Volvo has completed their all-new 90-series lineup with the V90 Cross Country, a rugged version of the estate model that follows the S90, V90 and XC90 SUV.

The new V90 Cross Country is the latest addition to Volvo’s all-weather product category, which has been in place ever since the introduction of the first CC model nearly 20 years ago.

According to the Swedish automaker, Cross Country models are extremely important to their portfolio as luxury car buyers tend to have more “experience-based” lifestyles which occasionally means going off road. To hear Volvo President & CEO Hakan Samuelsson put it, “the V90 Cross Country takes the elegance of the V90 and transforms it into an all-road car that delivers safety, comfort and performance in a capable and adventurous package.”

The V90 Cross Country was developed and tested in Sweden, which has some of the harshest winters on the planet. The terrain, 77% of which is covered in forests and lakes, was ideal for finding out just how durable these all-terrain-capable cars can be. In fact, the V90 CC had to endure environments from the frozen temperatures of the north, where you regularly get -40 degrees centigrade, to the desert heat of Arizona – with results showing that this was indeed a vehicle built to last.

“Our cars are well known for their safety, strength and durability,” said Dr Peter Mertens, senior VP of R&D for Volvo. “With All-Wheel Drive, increased ride height and a chassis optimised for comfort and control in all weather and road conditions, the new V90 Cross Country takes our versatile V90 estate and adds the heart of an explorer.”

Of course, the V90 Cross Country is more than just an all-terrain capable vehicle. To hear Volvo put it, the car’s rugged character masks what is otherwise a very luxurious interior with plenty of connectivity and entertainment features already launched in the new S90 and V90 models – including the high-end Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

“Designing a Volvo Cross Country is not a styling exercise, a plastic job. It is based on honest capability. The Volvo V90 Cross Country brings a surprising and intriguing combination of a strong, powerful exterior and a luxurious, Scandinavian interior. It will continue the genuine tradition of the Volvo Cross Country with a new recipe: the blend of powerful off-road capability in a most elegant, sophisticated, tailored wagon suit,” added Thomas Ingenlath, senior VP of design.

Volvo has yet to say how different, if at all, the V90 Cross Country is from the regular V90 in terms of specs, though if you can get the former with the same amount of stuff, expect features such as the semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system, a 9″ touchscreen with sat-nav, 12.3″ active TFT driver’s information display and plenty of optional extras to be available.

In terms of engines, again, no details were released today, but we should be looking at the same D4, D5, T5 and T6 units as you get in the regular V90, with power output ranging from 190 PS to 320 PS. Power, of course, will be sent to all four wheels. Compared to the V90, the Cross Country version has been raised by 65 mm (2.5 in), bringing the ground clearance all the way up to a reported 218 mm (8.5 in) – good enough to eclipse the Audi A6 Allroad and its 185 mm (7.3 in).

Production for the all-new V90 Cross Country will start this autumn at Volvo’s Torslanda plant in Sweden. Prices are expected to be announced later this year, while first deliveries will commence in Q1 of 2017.

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