• Not the most fuel-efficient Volvo
• No plug-in hybrid variant available
• Can’t have a diesel anymore, either

What are the running costs?

Because you can’t have it with a plug-in hybrid powertrain or a diesel engine, the V60 Cross Country will be more expensive to run. Volvo’s T8 PHEV system has never been available on the car and the brand has now removed its diesel engines from the V60’s line-up, leaving only the B5 petrol.

However, the petrol engine isn’t thirsty enough to bankrupt you. Volvo says it can return between 35.8 and 38.1mpg under official WLTP testing – and our own research suggests you should be able to extract real-world figures in the mid-30mpg range if you’re prepared to drive carefully.

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That isn’t too bad for a jacked-up, non-electrically assisted estate, but hybridised rivals can do much better. And remember – if your right foot is made of lead, your fuel economy will settle in the high-20mpg bracket.

Fuel consumption is also driven up by the Cross Country’s taller ride height and off-road styling additions, which blunt its aerodynamics. Volvo says a standard V60 with the same B5 powertrain can manage a maximum of 39.7mpg on the WLTP cycle.

Servicing and warranty

Volvo recommends servicing the V60 Cross Country every 12 months or 18,000 miles – whatever comes first. The company also offers a zero percent interest finance package to help you spread the cost of maintenance into monthly instalments.

Every new Volvo comes as standard with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. This is comparable to the warranties offered by the company’s German competitors, but it can’t compete with the seven-year package offered by Kia or the 10-year warranty available from Toyota and Lexus.

However, Volvo hopes to sweeten the deal by selling all its new cars with three years’ worth of roadside assistance. The package covers your car anywhere in Europe and is automatically extended by 12-months each time you take your car to a registered Volvo dealership for its annual service.

Reliability

• Volvo has a good reputation for reliability
• However, there have been some recall issues
• Off-roading could accelerate wear and tear

Volvo has a good record for reliability. The standard V60 has proved itself to be dependable – and as the V60 Cross Country shares most of its mechanicals with that car, it has followed in its footsteps. Our owner reviews sections mention a couple of instances of V60s breaking down shortly after collection, but they seem to be exceptional rather than typical.

The mechanicals that underpin the V60 have been around for almost a decade now, which means Volvo’s engineers have hammered out most of the kinks. However, there have been a few recalls for the V60 Cross Country, including a faulty fuel pump fuse and a problem with the software that controls the autonomous emergency braking system.

Volvo’s most recent recall was issued in January 2023. It was another software issue relating to the brake control module which affected more than 10,000 vehicles. If you’ve just bought a V60 Cross Country, don’t fret – all that’s required is a simple software update to get you back on the road.

The biggest threat to the Cross Country’s reliability comes from the rare occasion you’ll take it off-road. If you’re not wary of the terrain, you could bruise the car’s underbody or break its mechanical components. Remember, it doesn’t have the same kind of ground clearance as an SUV, so you need to position it carefully over sharp rocks and ruts to prevent damage.