Country is even better, thanks to its leather-wrapped dashboard and smart oak or ash wood veneers. It's not just well finished – it's also bolted together solidly.