Volvo V60: Don't Call It A Crossover

In 2011, the once-ubiquitous Volvo station wagon disappeared from North American highways when the compact V50 and full-size V70 were discontinued. The XC70 crossover did its best to fill the gap between the Swedish automaker’s sedan and SUV lineup, but it couldn’t be considered a true competitor to Audi’s A4-based AllRoad or BMW’s 328i xDrive.

Enter the Volvo V60, a five-door, five-passenger version of the S60 sedan with unique interior and exterior styling, engine choices, option packages and surprisingly robust towing capacity. The V60, which has been available in Europe since its 2011 debut, will make its U.S. debut later this year as a 2015 model.

The V60 will be available in front-wheel-drive T5 Drive-E and all-wheel-drive T5 AWD and T6 AWD R-Design variants.

The base Drive-E gets a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four that will deliver 240 horsepower (hp) and 258 pound-feet (lb.-ft.) of torque. Mated to an eight-speed, shiftable automatic transmission, the EPA estimates a combined 29 miles per gallon (mpg); remarkably, the Drive-E will boast a towing capacity of up to 3,300 pounds.

The T5 AWD will be equipped with a 250-hp, 2.5-liter I-5, while the T6 gets a firmer, sport-tuned suspension along with a 3.0-liter six-banger boasting a lineup-leading 325 hp. Both engines will be paired with a six-speed automatic. The all-wheel-drive models also bring a significant drop in fuel economy, with a combined grade of 23 mpg for the T5 and 22 mpg for the T6.

Standard comfort and safety equipment includes 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, power seats and windows, cruise control, Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity, memory settings for three drivers and more.

Additional features such as 18- or 19-inch wheels, leather upholstery, keyless ignition and entry, automatic parallel parking, a fold-flat front passenger seat, built-in child booster seats and rear-seat entertainment can be added in packages or as stand-alone options. Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System adds blind-spot alerts, rear cross-traffic alerts and front and rear parking sensors.

The exterior departs from the S60 with a slightly lowered nose and wagon-appropriate rear fascia, which features taillights that climb the D-pillars and a black, “Volvo”-stamped bar below the back window.

The Volvo V60 is due in showrooms this fall with a starting MSRP of $35,950.