Volvo V90 Cross Country launched for INR 60 lakh

The Volvo V90 Cross Country has been launched in India for INR 60 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The premium crossover is a rugged machine that couples the comfort of a sedan with the robust nature of an SUV making it a great all-rounder, as we got to find out recently when we took it for a drive from Mangalore to Madikeri.

The flowing design of the Volvo V90 Cross Country does remind you of the S90 sedan up front and the XC90 SUV from the rear, however it sits lower than its premium SUV sibling. It’s proportionate looks are further accentuated by the roof rails, matte black sills on the side and lower bumpers plus the large 20 inch diamond cut alloys shod with 245/45 R20 Pirelli tyres.

The well-appointed cabin of the Volvo V90 Cross Country boasts of that quintessential Swedish charm. Fine materials such as Nappa Leather, metal mesh inlays have been generously used, plus the cabin boasts of being nice and airy with loads of space for passengers as well as luggage. To add to that, the V90 Cross Country gets a panoramic sunroof, a driver seat with a massage function, Bowers and Wilkins audio system, four zone climate control, a large 12.3 inch touchscreen infotainment system, heads up display and and a multi-functional steering wheel with paddle shifts.

Powering the V90 Cross Country is the 1969cc diesel D5 engine that delivers 235 hp and 480 Nm of torque. The engine comes with Volvo’s Powerpulse technology that helps reduce turbo lag. The car is capable of hitting 230 km/h and is touted to be rather frugal as well. The engine is mated to a slick 8-speed automatic transmission and you also get various driving modes that include Eco, Normal, Dynamic and Offroad. Each mode changes the car’s set up and response accordingly in order to cater to the particular driving style chosen.

It isn’t an SUV, so don’t expect it to climb over boulders, but thanks to the 210mm of ground clearance it can deal with a fair bit of rough stuff. To aid the driver further, the V90 Cross Country also comes with systems such as adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, hill start assist and hill descent control.

Volvo has always been at the forefront of safety technologies and the V90 Cross Country comes fitted with a ton of systems to ensure that. These include SIPS airbags, inflatable curtains, whiplash protection for front passengers, ABS, EBA, EBL and the ability to deploy the brakes in case the car senses an accident. The car also comes with a neat lane warning system that causes the steering to vibrate if you are unintentionally moving from one lane to the other.

At INR 60 lakh, the Volvo V90 Cross Country does compete against the likes of the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the Audi A6.  Having said that, it is a premium crossover and there is no direct competition as such (as it doesn’t quite fit in with the executive sedan segment thanks to its styling and rugged appeal) which should help Volvo Auto India clock decent numbers with this product.