Expect the Volvo V40 Cross Country safety levels to be excellent. A five star rating is expected even though it has not have been tested by Euro NCAP. The early signs look very good because the standard V40 achieved five stars in recent tests.

The V40 Cross Country is loaded with safety equipment including City Safety, pedestrian airbag technology, knee airbag on the driver’s side, dual-stage driver and passenger airbags, Side Impact Protection System, Dual chamber SIPS airbags, inflatable curtain airbags, stability and traction control.

Hill Descent Control comes as standard on the V40 Cross Country T5 AWD version and this system controls the car’s speed automatically when driving down steep inclines. The V40 T5 AWD Cross Country also has a Hill Hold function that makes starting on a hill easier.

Storage space is plentiful. The Volvo V40 Cross Country has a boot space of 402 litres with the rear seats in place and this expands to 1,032 when they are folded flat. There’s also a concealed storage area but if you don’t need it you can fold it away and attain the maximum load space.

If you need maximum length the front passenger seat can be folded flat to enhance load space. To keep your luggage secure the accessory range includes a Parcel Shelf Net while there’s a Load Organiser including a load compartment divider, a load belt and two floor rails. There are plenty of cubbyholes to keep loose change in and the door pockets and glove box are of a good size.