2024 Volvo V90CC

Volvo Car’s V90 Cross Country (or CC) is what I call an aspiring “Goldilocks” car.

That is, the V90CC, Volvo hopes, lands in the sweet spot between a traditional passenger car and a conventional SUV (sport-utility vehicle). Volvo then throws in a mild hybrid system to placate the Green Agenda folks and also allow Volvo to say its entire Canadian lineup is electrified in some way or another.

Volvo V90, not the CC version.

The hybrid claim is a stretch.

Yes, there is an integrated starter-generator, or ISG, but it’s there to smooth out the stop-start function. The mild hybrid bit might save you 3-5 per cent on fuel.

What actually gives this tall station wagon a real fuel-economy bump is a small, smartly-executed four-cylinder gas engine (2.0-litres, 295 horsepower/310 lb-ft of torque). It’s supercharged to get you going off the line smoothly and then turbocharged to deliver the kind of running oomph you need to merge into traffic or pass an 18-wheeler on a two-lane road.

ISG? I’m reluctant to get into the technological weeds here, especially given the days of this kind of tech are limited by the wholesale government sales mandate for EV or electric vehicles by 2035.

Let me give it a go, anyway. The ISG is a little unit placed between the engine and the gearbox, one linked directly to the crankshaft and designed to replace the starter and the alternator. It also supplies the tiniest bit of power during certain operating conditions.

— Volvo

Drivers will notice it at work in a good way, and so will passengers. That’s because the car’s engine stops completely and instantly when you come to a standstill. When you take your foot off the gas pedal, the engine fires up immediately and silently. Then off you go with absolutely none of the clunkiness you might have experienced with other cars that have different approaches to stopping and starting.

Volvo touts the fact that the engine is “simply not used when the car is not running” to tout the environmental benefits. Fine. But the environmental benefits are little more than a sideshow and a marketing ploy.

What is most spectacular about the V90CC, however, is its looks. This is a beautiful station wagon. Keep in mind that the design of this tallish five-passenger wagon dates back to the last decade. The look here is a triumph. The delicious shapes and smooth curves belie that fact that this V90CC dates back to 2017 when the second-generation V90 was introduced.

Brilliant seats.

By now, you have sussed out that this V90CC isn’t not much longer for this world. Volvo is committed to an all-electric lineup in the next few years. So-called “mild hybrids” are Dodos-in-the-making.

That does not mean you should turn away from this entertaining all-wheel-drive wagon with its energetic performance, wonderfully understated Scandinavian interior, quick powertrain responses, direct steering and fabulous seats – seats that rank among the very best you can buy at any price, from any brand, anywhere in the world.

I would be thrilled to take the V90CC for a very long road trip, say a run from Vancouver through the Rockies to Calgary. This car was made for such things.

Yes, the wind noise at highway speeds can be a small distraction, but other than that, I applaud the delightful ride and the fine dynamic responses. For the records, safety features abound.

The cabin is also a triumph of understated elegance. Quality leather, soft-touch plastics, big windows and ample head-, leg- and shoulder-room front and rear. Cargo space at the very back is on par with your typical midsize SUV and the rear seats fold electronically. Storage space for odds and ends in the broader cabin is a bit tight, however.

Undersized touchscreen, powered by Google.

As for infotainment, Google runs Volvo’s show throughout the lineup, here included. The touchscreen is undersized, but the operations are Android-like, though Volvo and Google need to tidy up all the screen-diving required to access many functions. You do get Google maps and such.

Then there is the price. I was a little taken aback by the $73,648 base. And you’ll probably want to add at least the Ultimate package at $6,850. Harmon Kardon premium sound comes with it, along with massaging seats, and front seat ventilation.

So, realistically, you’re looking at 80 Large plus fees and taxes. That’s a bit rich, though not outrageous for a well-executed, enjoyable and handsome alternative to an upscale SUV.