Cast one out for the Volvo station wagon. The Swedish automaker has just one longroof left in its stable in the United States – the 2026 V60 Cross Country – and later this year it too will shake off our mortal coil.
While Volvo didn’t save its most exciting model for last (the Polestar-massaged V60s were discontinued about a year ago), the lifted and trimmed V60 Cross Country stays true to its wagon character and offers a solid mix of versatility and drivability that we’ll certainly miss.
A Longroof retrospective
Volvo’s first station wagon appeared in the early 1950s. The Duett’s name betrayed its intentions: it was intended to be used as both a work truck and a daily driver. (Fun fact: the Duett is also the only body-on-frame Volvo ever sold here.) The P220 followed suit, bringing with it two extra doors and a whole lot more refinement.
There were certainly some unique wagons in the mix, such as the P1800ES. Although it was only in production for two years in the late 19th century, this two-door combination of a wagon and a sports coupe still stands out as a fun and funky way to haul more stuff to the beach or a winding mountain pass.
When most enthusiasts think of a Volvo station wagon, their thoughts naturally go straight to the stone: the inimitable 200 series, which was produced for almost two decades. Millions of these things were sold, and for many they became the first station wagons in which memories were formed. The wagons that followed chose evolution over revolution, massaging the rectilinear shape of the 200 into something smoother and more modern as the numbers on the decal rose.
Around this time, Volvo started toying with the idea of standalone performance models. The 850 R was a sports car based on the limited edition 850 T-5R that preceded it. The R moniker would be applied to multiple vehicles, eventually spawning an R-Design appearance package for those who wanted a little more visual aggression and a slightly stiffer ride.
On the eve of a new century, Volvo changed its badge system and introduced two new words that would follow the Swedish station wagon until its demise in the American market: Cross Country. The V70 Cross Country added a bit of ride height, along with some unpainted body cladding to give a slightly rougher vibe than a typical station wagon. The Cross Country lineup would eventually be split in two, with discontinued wagons retaining their Cross Country moniker while a slew of SUVs came online with the XC nomenclature.
That brings us to modern times. The Cross Country line continued in both compact V60 and mid-size V90 forms. The V60 also became one of the first full-production Volvos to wear a Polestar badge, initially with a turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine before switching to plug-in hybrid power.
And then, thanks to the fickle whims of the American consumer, the grapes began to wither on the vine. In 2021, Volvo announced the death of the standard V60 wagon, leaving only the plug-in hybrid Polestar and the Cross Country; the Polestar suffered the same fate in early 2025. The standard V90 also died in 2021, although the Cross Country variant survived for a while, with its cancellation announced in late 2025.
The V60 Cross Country is the Last Wagon Standing and production ends in April, so it’s time for one final blast on the test track. Maybe with some tissues on hand.
How the last wagon shakes out
Volvo’s V60 Cross Country is far from an exciting vehicle. The only engine offered now is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 247 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, routed to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. With 4,167 pounds of mass to push around, the V60 CC isn’t the lightest on foot, reaching 60 mph in a fine 6.6 seconds and hitting quarter in 15.1 seconds at 90 mph.
The V60’s eight-speed automatic turns out to be an equivalent transmission and turtle. The sprint from 5 to 100 km/h takes an unsatisfactory 7.8 seconds, the eight-speed gearbox pausing for a few breaths before deciding which gear to shift into. Around town the eight-speed gearbox is barely noticeable, but we wish it were a little more prominent when we need some motive power.
Dynamically, the V60 has always had good bones, and the little lift doesn’t ruin the formula. Weighing in at 0.86g around the skidpad, the Cross Country isn’t far off its much more powerful Polestar-branded sibling, which managed 0.90g. The CC’s braking performance at 172 feet isn’t much worse than the Polestar’s either. Despite the Polestar’s electric assist, that model managed just 34 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel economy test. The gasoline-only Cross Country wasn’t far behind, however, matching the EPA estimate of 31 mpg. Interestingly, the V60 CC is louder at full throttle, displaying 74 decibels versus the Polestar’s 73 on our recording hardware.
The driving behavior of the V60 Cross Country remains on the European side of the regulations; it’s generally smooth across the road, although the sharper stuff still makes its way into the cabin. Even with the weight of the car, the nose feels a little too light when you’re driving the car around, as if turning in is done on your toes. In any case, the lateral weight transfer is well controlled.
While the Cross Country isn’t the least expensive car on the market, it represented a car that came closer to the average transaction price than any other. Without the V60, the next most affordable options are the Audi A6 Allroad (which will also soon get a new generation or be canceled) and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, both of which are in the $70,000-plus range. Our V60 test car, in its decked-out Ultra trim, retails for $68,785, but a base model is more attainable at $53,595. Furthermore, the car market is limited to six-figure moonshots and high horsepower.
That’s the biggest sore point of this whole thing. Not only will our market lose an affordable (and good) station wagon, but an entire segment of the buying public will be excluded from the opportunity to enter the market. each cart. There’s always a chance that will change in the coming years, but at least for the next few months, there’s still a damn nice longroof hanging around dealer lots.
➡️ Skip Fate. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.
Shop new cars Shop used cars
Specifications
2026 Volvo V60 Cross Country B5 AWD Ultra
Vehicle type: front engine, four-wheel drive, 5 passengers, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/as tested: $58,895/$68,785
Options: 20-inch diamond-cut wheels in matte graphite, $3305; Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system, $3200; retractable trailer hitch, $1775; Protection Package Premier, $860; Climate Package (headlight washers, heated steering wheel and outboard rear seats), $750
ENGINE
DOHC with turbocharger and intercooler, 16 valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 120 inches31969cm3
Power: 247 hp @ 5700 rpm
Torque: 258 lb-ft at 1800 rpm
TRANSFER
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: wishbones/multilink
Brakes, front/rear: 13.6″ ventilated disc/12.6″ ventilated disc
Tyres: Pirelli P Zero All Season
245/40R-20 99V M+S FULL
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.2 inches
Length: 188.5 inches
Width: 75.4 inches
Height: 59.2 inches
Passenger volume, F/R: 51/42 ft3
Cargo volume, rear F/R: 51/22 ft3
Curb weight: 4167 pounds
CD TEST RESULTS
100 km/h: 6.6 sec
1/4 mile: 15.1 sec at 150 km/h
160 km/h: 18.1 sec
The above results show a 1-foot rollout of 0.3 sec. away.
Rolling start, 5-100 km/h: 7.8 sec
Top gear, 50-80 km/h: 3.5 sec
Top gear, 80-110 km/h: 5.0 sec
Top speed (gov ltd): 186 km/h
Braking, 110–0 km/h: 50 meters
Road holding, 90 meter skidpad: 0.86 g
Interior noise
Idle: 41 dBA/3 sounds
Full throttle: 74 dBA
Cruising at 110 km/h: 69 dBA/24 sone
CD FUEL CONSUMPTION
Observed: 21 mpg
120 km/h highway driving: 31 mpg
Highway range from 75 mph: 790 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 26/23/31 mpg
CD TESTING EXPLAINED
Cars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew began cutting his teeth in writing freelance magazine articles, and now has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. He was born in Chicago and has lived in Detroit since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about his half-finished engineering degree.
#Volvo #V60 #Cross #Country #ushers #dynasty