Price: from 1,684,000 rubles.
Volvo cars always have excellent technical characteristics and high reliability. The Swedish auto giant continues to update its lineup, and now it's the V40. For the first time the model was presented at the international auto show in Paris. And now, a few years later, an updated version of the Volvo V40 Cross Country 2017-2018 was presented in Geneva, which we will consider in detail.
Updated appearance
From the name it is already clear that this is still not a crossover, but no longer just an urban hatchback. There is always a special chic in the appearance of Volvo cars, they always compare favorably with other road users. The restyled version of the Volvo B40 was no exception. First of all, it differs from the usual version of Cross Country by its increased ground clearance by 12 mm.
As a result of restyling, the car received a more aggressive appearance, especially to the taste of a younger audience. The sloping hood smoothly merges into the radiator grille, and massive relief lines have appeared on it. The trapezoidal radiator grille has a chrome surround and a chrome nameplate with a wider band than other models. The headlights are made in the form of petals, they received LED filling.
From the side, attention is drawn to 16-inch wheels with a very stylish and interesting design, as well as a fairly high glass line. Behind the massive optics with LED filling. The rear bumper has plastic inserts. Although the boot lid is small, it still looks attractive thanks to the glossy inserts and large glass area.
The smooth hood and sloping roof provide excellent aerodynamic performance.
Body dimensions:
- length - 4370 mm;
- width - 1783 mm;
- height - 1458 mm;
- wheelbase - 2646 mm;
- clearance - 144 mm.
Interior decoration
Inside, much resembles a standard Volvo V40 model, noble materials are used, the quality of work is as usual at a height. The design is quite modern, indicating a premium level. Only expensive finishing materials were used - genuine leather, aluminum and wood inserts. The engineers were faced with the task of maximizing the comfort of the driver and his passengers while driving, and they can say they coped with this. The front row seats have good lateral support, the backrest profile is very good, even when driving long distances, the driver does not get tired.
The front row of seats has auto-adjustment, and heating of all seats is also provided. Some complaints can cause the rear row of seats. Legroom for tall passengers will clearly not be enough, but using the car as a family car with children sitting in the back is a great solution.
There is a display of the navigation and multimedia system at the top of the center console of the 2017-2018 Cross Country. Slightly lower are the air deflectors, even lower is the climate control unit. Everything is done stylishly, beautifully and elegantly.
Between the front row seats there is a large gear selector, next to it is the parking brake lever. There are also two cup holders and a quite comfortable armrest.
The three-spoke steering wheel is comfortable, it has leather trim and even small notches for the thumbs. There are also buttons for controlling the multimedia system. The steering wheel is adjusted both in height and in reach (not all Volvo models have such an opportunity).
The cabin also has LED lighting, it is possible to choose one of seven shades and several glow options, thus personalizing your car. There are three display options for the dashboard and keys.
The standard luggage compartment volume of the Volvo V40 Cross Country is 335 liters. When that is not enough, it will increase to 1,032 liters when the rear row backrests are folded down.
Passengers of the car note the excellent sound insulation inside the car while driving.
Engine and gearbox
| A type | Volume | Power | Torque | Overclocking | Maximum speed | Number of cylinders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1.5 l | 152 h.p. | 250 H * m | 8.5 sec. | 210 km / h | 4 |
| Petrol | 2.0 l | 190 h.p. | 400 H * m | 7.9 sec. | 210 km / h | 4 |
| Petrol | 2.0 l | 245 h.p. | 350 H * m | 6.1 sec. | 210 km / h | 4 |
| Diesel | 2.0 l | 120 h.p. | 280 H * m | 10.6 sec. | 190 km / h | 4 |
Buyers can choose from a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with 152 hp. and two two-liter engines with 190 and 245 hp, as well as a 2-liter diesel 120 hp engine. Transmission - 6-speed or 8-speed automatic depending on the motor used.
By default, front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive is available for top versions.
The front is a standard MacPherson-type independent suspension, the rear is multi-link. The Volvo V40 Cross Country is a pleasure to drive, especially thanks to the electric power steering. All disc brakes are ventilated at the front.
Volvo on Call
The new Volvo on Call feature should definitely be mentioned. This is a completely new service that provides the driver with the maximum level of comfort and service. To do this, you must first subscribe to a special subscription, download an application to your smartphone. With this program, the owner of the car can control many of its functions via the phone. For example, before getting into the car, you can start the engine, warm up the interior to the temperature you need, upload a map remotely to the navigation system or send a new collection of music to the multimedia system. You can also contact technical or emergency services at any time. Many buyers of this model have already appreciated this feature.
Another very convenient and interesting function is CleanZone, so you can set all the requirements for cleaning the air supplied from the outside to the passenger compartment. In practice, this means that the air will be completely free of harmful particles, for example, the exhaust gases of other cars when in a traffic jam.
Price and configuration
For Russian buyers, there are three versions of the Volvo B40 Cross Country, each of which has practically no differences inside the cabin. The cost of the basic version of Kinetic is 1.684 million rubles. For this price, the buyer will receive a vehicle with:
- interior fabric upholstery;
- climate control;
- heated front row of seats;
- full power accessories;
- refrigerated cup holders in the front row of seats;
- cruise control.
There are also seven airbags and a head unit.
We can safely say that even this is quite good equipment, however, it can be supplemented with the following options:
- heated rear row of seats;
- blind spot monitoring;
- keyless access to the salon;
- a roof with a panoramic view;
- high quality rear view camera;
- adaptive cruise control;
- car parking system;
- multimedia system with navigation.
More expensive top-end versions are slightly different from the base one.
The standard equipment of the new Volvo V40 Cross Country is equipped with numerous safety systems, they include a number of functions that will reduce the negative consequences of accidents and prevent collisions. There is also a system for recognizing cyclists and pedestrians who are in the blind spot. Another system will notice all road signs and warn you about them.
Conclusion
For our country, the car is excellent in all respects. It is comfortable and convenient to travel long distances in it, it showed itself perfectly during city driving, and thanks to the increased ground clearance, you can not be afraid to go out of town. The only drawbacks are that there is little space in the second row of seats; three adult passengers simply cannot fit there.
We can also say that the Volvo B40 Cross Country 2017-2018 is an elegant, comfortable, powerful, passable and well-controlled car for a fairly wealthy city dweller.
Video
Objectively speaking, the Volvo V40 hatchback, which received the promising Cross Country prefix in the name, is not a premiere model. Indeed, even at the Paris Automobile Forum, held in the fall of 2012, the Swedish brand presented it in a similar body format and with the same name.
The small crossover V40 Cross Country 2016-2017 model year received an updated exterior design, an increased list of equipment and some changes in the design of the interior decoration.
It is worth noting that outwardly, the five-door Cross Country hatchback almost completely repeats the V40 in the "standard" version. Designers individualized the look of the novelty only with hotel touches, slightly raising the car above the road and decorating the body with a plastic body kit. Another distinctive feature of the crossover will be its 17-inch rims.
Design
The expressive design of the car indicates a very specific audience, which the model is intended for in the first place. We are talking about young car enthusiasts with an active lifestyle.
The sloping hood with a pair of double stiffening ribs seems to flow into the volumetric grille. The headlamps have a flowing shape and stylish horizontal LED strips that divide the headlights in half. The arched roofline and boomerang-shaped taillights give the car a sporty and dynamic appearance. The inflated line of the side glazing of the body organically complements the picture.
The length of the crossover is 4,370 mm, its width is 1,783 mm, the height of the V40 Cross Country does not exceed 1,458 mm. The distance between the front and rear axles of the new Volvo wheels was 2 646 mm. The ground clearance of the novelty, although declared as "off-road", in practice was only 144 mm. Obviously, with such a clearance, you shouldn't leave asphalt roads.
What's in the salon?
The interior design of the Volvo V40 Cross Country is exactly the same as the "regular" V40 model. Modern design, noble finishing materials and impeccable build quality of the interior indicate the premium level of the car.
In addition to the stylish design, the interior is distinguished by verified ergonomics and a high level of comfort, which are provided to the driver and passengers. Cozy front seats have developed lateral support, an optimal backrest profile and a good size of pillows. The front panel design is typical of the Swedish brand. Natural leather, polished aluminum and even natural wood were used as finishing materials.
But there are questions with the availability of free space in the second row of seats. Despite the successful and comfortable molding of the sofa, designed for two passengers, people above average height will not be very comfortable here.
Not the strongest point of the presented model is its luggage compartment. The vehicle has a cargo capacity of 335 liters, which can be increased to 1,032 liters by folding down the rear seat backrests. Under the double surface of the trunk floor there was a place for a "dock" and a set of tools.
Having driven a new crossover from Volvo, you pay attention to the almost perfect noise insulation of the cabin - at high speeds you can talk in the cabin without raising your voice, and you can only understand that the car's engine is idling by looking at the tachometer.
Specifications
For Russian dealers, the Volvo V40 Cross Country versions are intended, equipped with four engine options. By default, the car is equipped with front axle drive; for top-end modifications, an all-wheel drive system is available, which is based on the fifth generation Haldex clutch. In this case, if the front wheels slip, the system will automatically engage the rear axle.
The petrol engines of the Volvo V40 crossover include turbocharged units T3, T4, and T5 in their list. The basic version has a volume of 1.5 liters and produces 152 hp. maximum power. The middle version is a 2.0-liter engine with 190 hp, the top-end petrol engine has the same volume of 2.0 liters and, thanks to the twin turbocharging, is capable of developing up to 245 hp. power.
Even the initial gasoline engine gives the car an excellent "throttle response" and a tangible pickup after pressing the gas pedal while driving at medium speeds.
The least powerful engine is the diesel unit, which is equipped with the V40 Cross Country D2 modifications. This four-cylinder engine develops no more than 120 hp. and does not differ in incendiary dynamics. But the diesel version of Volvo will delight you with its economy. The declared consumption of D2 per 100 km of combined mileage is only 3.9 liters.
Depending on the chosen engine, a 6- or 8-band automatic transmission is offered in pair with it.
Other technical features of the crossover include the presence of an electric power steering, ventilated disc brakes on the front axle, as well as a fully independent suspension.
Outcome
With the numerous advantages of the model, critics call the insufficient clearance for the crossover, the too compact trunk and the inconvenience of the process of getting in and out of the second row of seats as controversial points.
Judging by the price of a compact crossover, its potential buyers should be far from poor people, because 1,399,000 rubles for a front-wheel drive V40 CC is the price of a much more practical Mazda CX-5 also on front-wheel drive. However, Volvo is already a premium product, and against the background of 2 million for the starting Mercedes GLA, the price of the V40 is quite modest, so here you can safely add a plus sign to this model.
As always, journalists are offered cars in rich configurations. The black Volvo V40 Cross Country with striking aluminum sills and overhangs at the front and rear is no exception. True, before the top version with a 249-horsepower engine, the two-liter unit of 213 hp I inherited. a little undersized. But otherwise he was not inferior. In some ways, this is for the better - it is not so gluttonous, taxes are less, and power, and even in conditions of mainly city driving, is enough for the eyes. After all, whatever one may say, the machine is not the biggest, the same Ford Focus.
I note that the comparison with the Focus is quite appropriate, since the model was being developed at a time when Volvo was part of the friendly family of the Detroit auto giant, and therefore, along with the impeccable Scandinavian design in the Volvo V40 Cross Country, no, no, yes, and healthy American high-tech pragmatism will flash ... However, where the company from Gothenburg has always remained true to itself, it is in an effort to make the car as safe as possible. Unsurprisingly, the Volvo V40, which debuted last year in Geneva, has become the world's first car with a pedestrian airbag, even without an SUV body kit and without a Cross Country in its name. When I spoke with Stefan Inerfeld, the project manager of the V40, I was very saddened by the news that such a humane machine would not be sold here.
As the company explained to me, the V40 did not reach Russia due to the expected low demand for compact station wagons, but its more brutal version, with increased ground clearance and all-wheel drive, finally arrived. And I am very pleased that the pedestrian airbag has not been thrown out of the package of options. It is available in Russia and will cost 39 thousand rubles. To what extent philanthropy has not yet extinguished in us, the statistics of sales that are just beginning will show.
But it's time to drive. With all the compactness of the car, the driver, and even a very tall one, will have enough space in the Volvo V40 Cross Country (however, it should be noted that the seat cushions are short), but those sitting in the back will have to squeeze. This applies to legroom and especially to the head. The three passengers in winter clothes in the back seat were sad to look at. The guys joked optimistically, they say, in cramped quarters, but not in offense, besides, hugging each other - it was warmer. They did not know that the rear seats have triple heating.
That's what a car from Scandinavia means! Increased attention is paid to heating issues. The car also has pre-heating, a web of invisible electric heating threads tightened the entire windshield, side mirrors and the rear door glass were not left unattended. You can start warming up the engine and interior remotely from an iPhone; there is a corresponding free program in the App-applications, you just have to type the word Volvo. You can also control the location of the car, the status of a number of its parameters through a smartphone. But the "smart" car did not obey entirely fashionable gadgets, for example, if the level of gasoline in the tank is insufficient, the V40 Cross Country will not allow it to be burned all out just for the sake of heat.
In a warm car, you can and even need to ride without outerwear. A coat or jacket limits the driver's mobility but also increases the risk of injury in a speed crash. The Swedes fighting for the safety of the car have proved it. It turns out that the few centimeters that separate the body from the seat belt are enough in a collision to cause serious injury. I remembered this when I saw the speedometer needle that had passed over a hundred. I confess, I did not expect from the Volvo V40 Cross Country such a high-spirited acceleration in one breath, given the slush and snow under the wheels. That's when all-wheel drive is needed!
As I already said, not all Volvo V40 Cross Country supplied to Russia are equipped with it. Cars with 180 hp four-cylinder engines do not have it. But five-cylinder units 213 and 249 forces - please. The drive is permanent and non-disconnectable. It is not possible to force only one axis to work. There are also no crawler gears and handouts. Before the “hundred”, my “black arrow” fired in 7.2 seconds, losing to the older “sister” by some 0.5 seconds. "Hundred" obeys 180-strong version at around 8.7 s, which is also impressive. And no talk about Volvo cars and their drivers here!
From the first kilometers traveled, you feel the care of the driver. It is especially evident in the dense city traffic. Side blind spot indicators in the A-pillars will help prevent inaccurate lane changes. By the way, these electronic devices, which are used to flaunt cars of prestigious brands, first appeared on Volvo 7 years ago on the C30. Adaptive cruise control keeps the distance, up to a stop, from the vehicle in front. And the shaking of the steering wheel will remind you of the involuntary crossing of the marking lines. When maneuvering in reverse, the Volvo V40 Cross Country engages a rear camera that can be pointed straight ahead or under the bumper to park more tightly. Moreover, when driving in reverse, the driver does not need to be afraid of vehicles crossing the path. In case of danger, the car will not only warn the driver, but also stop the car. In my opinion, caring for the driver would be even more gentle if the large display in the center of the dashboard had a tactile screen. And so you have to turn the knob endlessly in search of the desired letter ... The presence of a tactile screen would also simplify the search for the necessary functions hidden under the icons of buttons scattered on the console and practically unreadable from the driver's seat.
But the Volvo V40 Cross Country is able to park itself, having “found” enough space in the row of cars parked on the sidewalk. Definitely, this Volvo model has come closer than other production cars to the threshold beyond which human intervention in the operation of equipment is not required. This machine is capable of recognizing road signs. During the test, I often caught myself thinking that the car would comply with the traffic rules more rigorously than myself. In some places, he reinsured himself by putting a speed limit of 20 km / h on the speedometer. And with all that, the Volvo V40 Cross Country is a driver's car, it goes fast, obediently, confidently. Rigid suspension does not add comfort to passengers, but makes it comfortable to drive, including when maneuvering at high speed. In harmony with accelerating dynamics and braking dynamics. The brakes have good feedback. I will say the same about the steering.
But what I didn’t like was the noisy studded tires (I don’t exclude that insufficient sound insulation may be partly to blame for the sounds penetrating into the interior) and a very limited view back through the salon mirror. The entire space is covered by three large head restraints that guard the passive safety. The electronics compensate for the limited visibility. It compensates successfully, only we are not yet accustomed to believing it so unconditionally. I see no reason to consider the Volvo V40 Cross Country a crossover. I am not convinced of this by the Cross Country lettering embossed in the trim under the rear bumper. Well, what kind of crossover is it with a ground clearance of 14 cm, even if it is equipped with an assistant when descending from the mountain? Yes, a good balanced road car with a driving accent. Expensive, compact, safe.
HaveVolvo holiday - new compact crossoverXC40 became the Car of the Year in Europe. And they promise to bring the novelty to Russia now. Dealers rub their hands and prepare for sales, including offering unprecedented discounts on their current mock off-road hatchback V40 Cross Country... Should you fall for Swedish tricks? Let's try to answer together withSubaru Xv, another interesting novelty, actively promoted in the same class and price range.
Why didn't we take, for example, the Mercedes GLA or the newest BMW X2 for the test? Just because of the cost - both are at least half a million more expensive. Moreover, it is with these "Germans" that the XC40 will have to compete. In addition, both Volvo and Subaru still have certain nuances with image positioning - if the Swedes are pursuing an active policy of fully introducing the brand into the luxury segment, then Subaru is still between heaven and earth - to the Japanese mass market like how not to be attributed, but it will not work to call it premium.
One way or another, but both fall within the framework of up to two million. And both are in well-equipped versions - with 2.0-liter engines, automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive. The only difference is that the Subaru XV is brand new, and the Volvo V40 CC, produced for the sixth year, has undergone a slight restyling.
The fact that we have a completely new generation XV is quite difficult to believe: even specialists have to look for external differences from the previous version with a magnifying glass. Freshness and youth are given by new headlights, a radiator grill and not even new, but slightly decorated bumpers. Why is this a new generation? Because the technical filling has been completely updated - the platform, the power structure of the body and the engine are new in the car. True, new, so to speak, in Japanese.
The chassis layout has remained the same, the body frame has hardly changed externally - only the technological and component basis is different. The famous FB20 engine received three quarters of new components, including a new cylinder block. The Lineartronic variator has also been redesigned, which has become lighter and received new characteristics that provide greater efficiency and better engine thrust.
Subaru has a bright color scheme for a reason. XV is in steady demand among the beautiful half of humanity. Actually, the Swedish competitor plays in the same field. You rarely see men driving a V40 Cross Country
The Volvo update outside affected only the headlights in general, but how! Now they shine with the trademark "hammer of Thor", so it will not be difficult to distinguish the current version from the pre-reform one. All other changes should be looked for inside, and they concern mainly the introduction of electronic assistants.
Stylistically, the already attractive Volvo V40 Cross Country does not aim to win the hearts of avid jeepers. Unlike the "lifted" Subaru, the ground clearance of the "Swedes" was left intact. An off-road body kit is nothing more than a fashion accessory, especially when it is not pragmatic black, but, on the contrary, is additionally decorated with silver inserts and diffusers.
Both test takers have grown thanks to a little tweak from conventional hatchbacks: the XV from the five-door Impreza, Volvo from the V40. All-terrain performances instantly ousted their "civil" donors from the market, and XV also disowned itself on behalf of the legendary, but completely lost popularity in Russia model
Bah! Is this really a Subaru interior ?! Probably, I have never been so pleasantly surprised, sitting down in the salon of the Pleiades Constellation car. Over the years, the critics of the Japanese have heeded the pleas and made the interior decoration able to compete with representatives of the best European schools. The interior is now in leather with elegant stitching and piano lacquer inserts. Combinations of decorative overlays look interesting and stylish, and there are even small decorations on the window buttons. The picture is crowned by the central tower of a large touchscreen multimedia station, which is covered from above by a second display with service indications. All together it looks modern and expensive, but the tactile perception still needs some work: the applied plastics are harsh and in some places squeak when driving.
The multimedia station shows nice graphics with high resolution, good sensitivity and fast responses. The functionality of connecting gadgets is complete. Navigation is based on the system of a well-known company Tom Tom, but, alas, it does not know how to show traffic jams and requires getting used to, in particular, to the way of entering the address
Moving from Subaru to Volvo is like stepping back from a modern office to your living room. If the XV's interior is trying to look expensive, then the V40 Cross Country's interior is - the quality of the finishing materials and the overall build level are clearly above Japanese. The leather-like texture of the front panel surpasses other natural ingredients. The moral obsolescence of the interior is compensated for by the ornate Swedish style, the selection of interesting textures and the smart branded liquid crystal instrument panel. And if the central display were not so small and recessed into the front panel, the interior of Volvo would have delighted Scandinavian comfort for many years.
Opinions were divided on convenience. The "Japanese" is definitely more spacious and lighter, the fit is higher, and the ergonomics are clearer and more familiar. Lush chairs are in fact harsh and a bit wide.
In a Volvo, landing is like in your sports car. You sit low, but tight and tenacious. In the hands of a plump "steering wheel", small windows around the perimeter, surrounded by dim light from the dark ceiling. Management of secondary functionality requires habit - the specifics of the location of individual buttons and adjustments, as well as the on-board computer menu, accustom owners to the Volvo architecture. It takes some time to quickly find the functions you need.
The back is more comfortable in Subaru - and again due to the spaciousness. In the V40, the sofa is essentially two separate armchairs, over which a sloping ceiling hangs back to back. The amount of additional benefits in both vehicles is the minimum required.
Trunks in both cars are small, especially inSubaru - 310 liters versus 324 yV40 Cross Country, given that both are equipped with "dock". Such family tasks may not cope with. A pair of sports bags or one travel suitcase with a pair of bags - that's all that will fit here
Both Subaru and Volvo are powered by 2.0-liter petrol engines. True, the V40 SS has a head start in the form of a turbocharger, which allows you to remove 190 hp from the engine. with., and in the top-end versions - and all 245. XV cannot boast of such power: 150 "horses" and slow 10.6 seconds in acceleration to 100 km / h.
In ordinary life, such indicators are enough: the XV is agile and easy to accelerate thanks to the good return of the engine in the first half of the tachometer and the smooth but agile actions of the variator. It is only necessary to more actively squeeze the air gas pedal, which has a small empty reserve. However, with increasing speed, the Japanese "horses" have to be ahead of the curve, giving the box an opportunity to get into the peak torque in advance. Theoretically, the gearbox can be spurred on with the paddles on the steering wheel, imitating seven gear shifting, but in reality you quickly abandon this, choosing a more measured pace of movement. The box would definitely benefit from a Sport mode.
Volvo is different in character. The potential of a more powerful engine has a clear limit - about 2000 rpm. Until this moment, the V40 CC does not give out its true characteristics in any way. On the contrary, the tight accelerator and the baritone of the T4 engine with diesel notes slow down the driver's urges. But as soon as the drawn tachometer arrow rushes to the zenith, the numbers of the electronic speedometer literally jump over the 120 km / h mark with a falling rate of speed. Under the hood, there is 300 Nm of thrust, which allows the pretty Swedish creation to accelerate to 100 km / h in 7.4 seconds. And these are the indicators of hot hatches.
In terms of handling, both cars are good. Despite the increased center of gravity, the new "bogie" Subaru clearly benefited: a fairly sharp steering wheel with measured effort and precise trajectory follow you can feel confident in any situation. The all-wheel drive system and the tenacious Nokian friction clutch help to drive boldly on a snowy road - even with deliberate provocations, the car quickly and safely stabilizes.
The "steering wheel" of Volvo is even richer, and the speed of cornering is higher - the car seems to be glued to the road, while communication with the driver is clearer not only due to the "tight" steering wheel, but more precise reactions to the pedals. One but: on Volvo, electronic "collars" are noticeably stricter - where the XV gives a little kick, pulling the car with gas, the V40 nips everything in the bud by "strangling" the engine.
ANDSubaruandVolvo equipped with a full range of virtual "eyes" that control the flow around the car, control the position in the lane, radar cruise control and a proximity system. Particularly pleasing is the active "cruise", which turns any country trips into relaxation. But the lane keeping system works on Subaru malfunctioning - "eyes" very often cannot clearly define the markup, which is whyXv regularly leaves the strip. Whose fault is there more is an open question.Volvo also equipped with a proprietary systemOn Callcapable of remotely controlling part of the car's functions
The suspensions also deserve laudatory reviews. At Subaru, it is "airy" - the XV rides along small and medium potholes, as if slightly touching the asphalt. But with an increase in the size of the holes, the predominance of energy intensity becomes obvious: the shock absorbers hold the blow, but in the cabin it already shakes. V40 Cross Country, on the contrary, protects passengers to the last - if flip flops and muffled knocks reach the passenger compartment, then the driver identifies them exclusively by ear.
The exit from the high-speed highway to the light off-road immediately changes the places of the participants: 220 mm of ground clearance, very good geometry, the proprietary X-mode system makes the XV an obvious winner in this discipline. By disabling ESP, the Subarik can walk fairly confidently on virgin soil.
Volvo's main off-road problem is its civilian ground clearance of 145 mm and a low "nose". In addition, disabling the safety electronics requires intervention in the on-board computer. With the activated system, it desperately stifles any slippage and does not allow to overcome deep snow. The V40 Cross Country can only be driven on light terrain when absolutely necessary.
The updated Subaru XV engine proved to be economical. On the highway, the car fits into 7-7.5 liters of gasoline, and the consumption in the city does not exceed ten. Turbocharged Volvo is more voracious: with regular use of engine power, you need to count on 13-15 liters in the city
What's the bottom line?
Two very worthy rivals who, after the test, easily divided the spheres of influence.
Subaru XV - it is a "station wagon" in the sense that the car is suitable for most of the tasks. Elegant outside and inside, spacious, bright and modern, the car has found a compromise between very good driving characteristics both on and off the pavement. But it is not without its drawbacks: the economic component is brought down by the useless trunk, the driver's ardor is not cooled by the most powerful engine, and the queues at the car dealership are reduced by a considerable price for such a small car. If the "Japanese" had given up a little pride, the sales would have been clearly better.
Volvo V40 Cross Country T4 - a car with a twist, which, given the widespread enthusiasm for crossovers, not everyone will be able to see. Despite the pseudo off-road camouflage, the Swedes got a real hot-hatch, which as an additional option offers a cozy interior and the ability to ride in comfort. Honestly, this car would have looked much better with the sports body kit of the court studio Polestar and anatomical "buckets" in the cabin, especially since the new XC40 will definitely select the laurels of an off-road compact. Volvo could think about repositioning the V40, given that compact "lighters" on the Russian market can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
