To say that Volvo Cars has been experiencing a renaissance in recent times is a bit of an understatement.

The Swedish brand has well and truly shrugged off its days if Ford ownership and exudes newfound confidence under current owners, Geely.

A stylish proposition

Once known as a producer of boxy wagons, modern Volvos are strikingly unique in their appearance. A familiar theme is carried over across the range, tweaked ever-so-slightly for each model.

The Volvo V90 Cross Country is just the most recent in a line-up of rugged station wagons. Though slightly more off-roady in appearance, the Cross Country has similar lines to its V90 wagon sibling.

In comparison to the V90 on which it is based the CC version has a raised ride height – by 60 mm – larger wheels, model-specific wheel spats, bumpers and side sills, all in black.

Beautiful inside

Inside, the V90 has the same sophisticated treatment we’ve come to expect of recent Volvo models. Tasteful simplicity is the best way to describe the interior.

The seats in this test unit are covered in soft, mocha-coloured leather, which is contrasted by metal-look trim on the facia, doors and centre console.

Pride of place on the facia is taken by Volvo’s Sensus infotainment interface. As part of the V90 Cross Country standard kit in SA, all derivatives feature satellite navigation with pinch-zoom functionality, real-time traffic updates and free map upgrades for life – very cool.

Read our review of the Volvo XC40 by clicking here.

Plenty of room

The V90 CC is as large inside as its external dimensions suggest – it’s almost five metres long. Four or five adults would be able to stretch out comfortably on long journeys.

A handy feature considering the large rear door is a powered tailgate. If the boot isn’t large enough the rear seats can be folded by clicking a button for each side. Drop the rear seats and space is van-like.

Not sporty at all

In keeping with its family car credentials, the V90 CC has excellent ride quality. Thankfully Volvo hasn’t given it an ounce of sportiness, which is perfect. Even the steering rate is slow by modern standards, which is perfect for a car with this persona.

The car on loan is fitted with a turbodiesel motor that feeds power to a slick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. There are various modes to choose from via the drive selector, but it just doesn’t seem right to drive a diesel wagon in anything other than its “comfort” setting.

CC models feature all-wheel drive as standard. One of the modes offered by the variable drive selector is an off-road option. In this setting all-wheel drive is activated, as is hill descent control and steering effort is reduced, but it only operates at speeds of up to 40 km/h. Although we didn’t venture off the beaten path, Volvo’s press image (above) suggests a degree of mud-plugging ability.

Summary

In a word, the V90 CC is peerless. It is the only large station wagon on offer in South Africa. None of Volvo’s rivals offer anything close to a similar product. More than our European or American counterparts South Africans just aren’t keen to buy and own estate cars.

Locally SUVs are all the rage though there isn’t much your typical SUV offers over a car such as the V90 CC. It is good-looking, large, comfy, spacious and relatively light on fuel, apart from the price, there’s not much to fault

QUICK FACTS

Price: R903 300

Engine: 2,0-litre, inline four, turbodiesel

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 173 kW

Torque: 480 N.m

Top speed: n/a

0-100 km/h: 7,5 sec

Fuel consumption: 5,3 L/100 km