There are pros and cons to this sort of unique packaging.

On the plus side, the S60 Cross Country will be marginally easier to enter and exit for some folks, though your writer could barely feel the 2.5 inch difference. That seemingly small amount of extra ground clearance does make a notable difference on trails, including the difference between giving your S60 a nose job, or clearing light to moderate obstacles.

Your writer took the S60 Cross Country down the same trails he recently tackled in a Mazda CX-3 and Honda Pilot, with similar levels of confidence, and no scraping. None of these machines is a hardcore off-roader, though more clearance also means less likelihood of bottoming out on a highway slush boulder, a tall curb during parking, or that snowplow hump at the end of your driveway in February.

Downsides? The big one is cargo capacity, which has been slashed like a teenage horror-movie character who ran up the stairs and hid in a closet. The S60 Cross Country uses a spare tire, not an inflation kit, so much of the trunk space found in the standard S60 is filled with spare tire provisions, and a flat load panel to conceal it. You get a wide and long cargo hold, and a proper spare tire means your trip won’t end if you blow out a sidewall, but the trunk is considerably shallower and less useful overall.

Further, ride quality degrades compared to the standard-kit S60, thanks to the uniquely-calibrated suspension. On smooth roads and highways it’s peaceful and relaxed, almost soothing, even. Thing is, rougher surfaces more easily upset the suspension and coax more noise and more harshness from beneath.

A few other notables.

Volvo’s straight-five turbo is the only available engine, and proves is a pleasingly versatile all-around powerplant. With 250 hp and even more torque, around-town performance, as well as highway passing performance, should prove generous for the average driver. However driven, the T5 engine feels eager and un-bothered. Full throttle sees a unique howl from under the hood, and driven gently, you barely hear a peep.

Connect with Autos.ca