- Willing 2.4-litre turbo petrol engine
- Comfortable seats (front and rear)
- Safe and predictable handling
- Body roll when cornering
- Vague steering lacks feel
- Weight of AWD system blunts performance relative to Volvo Mk.2 V70
Overview
Released in September 2000, the Volvo Mk.2 Cross Country was a five-seat, all-wheel drive wagon. Essentially a re-badged Volvo V70 XC , the Volvo Cross Country was powered by a 2.4-litre turbocharged inline five-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission (with ‘Geartronic’ sequential-shift function). The Cross Country range initially consisted of an unnamed entry-level edition and the ‘SE’, though a ‘Plus’ pack with added features was also available for the entry level variant. From June 2001, however, standard features were improved and the Plus and SE editions were discontinued.
B5244T engine
The Volvo Cross Country’s 2.4-litre B5244T3 five-cylinder engine had an aluminium block and cylinder heads, fracture-split forged steel connecting rods, a low pressure turbocharger, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.0:1. Transmission options consisted of five-speed manual and automatic units.
Body and dimensions
Although there was no Mk.1 Cross Country, the Mk.2 Cross Country was so-called because it was based on the Volvo Mk.2 V70 platform. The Cross Country, however, was differentiated by its all-wheel drive system, higher-riding suspension, increased ground clearance (209 mm), flared wheel arches and aluminium underbody protection plate. Compared to the V70, the Cross Country was 23 mm longer (at 4733 mm), 58 mm wider (1862 mm), 191 mm taller (1371 mm) and had a 6 mm longer wheelbase (2761 mm).
Suspension
The Volvo Cross Country had MacPherson strut front suspension and independent, multi-link rear suspension.
| Variant | Edition | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4T | N/A | 2000-02 | 2435 cc B5244T3 turbo petrol I5 | 5sp man., 5sp auto |
147 kW at 6000 rpm | 285 Nm from 1800-5000 rpm |
| Plus | 2000-01 | |||||
| SE | 2000-01 | |||||
| Ocean race | 2001-02 |
AWD system
The Volvo Cross Country was fitted with a first-generation Haldex all-wheel drive system. In normal conditions, the system provided a front:rear torque split of 95:5. If traction was lost, however, a hydraulic pump would engage the multi-plate clutch, resulting in an even torque distribution between the front and rear axles (i.e. a 50:50 split) in the time required for a quarter of a wheel’s revolution. Furthermore, the Cross Country’s traction control system operated on the front axle to brake a spinning wheels and thereby transfer torque to the wheel with grip at speeds of up to 40km/h.
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the Volvo Cross Country included dual front airbags (with two-stage deployment), front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags (i.e. for front and rear occupants), ABS, electronic brake force distribution, traction control and front seatbelt pretensioners. The Cross Country was also fitted with Volvo’s side impact protection system (‘SIPS’) and whiplash protection system (‘WHIPS’) for the front seats.
Features
Standard features for the Volvo Cross Country included 16-inch alloy wheels with 215/65 R16 98H tyres, an eight speaker sound system with CD player, textile/vinyl upholstery, climate control air conditioning, cruise control, front and rear fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift, 60/40 split and folding rear seat, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, power retracting mirrors, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, cargo cover, roof rails, a 12 volt power outlet, trip computer and immobiliser. A third row of seats was available as an option.
The Cross Country Plus was further equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, leather seats and upholstery. Beyond this, the Cross Country SE added a nine-speaker Dolby sound system with four-disc in-dash CD player, heated front seats, driver’s seat and mirror memory settings, rear mudflaps and reinforced roof rails with cross-members.
June 2001: Cross Country update
With the June 2001 update, standard features were extended to include 16-inch alloy wheels, leather seats and a power adjustable driver’s seat. The suspension settings were also revised for improved ride quality.
2001 Cross Country Ocean Race
In December 2001, a Limited Edition Ocean Race variant was released. Compared to the standard Cross Country, the Limited Edition Ocean Race was distinguished by its sports leather seats in Oak with Arena trim; visually, the Limited Edition Ocean Race could be identified by its ‘ocean blue’ paint finish, silver waistline moulding, front and rear skid places, and ‘Ocean Race’ emblems.
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