2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country
Pros
- Easy to get into and out of
- Very well equipped
- Excellent safety scores and advanced safety features
Cons
- Less rear legroom than competitors
- The V60 Cross Country makes for more sense
2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country pricing
in Ashburn, VA
Edmunds' Expert Review
Overall rating
The 2017 S60 Cross Country comes with a raft of standard safety features that include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and whiplash-reducing front head restraints.
Also standard are a rearview camera, frontal collision warning and mitigation with automatic braking (includes pedestrian and cyclist detection), lane departure warning and intervention, Volvo's On Call system and rear parking sensors. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and front parking sensors are optional.
The S60 Cross Country has not been tested in government crash tests, although its nearly identical stablemate S60 earned a perfect five-star rating for overall crash protection, with five stars each for total front and side crash protection. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2016 S60 (we expect similar results from the essentially identical 2017 model) received the best possible rating of Good in all tests, including the moderate-overlap front-impact, small-overlap front-impact, side-impact, roof strength and head restraint (whiplash protection) tests. The IIHS also rated the S60's optional forward collision warning and mitigation system as Superior.
In creating the 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country, a high-riding version of the S60 sedan, Volvo had a considerable head start. The company's V60 Cross Country is essentially the same thing in wagon form. Making a jacked-up sedan version was a simple cut-and-paste of the two concepts.
The main change made to the garden-variety S60 sedan is the S60 Cross Country's 7.9 inches of ground clearance, some 2 inches more than the standard car. While that lifted stance of the S60 Cross Country could come in handy on a rutted road, it also raises the car's seat height. Many drivers appreciate the better view this affords, as well as the easier access into and out of the seats. So even if you never drive off-road, the other benefits of "ridin' high" might appeal to you, too.
There have been other examples of a sedan with a healthy ground clearance before, most notably the 1980s-era AMC Eagle and the Subaru Legacy Outback of the early 2000s. But if this is your kind of car, only Volvo has you covered for 2017. That said, we'd also advise you to check out the V60 Cross Country wagon given that it provides the same advantages as the S60 CC but with the functional addition of more cargo capacity.
2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country configurations
The 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country is available in one well-equipped trim level. Highlights include 18-inch wheels, power-folding mirrors, front and rear skid plates, adaptive xenon headlights with automatic high-beam control, automatic wipers, a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, power front seats (with power lumbar), driver memory settings, 60/40-split folding rear seats, a rearview camera and rear parking sensors. Standard tech features include adaptive cruise control, a 7-inch display screen, Bluetooth, voice controls, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system, a navigation system and satellite and HD radio.
With so many features as standard equipment, options are few. They include the Climate package, which includes an enhanced cabin air filtration system and the following heated items: front and rear seats, windshield, steering wheel and windshield washer nozzles. The Blind Spot Information System option package consists of blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and front parking sensors. Nineteen-inch wheels are also available.
The 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that produces 240 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive (AWD) is mandatory (unlike the S60, which offers both AWD and front-wheel drive). Power is sent to those four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway).
Driving
You can't cheat physics. Compared to the regular S60, the 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country, with its raised suspension and higher center of gravity, isn't as nimble or precise when you're driving around turns. However, the Cross Country has a more supple ride quality than the standard sedan. If the S60 sedan feels a bit too sporty for you, the Cross Country might be just the thing.
You can't get the upgraded 302-hp engine as you can in the regular S60 sedan, but the CC's turbocharged four-cylinder's power should be enough to satisfy most folks. The main advantage to this car is the standard all-wheel-drive system that effectively apportions power to individual wheels to maximize traction around turns or on slippery roads. The extra ground clearance also gives the Cross Country a bit more capability to tackle light-duty off-road trails without the risk of incurring underbody damage.
Interior
As it is based on the S60, which is now entering its fourth model year since its last major update, the S60 Cross Country's cabin is handsome, if showing its age. Cabin materials are uniformly of reasonably high quality, though some might quibble about some of its silver plastic trim.
We like that Volvo has not yet abandoned knobs for the temperature and volume controls in the S60 Cross Country. They are just easier to use than virtual buttons in competitors with touchscreen-heavy interfaces. The "mode man" vent controls are another clever solution that in practice requires no explanation. This kind of thinking is emblematic of Volvo's Scandinavian design, which eschews gimmickry for elegance.
For more complicated tasks such as selecting a media player playlist, programming the navigation system or controlling more complicated vehicle functions, the S60 Cross Country relies on the standard Sensus system. It's fairly easy to use, though the multipurpose knob's location on the dash (rather than the center console) is odd, and it lacks a touchpad input like some rival controller systems. Scrolling through menus and options takes more attention and time than simply touching a screen, so it’s easy to become distracted while using the knob.
Like many Volvos, the S60 Cross Country's front seats offer outstanding long-trip comfort and proper support. Full-size adults, however, might find that the ample bolsters are on the narrow side. In the backseat, the S60 Cross Country isn't quite as accommodating. The seats themselves are supportive, but space is at a premium. Legroom and foot room are tight for folks taller than 5 feet 10 inches tall.
The trunk's 12-cubic-foot capacity is on the small side among entry-level luxury sedans, but a low liftover height makes it easy to access the space. Both the rear seats fold down, and there's a separate pass-through for skis.
Consumer reviews
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See your car's valueSomewhere in America there are people saying to themselves, "Boy, I sure wish I could get the attributes of a high-riding SUV, but in a four-door sedan." Probably not many, but wherever they are, the Volvo S60 Cross Country is the car for them. Here's a sedan that offers all-wheel drive, extra ground clearance and aggressive looks without the styling of a crossover or wagon.
Volvo already makes a Cross Country-ized version of the V60, the S60's wagon stablemate, so creating the S60 Cross Country was a simple cut-and-paste job. The Cross Country's 7.9-inch ground clearance is 2 inches more than the standard car; not only does it lift the chassis higher above the terrain, it also elevates the driving position, providing the higher viewpoint and easier ingress and egress that SUVs provide.
Once inside, you'll experience the simple and elegant design for which Volvo is known, though the cabin design, dating back to 2010, is starting to show its age. The front seats are astoundingly comfortable and supportive, another longtime trait of this Swedish brand, but some might find the side bolsters restricting. The backseat is very tight and the 12-cubic-foot trunk is downright small, which is the reason we prefer the V60 Cross Country over the sedan version.
For the most part the control layout makes sense. Take the climate controls, which show a silhouette of a seated figure: If you want air at your legs, you press the figure's little chrome legs. The S60 has not yet adopted the tablet-like touchscreen infotainment system on the newer 90-series models, instead relying on the old Sensus system, which uses an input knob mounted on the dash rather than the traditional center console location. Scrolling through the menu takes more attention from the road than a touchscreen and distracts from driving, which is surprising given Volvo's obsession with safety. That said, the S60 comes with a raft of active and passive safety features, most as standard equipment.
The S60 Cross Country gets a new engine for 2017: A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that replaces last year's inline five. It produces 240 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque and comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The EPA rates the S60 Cross Country's fuel economy at 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway). Volvo offers a 302-hp version of this engine in the regular S60; unfortunately, it can't be had in the Cross Country. Still, acceleration should satisfy most folks. The high-clearance suspension trades off some of the cornering agility of the standard S60, though the ride quality is smoother. Foul-weather traction is excellent, and while the S60 Cross Country is hardly a hard-core off-roader, it will tackle light-duty trails with reduced risk of underbody damage.
Volvo sells the S60 Cross Country in a single trim level that comes loaded with standard equipment; there are only a few options, most bundled in packages. Edmunds can help find the perfect 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country for you.
2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country Overview
The 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country is offered in the following submodels: S60 Cross Country Sedan. Available styles include T5 Platinum 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A).
What do people think of the 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2017 S60 Cross Country 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2017 S60 Cross Country.
Edmunds Expert Reviews
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2017 S60 Cross Country featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
This review was written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
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Should I lease or buy a 2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country?
Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.
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