Summary: Volvo offers the V90 Cross Country here, a station wagon with fairly serious off-road credentials. In this SUV-obsessed market, we take a look at which V90 Cross Country model depreciates the quickest.
Volvo has reinvented itself substantially in the past four years, with a new model range that is cutting-edge in technology and extremely easy on the eye. The SUV range, consisting of the XC40, XC60 and XC90, is rated up there with the best; and its sedan range is capped by the beautiful and sophisticated S90.
Related: Read our review of the 2018 Volvo XC40 D4 AWD R-Design here.
But what of the V90 Cross Country? Here is an estate car with some rather telling off-road credentials, such as a raised ride height, optional rear air suspension, and even an off-road mode for its all-wheel-drive system.
Highly rated for driver-satisfaction
There are a number of experts who have driven this car that rate it as one of Volvo’s best, and for a number of reasons. It has fantastic interior space, it has a nimbleness not matched by any bulky SUV, no matter what the brand, and it has reasonable ground-clearance of 210 mm for those times when you want to travel bad roads, or even gently over some mild trails.
It is rather dramatic looking too, yet with a lovely harmony to its styling. And it has reasonable, if not exceptional luggage space. Read our review entitled
Related: Volvo V90 T6 AWD Cross Country: Who needs an SUV anyway?
It’s not a great seller, though
However, it is not a great seller. To gain social acceptance these days, it seems you have to buy a "real" SUV. All the electronic driving aids fitted to a modern SUV make them behave remarkably well ,despite their high centre of gravity, greater wind resistance and considerable body mass. However, a sedan-based car will always offer more driving satisfaction, as long it has a well-sorted chassis, which the Volvo V90 Cross Country (and S90 sedan) does.
Related: Our review of Volvo S90 said that it "re-defined Swedish sensibility".
The Volvo V90 Cross Country AWD range
Volvo V90 Cross Country AWD Range consists of six variants, all of them with all-wheel-drive, and all using 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engines, in either petrol or diesel form. The V90 AWD comes in two levels of trim, the Momentum and the more up-market Inscription, and can be had in four different power levels.
At the entry-level of the range, is the T5 Momentum petrol derivative (R 853 709) with 187 kW and 350 NM of torque. Next up is the D4 Momentum diesel (R 875 877), offering 140 kW and 400 Nm of torque. This is followed by the T5 Inscription (R 885 709), with the same power output as its Momentum equivalent. The D4 Inscription (R 907 877) is the third-most expensive in the range, with the same power levels as its cheaper Momentum diesel-engined counterpart.
The D5 Inscription is the second most pricey model, and boasts a potent 173 kW diesel and 480 Nm of torque. The range-topper is the T6 Inscription, a petrol model with 235 kW and 400 Nm on tap. It boasts a very sporty 0-100 km/h time of 6,3 second, a top speed of 235 km/h, and costs R 1 017 684.
How do they shape up, value-retention-wise?
As part of an interesting exercise, we set about discovering which Volvo V90 Cross Country trim level holds its value best, and which one fares the worst. We obtained our information directly from Vic Campher, the Managing Director of South Africa’s biggest Volvo dealership, Tom Camper Motors in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
Go for the D5 Inscription
According to Vic, the most popular V90 Cross Country (and also on the used vehicle floor) is the D5 Inscription. This is followed by the T6 Inscription, which, Vic says, is much in demand thanks to its strong performance. After that comes the D4 models, and then the T5 Momentum.
The one likely to have the lowest value retention is the V90 Cross Country AWD T5 Momentum. If value retention is at the top of your mind, you’d probably be better off buying an XC60, or even an entry-level XC90. But if it's driver satisfaction you're after, the V90 Cross Country AWD, with whichever engine, has a lot going for it!
Related: Watch our video review of the Volvo XC60 T6 here.
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Shop for new&used Volvo V90 Cross Country cars for sale here.