Volvo Cars unveiled the 2017 V90 Cross Country on Thursday, the luxury all-wheel vehicle well-positioned to tap into the fervent demand for crossovers.
The V90 Cross Country, the final vehicle in Volvo’s 90 series line, will go into production this fall at the automaker’s Torslanda factory in Sweden.
The Swedish automaker will provide more details about the vehicle when it makes its public debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month. But the company, which has been owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding of China since 2010, has shared some bits of information. The V90 Cross Country is based on the same platform of the XC90 SUV that was released last year. Think of it as a burlier, lifted version of the V90 wagon.
Volvo engineers lifted the vehicle by 2.5 inches, giving it greater ride height, according to this company fact sheet. It also added cladding to the vehicle’s exterior.
The vehicle has luxury interior touches as well, including many of the same Internet connectivity and entertainment features that were included in Volvo’s S90 sedan and V90 wagon. For example, the vehicle is equipped with a sound system by Bowers & Wilkins.
The first Volvo Cross Country was introduced to the marketplace nearly 20 years ago, filling a gap in the market for consumers who wanted a vehicle that could handle snow and rain, varying road conditions, without buying a beastly SUV, or giving up on luxury touches. The Cross Country was once an outlier to the now booming crossover SUV business.
Fortune’s test drive of the Volvo S90:
That wagon-meets-SUV design is essentially a bigger, luxury version of a Subaru Outback, which has its own cult-like following. It’s a vehicle that should help Volvo continue its sale streak in the U.S., and Europe.
While major automakers saw sales decline in August, Volvo Car Group reported U.S. sales increased 30.9% compared to the same month last year to 7,682 vehicles. Year-to-date sales, which have been driven by its XC90 luxury SUV and the XC60, are up 29.5%.
