Volvo V40 Cross Country (13 on) - Review

Review by Parkers on 28 Jan 2013

Low CO2 and excellent fuel economy, available in four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive

Only the flagship model comes with all-wheel drive

New price range:

£22,870 - £34,065

View all new prices

Summary

Parkers Rating:

4 out of 5

The Volvo V40 Cross Country is the third variant of the V40 range offering rugged looks and real off-roading ability from the all-wheel drive model.

When this sector was in its infancy 15 years ago there was only car available - the Volvo XC70 - nowadays there are plenty of premium rivals to do battle against including the Nissan Qashqai and the MINI Countryman.

To set it apart from the standard V40 it features a number of unique details including an enhanced ride height (40mm higher) silver roof rails, alloy wheels (available up to 19-inch), a honeycomb mesh grille, daytime running lights, sporty front and rear bumpers and an integrated skid plate.

Engine line-up

Five engines are available when opting for the two-wheel-drive car. Plump for the four-wheel-drive car, however, and you will be rewarded with impressive off-roading ability. The all-wheel-drive version of the V40 Cross Country is only available with the T5 petrol turbo engine but we may yet see a diesel-powered all-wheel-drive version coming soon.

The most popular engine in the V40 Cross Country line-up will be a 115bhp 1.6-litre diesel D2 and it should be attractive to retail and fleet buyers because the 2WD CO2 emissions are low at 99g/km of CO2 while average fuel economy is a claimed 74.3mpg.

Equipment

Plenty of kit comes as standard on the entry-level V40 Cross Country. In SE highlights include 16-inch alloy wheels, rain sensors, pedestrian airbag, adaptive cruise control and hill descent control.

New technology

There's now a bespoke mobile phone application called Volvo On Call. Download it via an iPhone or Android smart phone and you can check fuel levels before starting your journey for example, or get information on wiper fluid or oil levels. You can also check whether the car has been locked all before you have even got in the car.

It’s a shame that only one model comes with four-wheel drive but, as a package, the V40 Cross Country is a cracking proposition.
Read the Volvo V40 Cross Country review to find out more.