Which Volvo V90 Cross Country is better: diesel or petrol?
The Volvo V90 Cross Country is one of the few station wagons still on offer locally. Although there is a good deal of manufacturers still producing station wagons, they are not very popular in South Africa and most never make on to local showroom floors. With four engine options available, two diesel and two petrol, we compare Volvo's V90 derivatives to find out which is best: petrol or diesel.
Traditionally, station wagons were boring in design and in some cases not very good to drive. It was a practical product which was developed to give owners extra space while keeping the backseat folded up for the children. However, station wagons have evolved like most cars to become good-looking and excellent driving machines. While a few performance-inspired German examples come to mind, we will be focussing on the no-lesser and striking, Swedish, Volvo V90 Cross Country.
Related: Volvo V90 Cross Country vs Subaru Outback: here's our winner
Like most station wagons, the Volvo V90 Cross Country did not sell plenty units, most likely because of the influx of SUV offerings on the market. Considering that most purpose-built SUVs will never even get mud on their tyres throughout their lifecycles. The Volvo V90 is the perfect alternative for those that need a vehicle with space and capable of handling the odd dirt road. With its 210 mm ground clearance 560-litre boot, which expands to 1 526-litres with the rear seats folded flat, the Volvo V90 can do what most urban crawling SUVs do.
The figures
The Volvo V90 Cross Country is offered with four different engine options, two diesel-powered and two petrol. On the entry-level to mid-range vehicles, customers can expect T5 and D4 engine derivatives while the more premium offerings see the T6 and D5 fitted. All the engine variants are mated to an 8-speed Geartronic, automatic transmissions.
| Volvo V90 C/C T5 AWD | Volvo V90 C/C T6 AWD | Volvo V90 C/C D4 AWD | Volvo V90 C/C D5 AWD | |
| Engine | 2.0-litre, turbocharged | 2.0-litre, turbocharged & supercharged | 2.0-litre, turbocharged | 2.0-litre, turbocharged |
| Fuel type | Petrol | Petrol | Diesel | Diesel |
| Power | 187 kW | 235 kW | 140 kW | 173 kW |
| Torque | 350 N.m | 400 N.m | 400 N.m | 480 N.m |
| Average fuel consumption | 7.4 L / 100 km | 7.7 L / 100 km | 5.2 L / 100 km | 5.3 L / 100 km |
| CO2 emissions | 169 g/km | 176 g/km | 138 g/km | 139 g/km |
| 0-100 km/h | 7.4s | 6.3s | 8.8s | 7.5s |
| Top speed | 230 km/h | 230 km/h | 210 km/h | 230 km/h |
Verdict
It is always difficult to compare diesel with petrol, especially with such a unique vehicle type. If the customer is looking to have fun and take advantage of the power on tap, the Cross Country T6 is the one to have. Offering 48 kW more than the T5 variant, the result of incorporating both a turbocharger and supercharger, the T6 gets to 100 km/h quicker than the entire model range.
Similarly, the D5 derivative trumps the D4 in power but still slot in below the T5 petrol. However, the D5 offer the most torque, 480 N.m to be exact, and 80 N.m more than the flagship T6 petrol model. The question is, do you need that much? Well if you are going to use the V90 Cross Country daily as a commuter, the D4 with its 140 kW and 400 N.m will prove ample, even packed full of luggage. Combine that the fact that the D4 promises a fuel consumption return of 5.2 L / 100 km and it becomes even more clear. The model that provides the most value for money is the Volvo V90 Cross Country D4 AWD.
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