2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country Performance

There are only two V60 wagons on the market now, with the T8-powered Recharge V60 (which we review separately) and the B5 Cross Country. B5 represents Volvo's base mild-hybrid assisted engine, and it's by no means a powerhouse. It makes 247 hp which doesn't seem like a lot to get this wagon up and running, but it still manages to accelerate with confidence. All-wheel drive is standard, which aids grip, especially in adverse weather conditions. Even fully loaded with passengers and cargo, the V60 CC manages to get moving without too much trouble, and a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 lbs is claimed by the manufacturer. Based on independent testing, the Volvo V60 Cross Country's 0-60 mph time is just over seven seconds.

Volvo keeps it simple with the gas V60 Cross Country, which is available with just a single powertrain option in the US market. The 2.0-liter turbocharged mild-hybrid four-cylinder engine produces 247 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, delivering good performance. Paired with standard AWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission, progress is mostly smooth and unruffled, although the engine takes on a gruff note at higher revs. Like all other new Volvo models, it is limited to a top speed of 112 mph, one of the bold safety measures that the brand has taken to reduce the risk of fatal car accidents. While there are more effective transmissions than the V60's eight-speeder, it does a decent enough job of swapping cogs smoothly. And, while this isn't the quickest car in the world, it accelerates with enough vigor to keep most satisfied.

The V60 Cross Country offers about average economy within its segment. According to the EPA, it will return 23/30/26 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles, which is a slight improvement over the outgoing model's T5 powertrain. By comparison, the Audi A4 allroad manages the exact same figures, and both soundly beat the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain's 21/28/24 mpg.

With its 15.9-gallon gas tank, the V60 Cross Country will achieve gas mileage on a full tank of just over 410 miles.