Published in the San Jose Mercury News

Posted at 12:46 p.m. PST Thursday, December 11, 1997

Volvo Cross-Country wagon thinks it's a sport-ute
BY MATT NAUMAN
Mercury News Auto Editor

Whether you think it's a great car or a good car with a great marketing campaign, there's no doubt that the Subaru Outback line has been a great success.

What Subaru is selling is a station wagon that packs a sport-utility image without the sport-utility baggage -- like a truck-like ride, poor gas mileage and general bulkiness when it comes to doing necessary things like parking and getting in and out of the vehicle.

You can tell it's a good idea because people are starting to copy it. Subaru itself has extended the Outback name from its mid-size Legacy line to its smaller Impreza wagons. It also now offers something called the Forester, another variation on the same theme.

Audi will soon offer all-wheel-drive, or quattro, versions of its wagons. Expect others to follow.

Including Volvo, which is on the market this fall with three all-wheel-drive versions of its V70 wagon: the $34,420 base model; the $37,385 Cross-Country version; and the $40,995 R version. The base model and the Cross-Country share the 190-horsepower engine. The R is for people who want a fast, practical Volvo wagon. It gets a 236-horsepower motor.

The XC, or Cross-Country, model is the one getting all the attention, and it's the one we drove. It takes a very functional Volvo wagon and adds amenities, like wood and a CD player, and some greater functionality, like an all-wheel-drive system and increased ground clearance and -- presto -- you have a Volvo wagon that thinks it's a sport-utility.

Bo Annvik, a Volvo product strategy vice president, says the Cross-Country makes sense in the current market. It has all the safety that Volvo long has offered; about the same storage capacity as a Nissan Pathfinder; a smooth, on-highway ride; some off-highway capability; a price tag that's in line with premium sport-utilities; and even a third seat, rear-facing, to hold a couple more kids.

Volvo's all-wheel-drive system engages automatically once wheel slip is detected. A driver never has to flip a switch or push a button. Ground clearance on the XC is 6.5 inches, about an inch more than the base V70 wagon, which means it's a bit better suited for a dirt road or slightly muddy trail.

On the road, the XC has that sturdy, steady feel that I've come to expect from Volvos. The light-pressure turbo engine moves the car easily.

The car is full of neat touches, like a drapery that folds out and over from the rear of the car so that you can load it without getting road gunk from the bumper on your clothes.

The rear features plenty of cargo nets for orderly storage of your stuff. There's a screen that pulls up so that a dog could occupy the rear without bounding into the passenger row in front. It also keeps packages from getting dangerous while airborne, too.

The buildable third seat is a neat option for when you're traveling with a load of kids. It's an easily put-together system of seat backs and seat bottoms that is very similar to the one on the Mercedes E320 wagon.

My biggest complaint with this car was with its leather-cloth upholstery. Supposedly to give the XC a rugged demeanor, the cloth part of the fabric is one of the worst I've seen at attracting stains. Our test car had about 3,000 miles on the odometer, but two of the seats were badly discolored from its use in a press event up in Alaska. I managed to dribble some food on the driver's seat -- and wiped it up instantly -- but a large spot remained.

For a car that will likely be used to travel with kids, this is a serious mistake. Perhaps more stain protectant or another type of material is the answer. (Full leather seats are a $600 option.)

Funny how perception shades the mind's eye. To me, the Volvo V70 XC looks traditionally square and boxy, like the other Volvo sedans and wagons I've driven in the past. Other looked at the gentle edges and a hint of roundness and saw a whole new shape emerging.

Either way, the V70 XC is eye-catching. While not as over-the-top as the Outback, the Cross-County evokes the same sort of stately outdoorsiness as a Land Rover. Compared to the base V70 wagon, the all-wheel-drive XC gets more pronounced body moldings, a new grill, front and rear fog lights and a roof rack. All-season tires are bigger and wider than on the standard wagon.

And, like those venerable British beasts, the XC is quite charming on the inside. The light birch trim -- a special-order item -- is appealing and airy. It's a good match with the Berber-like feel of the floor mats and the back-pack-like texture of the seats.

Annvik, who readily admits that the Subaru Outbacks were the starting point for the Volvo V70 all-wheel-drive wagons, says his cars offer something more.

``They're an intelligent alternative to a sport-utility.''

NUTS AND BOLTS

What we drove: 1998 Volvo V70 XC AWD, an all-wheel-drive station wagon with a 190-horsepower, in-line five-cylinder 2.4-liter engine and an automatic transmission.

Base price: $37,385

Price as tested (includes delivery charge): $37,960

Curb weight: 3,768 pounds

Length: 185.9 inches

Towing load: 3,300 pounds

Turning circle (curb to curb): 37.7 feet

Standard features: Dual front and side air bags; low-speed traction control system; electronic climate control; rear fog light; cruise control; trip computer; remote keyless entry with security system; heated front seats; power front seats, mirrors, windows and locks; tilt/telescope steering column; automatic load leveling; rear mud flaps; leather steering wheel; leather/twill cloth; AM/FM stereo with cassette player and CD player; walnut wood dash trim; roof rails; fold-out rear bumper protection.

EPA figures: 18 mpg (city), 24 mpg (highway)

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Write Matt Nauman at the Mercury News, 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95190.

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