2017 Volvo S60 Cross Country Review

For 2017, Volvo has replaced the 2016 Cross Country's 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine and six-speed transmission with a more efficient 2.0-liter four-cylinder and eight-speed gearbox.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.