The 2022 Volvo V90 Cross Country is a station wagon, albeit one with a bit more capability than your average car. Not only is it able to tackle some light off-road situations, the Cross Country also offers a deluxe cabin lined with fine materials, soft leather and genuine wood trim. All models are powered by a 295-hp turbocharged-and-supercharged four-cylinder with a 48-volt hybrid system and come standard with all-wheel drive. The Volvo safety legacy also looms large in this model, with a host of standard driver assists including a semi-autonomous driving mode.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The B6 engine is a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 48-volt hybrid system that makes 295 horsepower. Acceleration is fairly brisk and the big Volvo wagon managed a 6.4-second run to 60 mph at our test track. The Mercedes-Benz E450 wagon, a V90 Cross Country rival, proved quicker still, zipping to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds.
Although the 2022 Volvo V90 Cross Country does not feel overtly sporty, it is nimble and offers impressive cornering competence. However, the ride is harsher than we expect from a large luxury car. The brakes are strong despite the spongy-feeling pedal, and in our 70-to-0-mph braking test, the V90 Cross Country came to a halt in 168 feet.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
With its small-displacement, forced-induction engine, the 2022 Volvo V90 Cross Country has one of the highest EPA fuel-economy ratings in the luxury-wagon segment. The EPA says the V90 Cross Country with the new B6 powertrain should get 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. On our 75-mph highway fuel economy test route, the V90 Cross Country returned 28 mpg. For more information about the V90 Cross Country’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Mercedes-Benz aside, no company is doing luxury interiors better than Volvo. The Swedish brand’s warm and comforting cabins offer a compelling argument for its wagons’ premium prices. They offer high-quality trimmings, elegant design, and substantive technology. Two-tone leather on the steering wheel, textured knobs, beautiful open-pore wood, artful speaker covers, a vertically oriented tablet-style infotainment screen—it all helps separate the Volvo’s vehicles from the pack.
As is the case with most wagons, the 2022 Volvo V90 Cross Country offers generous amounts of interior space. However, it is not quite as efficient in the cargo-hauling department as Mercedes is. Nor can it beat the nonluxury Subaru Outback in that area. The Mercedes and the Subaru both held more carry-on suitcases behind their rear seats than did the Volvo. With all the seats folded, the V90 Cross Country held 21 cases while the Outback had room for 22 and the E-class, 24.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The V90 Cross Country comes with a 12.3-inch digital gauge display and a vertically oriented 9.0-inch center touchscreen that includes features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Navigation, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and in-car Wi-Fi are also standard. The new Google-based infotainment interface looks nice and is more responsive than the Sensus Connect system from previous model years, but its smaller on-screen icons are more difficult to hit accurately while driving.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Volvo has earned a reputation for producing some of the safest cars on the market. It’s a reputation the company clearly intends on maintaining, as illustrated by the abundance of standard driver-assistance features on the V90 Cross Country. For more information about the V90’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites