Volvo V40 Cross Country T5 AWD 254 CV, test drive (Equipment, prices and verdict)

All things must come to an end, and in this case, after several days talking about the Volvo V40 Cross Country, it’s time to wrap up the test drive, not without first talking about the equipment, the prices and our overall verdict of the car.

In the first part of the test we told you everything about the 254 CV T5 all-wheel-drive engine that we tested in the V40 Cross Country, from its performance. Meanwhile, in the second part of the test we talked about the exterior design, the interior and the boot.

Equipment

Within the equipment, first we need to review the safety equipment, especially since we are talking about a brand like Volvo, a true safety icon. If we count all the systems that the Volvo V40 Cross Country can be fitted with, we see it is a true benchmark in this area, but not all of them come as standard.

The standard safety equipment consists of: front, side, curtain and knee airbags for the driver, City Safety system (which brakes automatically below 35 km/h in case of a possible collision), active head restraints, side impact protection system, among other elements.

Optionally, you can add more safety equipment, such as the blind spot warning system, adaptive cruise control or bi-xenon headlights with adaptive cornering function. Our unit had all of these systems and we liked the bi-xenon lights for the quality of illumination, especially on roads with little light.

The equipment is structured in three levels: Kinetic, Momentum and Summum. Even the base trim already includes dual-zone climate control, audio system with AUX input, leather steering wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels and front armrest, among other elements.

Our unit was the Summum trim, standing out for its complete multimedia system, which even included the TV receiver and the premium sound system. Although, personally I consider the TV receiver a dispensable extra -907 euros-, especially since it can only be watched when stationary and the screen is not very large. The sound system has good quality, but not sublime despite being high-performance -1,633 euros-.

Prices of the Volvo V40 Cross Country

These are the prices, structured across three equipment levels: Kinetic, Momentum and Summum.

• V40 Cross Country D2 115 CV 26,260 euros – 27,760 euros – 29,696 euros
• V40 Cross Country D3 150 CV 28,040 euros – 29,540 euros – 31,476 euros
• V40 Cross Country D4 177 CV 29,900 euros – 31,400 euros – 33,336 euros
• V40 Cross Country T4 AWD 180 CV 34,469 euros – 36,029 euros – 38,041 euros
• V40 Cross Country T5 AWD 254 CV 39,435 euros – 41,056 euros – 43,148 euros

Overall Verdict

An SUV derived from a saloon with a sporty soul and an eye-catching design. If we look at the competition in premium compacts, we don’t find any model with these characteristics (with the exception of the Mercedes GLA, which has been presented but is not yet on sale).

If you want to save money, the engine choice should clearly be one of the three diesels on offer, between 115 and 177 CV. But the 254 CV T5 with all-wheel drive guarantees driving fun. It is not a rational engine and its consumption hovers around 10 litres per 100 km, but as soon as you get behind the wheel you forget all of this and it wins you over. We liked its response, its sportiness and above all the car’s behaviour, which never loses dynamism despite being a vehicle with an SUV look.

Setting the exterior design aside, the interior is that of a compact, with generally good finishes, but the interior space is what you’d typically expect from a car in this segment. For four adults there is enough room, but five will be tighter.

And on equipment, Volvo stays true to its philosophy and includes as standard a good package of safety equipment, with systems such as city emergency braking, which is gradually spreading across new models. The starting price of the V40 Cross Country is high, but in return the standard equipment, even from the base trim, is complete.

If fuel consumption is not a problem for you and you’re looking for a compact, SUV-look and fun car, don’t hesitate: this Volvo V40 Cross Country T5 with 254 CV is going to please you.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira and Test Team