DRIVER’S JOURNAL
Day 1: The first impression of the car was that it looks really sharp. The 19inch five-double-spoke matte-graphite diamond-cut alloy wheels meshed really well with the metallic paint, and it looks sportier than what I thought for a station wagon.
Day 2: Navigating the infotainment centre was a breeze — way less cumbersome than Cadillac’s CUE System, and much easier than Acura’s platform. I cranked up the subwoofer and the sound from the optional Harman Kardon system was exceptional. This vehicle had literally every feature I could think of, and I was shocked that a vehicle which landed on a price point of $60,000 had every feature (and more) of a vehicle in a class of $100,000 luxury vehicles.
Day 3: Some down sides (albeit small) are that the key fob is the size of a small book. Even though this vehicle has every possible power option on it, it has a manual steering wheel adjust — it would have been nice to have a power one. As for driving, the 250-hp turbocharged engine felt very responsive in Dynamic mode. I did not have a chance to go fast today as it is snowing with heavy traffic.
Day 4: Frigid temperatures. Heated seats all around were nice. The car handled quite well in the snow. Drove it on Deerfoot and found it to be zippy for a mid-size car. I do not think the vehicle has a remote start (or at least I could not figure it out).
Day 5: Still enjoying the vehicle. A couple of annoying things I’ve noticed: the fasten seatbelt warning beeps immediately as soon as you turn the vehicle on, not giving you a second to fasten your seatbelt, and the infotainment centre tends to be a bit slow. It shows “loading” for five to 10 seconds when I turn the vehicle on. Love the folding mirrors — it’s easy to get in and out of tight spaces. Day 6: My girlfriend spent a lot of time with me and the kids in the car. Her input: I spend a lot of time in my car, shuttling kids from school, to play dates and birthday parties and hockey practice. It’s of utmost importance to me to be in a vehicle that is comfortable, safe, fuel-efficient, sleek and enjoyable to drive. Storage space is essential, as we often have hockey bags and sticks, groceries, backpacks and snow gear galore filling the cargo area. With a lengthy list of what I’d be looking for in a vehicle, I was pleasantly surprised by the 2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country.
Day 7: More from Rachael — the interior is spacious and sleek, with charcoal leather seats and a charcoal interior colour scheme.
I liked the brushed chrome accents, and the panoramic glass sunroof helps to make it feel bigger than it is. Storage in the cargo area was ample and adaptability for installing children’s booster seats was easy. It was informative to see the display in front of the driver quickly go through an automated checklist of the car features and mechanics, as well as an interactive image that depicts which seats are full and which seatbelts are fastened — a super helpful safety feature for moms.
I was able to hook my iphone XR up via the Bluetooth without trouble. The navigation system was particularly helpful, as it showcased street names clearly ahead of time and alerted me to speed limits.
When in the market for a new vehicle in the future, I will happily consider this one.