2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country

The S60 Cross Country is what you get when you take the compact S60 sedan and then give it a healthy dose of off-road appearance. It's an S60 sedan, with the stylish modern Volvo design that the sedan has, but given the Subaru Outback or Audi A4 Allroad treatment. What does that mean? Well, for starters there are black plastic fender flares, skid plates, and a lifted suspension that give the S60 CC 200 mm of ground clearance. There is standard all-wheel drive, and hill descent control. Finally, add tires with more sidewall and a slightly more aggressive tread. This is still a firmly on-road oriented car, but now it can handle the gravel road or rutted driveway to the cottage. One nice feature of the extra ground clearance is a higher seating position, with better visibility and easier ingress and egress than the regular S60, without the monster height and size of an SUV.

The S60 Cross Country lineup is simplified compared to the S60, so there is just one engine choice. That's a 240 hp, 2.0L four-cylinder, matched with an eight-speed automatic. The S60 CC was new for 2016, and that new engine (last year had a 2.5L five-cylinder) is the big change for 2017. There is only one trim to go with it, the T5 Drive-E AWD.

The S60 CC comes with power adjustable and heated front seats, 18-inch alloys, power windows, automatic wipers, leather sports seats, and LED daytime running lights. It includes Volvo City Safety which detects pedestrians or cyclists. It will automatically brake to avoid them, and will also brake if it thinks you are about to turn into another car. Xenon headlights are available, there is also a climate package that comes with a heated steering wheel, windshield and rear seats, and Volvo's interior air quality system that monitors the incoming air and will close the exterior vents if it detects too much carbon monoxide, ozone, and other gasses.

A blind-spot information system (BLIS) package adds Volvo's blind spot alerts along with parking sensors and park assist pilot, which will park the car for you.

The S60 CC is rated for 10.8 L/100 km city and 7.8 highway.