Volvo V60 T5 Cross Country (2015)

Test Drive Notes Library

Pros
Best seats on the planet.  We considered unbolting them and installing them in our living room but we were afraid the side air bags would go off if we got upset during a Red Sox loss, and spill our popcorn.  And that Volvo would notice when we returned the car.  But seriously, it’s almost worth buying just for the comfortable front seats.
This is a V60 wagon that’s been “toughened up” to look more like an SUV or crossover.  Styling is a little different than most crossovers you see on the road.  We like it.  It’s distinctive and sharp without being really in your face.
Good size for couples or even couples with a small kid or two.  But get one now before they hit puberty and demand more legroom in the back. The similarly priced XC60 crossover provides more interior room, if that’s what you need.  
Plenty of power from the five-cylinder, 2.5 liter 250-horsepower turbocharged engine.  More than enough.  And it’s paired with a smooth six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Provides a mostly comfortable ride that’s on the “firm,” rather than “cushy” end of the spectrum.  
Although the steering wheel feels very light, the car handles and corners quite well.  
Interior has a definite luxury vibe.  Materials are premium, and the inside has the airy feel of things designed in Scandinavia.
Every safety feature you can think of is available, including the all-important automatic emergency braking, plus blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. 
Good interior flexibility for cargo.  We happen to know for a fact that with the seats folded down, you can carry a 10 eight-foot-long 2x4’s and 6 eight-foot-long 2x6’s in the V60 Cross Country.

Cons
Unimpressive real world gas mileage.  We got 21.1 in mixed driving, more city than highway.
Volvo’s newer (and presumably higher-mileage) eight-speed automatic is not available in the V60 Cross Country yet.
Touch screen/infotainment system is very slow to start up.  Annoying to wait for back up camera or navigation to load.  Needs more computing horsepower there. 
While the safety technology is great, Volvo’s pre-collision alarm can cause you to have a different kind of accident.  Let’s just say we’re glad it came with those nice, brown seats.  Most collision avoidance systems give you an informative “beep beep beep,” at first if they detect a car in front of you slowing down, and you haven’t touched your brakes yet.  The Volvo sets off an air raid siren.  You’d think Russia just launched the nukes.  It’s a real, deep alarm sound, accompanied by a big red, flashing bar of light on the dashboard.  It works.  And it absolutely grabs your attention.  But mamma mia!