The New Volvo V60 Cross Country Will Make You Wish Your Commute Was Muddier

It’s a familiar recipe: take a practical estate car, jack it up a bit, and add some grey plastic cladding around the wheel arches and in a few other places. Cars like this don’t really do much to stir our souls, and yet, Volvo’s latest toughened up estate - based on the V60 - has grabbed our attention.

That’s probably something to do with the fact the V60 is arguably the prettiest car Volvo makes - even when it’s not in hot Polestar form - and in Cross Country guise it wears all the tough exterior bits very well. It’s certainly a lot easier on the eyes than its more utiltarian-looking XC70 big brother.

Compared to the regular V60, the ride height is up by 65mm, the tyres of a much higher profile persuasion, and front and rear skid plates are now in place, should you be serious about tackling the rough stuff.

Three powertrain options will be available, all diesel. There’ll be a base 163bhp D3 model in front-wheel drive only, plus a 181bhp D4 version, available in front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Prices will be announced when the car goes on sale in the first quarter of 2015.