Volvo S60 and V60 Cross Country - full details

Pricing for the new Volvo V60 Cross Country and S60 Cross Country models has been announced.

The new models blend conventional saloon and estate car bodies with a raised ride height and the option of four-wheel drive. They were launched late last year and at this year’s Detroit motor show respectively.

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The concept of adding four-wheel drive and raised suspension to an estate car is well-trodden path – the Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer, Skoda Octavia Scout and Volkswagen Passat Alltrack have all done it – but it's relatively unheard of on a saloon. Nonetheless, by modifying its already good-looking S60, Volvo has created a very striking new model – one that we think is smarter than the BMW X4, which appears quite ungainly from some angles.

Volvo says the cars reflect Scandinavian heritage – “a love of nature and adventure” – and the Cross Country philosophy means the new models need to have “go-anywhere capability and rugged design.”

According to Lex Kerssemakers, vice president at Volvo Cars, there's a gap in the market for these models. He said: “We want to further explore the market with our Cross Country brand. We did this back in 1997 with the V70 Cross Country and it led to the birth of a whole new segment. We have included all the capability-driven benefits of the Cross Country brand in this new model, while offering a completely unique expression of adventure and all-road readiness in a distinctly sporty and stylish package.”

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The Cross Country cars are a bit of a niche within a niche, but their raised suspension (65mm higher than standard) and optional four-wheel drive mean they should be capable of tackling muddy fields and rough tracks better than a regular S60 or V60.

The new V60 Cross Country will be priced from £30,195 for a front-wheel-drive D3 SE with a manual gearbox. The top-of-the-range D4 Lux, which features four-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox, comes in at £38,025.

The S60 Cross Country saloon offers less choice than the V60 Cross Country estate, with just two engines and one trim level. The front-wheel-drive version costs from £33,695, while the four-wheel-drive version is around £3,000 more.

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The front-wheel-drive versions of the new models feature Volvo’s efficient DriveE diesel engine, which produces 187bhp. For extra grunt, the four-wheel-drive versions use Volvo’s five-cylinder 212bhp 2.4-litre diesel. The larger engine is relatively old in comparison to the DriveE, so expect running costs to be markedly higher.

Volvo expects to begin deliveries of the new models in June of this year.

For all the latest Volvo reviews – including our video review of the standard S60 – visit the Carbuyer Volvo reviews page.