In addition to sitting higher – the vehicle is 40mm higher than the standard V40 – the other changes that help give the Cross Country its unique appearance include:

• Up to 19-inch rims.

• The front with its dark, contrasting bumper, honeycomb mesh grille and upright daylight running lights.

• The sculpted, contrasting sills.

• The contrasting rear bumper with integrated skid plate.

• An anodised, black high-gloss frame around the greenhouse.

• Black rear-view mirror housings.

• Sleek rails floating over the roof.

 

The new copper colour with the dark-grey mags truly enhances the good looks of the Cross Country. And then, just to ensure that no customer will feel obliged to choose from only one or two options as far as the interior is concerned, there are numerous styling packages. First, there is the Copper Dawn stack inlay. Secondly, leather upholstery is standard and comes in five different types, including the Espresso Brown accent colour. Just to further mix things up, there are two-tone upholstery choices, giving a range of individual possibilities from Dark Elegance, to Scandinavian Bright, to Sporty Ruggedness. Versatility is a key component. As a result, the load compartment can easily be stretched from more than adequate to really large. I fitted luggage for four adults and four adults into the car for our drive back to the airport.

 

Add to that the ‘extra’ floor in the load compartment and you create several possibilities such as:

• Fold it up – and you have a grocery holder.

• Fold it away – and you get the best luggage volume.

• Flat floor – for loading long objects.

• Flip it over – for protecting, and for maximising the volume.

 

There is optimum smart storage in the vehicle, and below the armrest there is even a storage compartment suitable for CDs and other small items. Further, there is a connector for either USB/iPod or AUX, depending on the audio system. The armrest can be adjusted to provide extra support for the driver. Two cup-holders and a 12V power outlet are integrated into the console in front of the armrest. The cherry on the cake for me was the glove compartment, which includes space for two soft-drink cans or bottles that are kept cool with cold air from the electronic climate control system. A compartment for sunglasses above the driver’s door prevents scratches or breakage and even a pen holder has been added in the glove compartment. Handy storage units are to be found under the instrument panel, on the front-seat cushions, on the front-seat back rests, and on the outside of the rear seats. Set the mood with seven different lighting options designed to give a ‘theatre lighting’ feel.

 

The driver can, for instance, enjoy a red-to-blue setting that adapts the lighting to the interior temperature, or can choose among several other mood themes. The reading lights in the front and the rear can also be dimmed. Driving the five-cylinder, 2.0-litre D4 turbo-diesel may not be as exhilarating as with the all-wheel drive T5, but it is as smooth as can be, is very fuel-efficient, and gives great driving pleasure. The engine delivers 130kW and torque of 400 Nm across a wide rpm range. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes 8.3 seconds with the automatic gearbox. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are 7.2l/100km (for our drive cycle) and 137g/km respectively. Start-stop function is standard in all versions, and some versions also have hill-descent and hill-ascent control to further ensure your safety. The V40 Cross Country Essential has the following equipment as standard: solid black mirror covers and autofolding door mirrors with ground lights; 17-inch Larenta dark-grey alloy wheels; rear skid plate; silver side scuff plates; and silver roof rails. On the inside, it comes with leather-faced upholstery, Shimmer Graphite interior trim, autodimming rear-view mirror, bright deco inserts, Bluetooth, and a high-performance audio system with a seven-inch colour-display screen.

 

Variants: Petrol

• T4 Manual: R323 200

• T4 Powershift: R339 400

 

The V40 Cross Country Excel has the following equipment included: cruise control; rain sensor with automatic wiper function; rear park assist; front tread plates; and a power-adjustable driver seat with memory function.

 

Variants: Diesel/Petrol

• D3 Geartronic: R357 500

• D4 Geartronic: R372 200

• T4 Manual: R329 900

• T4 Powershift R346 200

• T5 Geartronic: R395 100

• T5 AWD: R411 100

 

The V40 Cross Country Elite is the most luxurious version and offers a power-adjustable passenger seat, an active TFT-crystal driver’s instrument display, an illuminated gearshift knob, LED daytime running lights, active bi-xenon lights with headlight-cleaning system, a high-performance multimedia audio system with a seven-inch colour-display screen, Bluetooth, a three-spoke leather steering wheel with chrome décor, and a high-version interior lights package.

 

Variants: Diesel/Petrol

• D3 Geartronic: R371 500

• D4 Geartronic: R386 200

• T4 Manual: R344 000

• T4 Powershift: R360 200

• T5 Geartronic: R409 100

• T5 AWD: R425 200

 

The Volvo D4 Cross Country is a really rugged yet refined vehicle to drive and I do believe that it will be able to hold its own when it comes to any of the three German makes that it is competing against.