Volvo V60 Cross Country 2022: $3500 price increase for Subaru Outback rival

Steep price increases are being applied to several models in Volvo’s range and the V60 wagon is no exception

Volvo has increased the price of its V60 Cross Country by $3500 as vehicle manufacturing costs continue to climb.

While the midsize wagon V60 is sold overseas in a plethora of options, in Australia it’s restricted to the raised ‘Cross Country’ body style in the now renamed ‘B5 Ultimate’ grade.

The latest increase has seen the starting price rise to $68,490 before on-road costs, separating it from sub-premium rivals such as the Volkswagen Passat ($50,690) and Subaru Outback ($41,490) despite both receiving price hikes of their own earlier this year.

Volvo V60 Cross Country 2022 rear 3/4 — The Volvo V60 Cross Country has seen prices rise for 2023

The V60 Cross Country is the latest Volvo to receive a price hike with the closely-related S60 sedan, XC60 midsize SUV and XC90 large SUV all receiving bumps in recent months.

It comes as multiple big-name manufacturers, including Hyundai, Toyota and Volkswagen, say they have been forced to increase prices in Australia due to the increased cost of vehicle manufacturing courtesy of global issues such as the ongoing effects of Covid-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

What does the V60 Cross Country include?

It may only be available in a single grade, but Volvo has kitted out the V60 Cross Country with a long list of standard equipment and offers more options for extra cost.

Volvo V60 Cross Country 2022 osmium grey — The Volvo V60 Cross Country in its natural winter element

As standard, the V60 Cross Country comes with 19-inch alloy wheels and LED headlights along with black or blond-coloured leather-accented upholstery and steering wheel matched with a blond-coloured headliner.

Buyers can opt for higher-quality Nappa leather upholstery and gain front seat ventilation for an extra $2203, though the front and rear seats are heated and powered by default.

Other notable design touches include a crystal gear shifter, aluminium tread plates and ambient lighting which join other luxuries such as four-zone climate control and a heated steering wheel.

Inside the cockpit of the V60 with its 9.0-inch central touchscreen

A centrally-mounted 9.0-inch touchscreen is fitted with wired Apple CarPlay, allowing occupants to play music through a 10-speaker audio system or upgrade to the 14-speaker Harmon Kardon ($1329) or 15-speaker ($2937) Bowers and Wilkins premium sound system.

Other tech features include a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, wireless phone charger, head-up display and 360-degree camera. A panoramic roof is also available for an extra $1678.

Standard safety features include forwards AEB with junction detection, rear cross-traffic alert, reversing AEB, lane keep assistance and blind-spot monitoring.

On the road with the Volvo V60 Cross Country

The V60 Cross Country is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 184kW of power and 350Nm of torque, which is sent to an all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed torque converter automatic.