Volvo has today confirmed its iconic ‘Cross Country’ off-road enhancement treatment will live on, this time as a small electric SUV.
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country will soon launch to Aussie dealerships with a starting price of $69,990 before on-roads. It is exclusively all-wheel drive, and sports enhanced off-road features including a higher ground clearance, front and rear skid plates, and larger wheels.
Pricing of the EX30CC is unexpectedly sharper than the current EX30 Twin Motor Performance. That model promises peak outputs of 315kW/543Nm and starts at $71,290, also before on-road costs. While it is yet to be confirmed, the EX30CC will likely share these outputs.
Largely due to its larger wheels and heightened ground clearance, the EX30CC will have the lowest range available in the EX30 lineup, promising a combined range of 427km.
In contrast, the EX30 Twin Motor Performance quotes 445km, while the rear-driven EX30 Extended Range, which starts at $59,990 before on-roads, musters 462km. All range figures are WLTP.
All three EX30 variants feature Volvo/Polestar’s SPA2 framework, with 400-volt architecture, a 69kWh lithium-ion battery, rapid DC charge time between 26 and 28 minutes and 11kW AC charging.
Stand-out equipment on the EX30CC includes:
- Unique two-tone colouring for front and rear clip
- Front and rear underbody skidplates
- Wider wheel arch mouldings
- Unique deep storage door pockets
- Door speakers re-located into dashboard soundbar
- Power-adjust and heated front seats
- Panoramic sunroof
- Harman Kardon audio system
- Wireless device charger
- Rear seat ski-chute
- Additional floor storage between driver and front passenger seats
- A comprehensive suite of driver safety aids including blind-spot and driver monitoring
Off-road oriented EV cars are scarce in Australia. Despite its small 4233mm length, the EX30CC will likely contend with the $74,900 Toyota bZ4X AWD and $69,990 Subaru Solterra AWD, both of which share a length of 4960mm and rule the roost when it comes to EVs off the beaten track.
Year to date to the month of August, Volvo has sold 869 EX30 models. In comparison, Toyota has sold 596 bZ4X midsize SUVs, while Subaru has shifted just 137 Solterras.
Switch to more conventional combustion or hybrid power however, and a seemingly never ending list of all-wheel-driven small SUV rivals is produced.
Suzuki leads the charge with its small Jimny five-door off-roader, which starts from $34,990, while Subaru’s $35,990 Crosstrek and the $44,190 Toyota Corolla Cross GXL Hybrid should also be considered.
Year to date, those models have seen sales volumes of 5237, 7528, and 8090 deliveries respectively.
Volvo’s first Cross Country was the XC70: an enhanced V70 wagon that first debuted in 1997. Cross Country trim is similar to Toyota’s ‘Edge’ grade, Subaru’s ‘Wilderness’ grade, Audi’s discontinued (for now) All-Road grade, and Hyundai’s XRT grade, to name a few.
