After opening the segment in 1997 with the Volvo V70 Cross Country, the Swedish car-maker repeated the experience in 2012 with the Volvo V40 Cross Country.
The crossover car-category increased in size and prices. There were cars to fill that category from all the segments, from the small hatchbacks to large station-wagons, all were battling for a place on the table. In the compact class, the V40 Cross Country struggled to find its way in the segment which his bigger and older sibling created 15 years before.

From the outside, the V40 Cross Country was a V40 on stilts, with a 14 mm (0.5”) increase in the ground clearance. Black plastic elements were added to the flared arches, in the redesigned front bumper, and on the side-sills. But some parts were painted in silver so the black, long, surfaces would not look bland. In the rear, a plastic panel under the bumper mimicked an aluminum shield.

Inside, there was the same V40 interior with the same loads of spaces to store various items from a small purse behind the center console to the big glove compartment. Since the car was in the compact-segment, the designers installed a bench in the rear with a two-seats profile that barely left some room for a third passenger.

Unlike the V70 Cross Country, the V40 CC didn’t offer an all-wheel-drive system. It was available only as a front-wheel drive. The higher ground clearance and the longer suspension travel helped the car in coping better with potholes and speedbumps.