New Volvo EX30 Cross Country: specs and exclusive review of new electric off-roader

It’s been 25 years since Volvo introduced the Cross Country badge to its line-up with the V70 XC. In the UK at least, this rugged, off-road-biased trim level petered out to nothing, with none of the brand’s current range being offered in Cross Country guise. It’s back for 2025, though, and for the first time ever the Cross Country name will feature on an electric car. 

The Volvo EX30 Cross Country might look familiar, because this production car is indistinguishable from the prototype model that was revealed alongside the EX30 in 2023. Volvo says that we can expect the Cross Country to join the EX30 line-up by the summer, commanding a premium of roughly £1,000 over the standard Twin Motor Ultra - so expect it to start around £47,000. 

While the badge now adorns a compact electric crossover, the Swedish firm points out that the Cross Country’s focus very much lies in tough terrain. It says the new EX30 is “designed to cope with the demanding Scandinavian climate; Cross Country cars perform in a wide variety of road conditions – from muddy tracks and ankle-deep snow to highway driving – with the comfort and convenience elements that Volvo drivers have come to expect”.

So what do you get for the extra outlay? Just as we saw with the prototype, there’s distinctive black panelling at the front and rear. At the back it’s actually a tough ‘foil’ over the painted surface, and if you look closely at the front there’s a topography of Swedish mountain Kebnekaise with the coordinates included. Alongside this are a set of matt-black plastic wheelarch extensions, a plastic front skid plate, plus embossed Cross Country script on the rear pillar and beneath the rear bumper. 

It’s not all show, though, because the Cross Country gets a ride height raised by 19mm – 12mm from a fresh chassis set-up, and 7mm from new set of wheels. These are 19 inches as standard, but you can also option chunky off-road tyres on 18-inch rims. As with the old V90 Cross Country, the EX30 Cross Country gets new wing mirrors due to the difference in driving position. We were told these wing mirrors will also be used on a future model, which we can only assume will be the new ES90 electric saloon.

The Cross Country’s steering, five-link rear suspension, spring rate and damping have also been adjusted to a softer setting to deliver a “relaxed and comfortable driving experience”. 

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Based on the most powerful EX30, you can only have the Cross Country with the dual-motor set-up. That means it’s got the same 422bhp and 543Nm of torque, although the Cross Country is 0.1 seconds slower to 62mph (a still very punchy 3.7 seconds) than the standard Twin Motor due to those rugged tweaks. There’s also the same 69kWh battery (64kWh usable), but with the optional off-road tyres fitted, the Cross Country’s range is reduced and you can expect around 230 miles from a charge. With the standard tyres you’ll get 264 miles according to the official WLTP cycle. 

A few accessories will be available to customise the Cross Country for “every adventure”. These include a massive Volvo-branded roof rack, mud flaps and an electric towbar. Inside it’s business as usual with the same cabin as the regular EX30, meaning a 12.3-inch portrait-orientated touchscreen dominates the dashboard. Given the wait time for the Cross Country, Volvo has introduced all the latest over-the-air updates the EX30 has received during the time it’s been on sale, with upgrades to its Google-based infotainment system. 

Feedback from EX30 owners has seen things such as the 360-degree camera being able to work without the car going into gear, extra voice-command functionality and the addition of Apple CarPlay, too. The interior is offered in two colour combinations, with ‘Pine’ including Volvo’s wool and ‘Nordico’ upholstery, or ‘Indigo’ featuring recycled denim material for a dark blue and purple colourway.

The Cross Country name, in effect, spawned the XC-badged range of SUVs that have become such a success for Volvo, so despite this being the first Cross Country-branded electric car – and something other than an estate or saloon (don’t forget the short-lived S60 Cross Country) – it makes sense for the EX30 to bear the name. 

Volvo expects Cross Country versions to make up potentially less than 10 per cent of total EX30 sales in the UK, but that shouldn’t deter the firm from making more Cross Country models.

Joakim Hermansson, the product lead for the EX30, hinted to Auto Express that there could be a future for the Cross Country nameplate beyond the EX30, telling us that “Cross Country isn’t going anywhere”. The most obvious model to gain the Cross Country branding next would be the upcoming EX60. It’s unlikely we’ll see a more rugged version of the firm’s flagship EX90, given Volvo’s own tongue-in-cheek nickname of it being “a lounge with four wheels”. 

Volvo CEO, Jim Rowan, has also been positive about the Cross Country’s future: “We know that more and more people are seeking ways to get closer to nature,” he said. “This is why with our new Cross Country Experience, we aim to create an entire ecosystem around those models, supporting our customers as they embrace adventure.” 

Volvo EX30 Cross Country review

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We’ll give the new Volvo EX30 Cross Country a proper drive in the coming months, but at the reveal of the car in northern Sweden we got the exclusive opportunity to try it out on a frozen lake. It’s safe to say this driving experience isn’t what the typical UK EX30 Cross Country buyer will come across on a daily basis, but fitted with studded tyres and no other modifications, the Cross Country gave a good account of itself. 

The EX30’s keen driving dynamics are just as apparent on the Cross Country version, with responsive if a little uncommunicative steering, precious little body roll (despite the extra ride height) and a ride that felt very well sorted. 

Our only gripe – and again, it’s not something that’ll trouble most buyers – is that the electronic stability control is never truly off, taking power away from both axles if there’s excessive steering angle or tyre slip. 

There are no direct rivals for the EX30 Cross Country, with Volvo producing a rather niche electric crossover off-roader, but the extra ground clearance will certainly come in handy should you decide to take the Cross Country off the beaten track. 

This jacked-up EX30 made light work of some small snow banks, but its snow tyres are the ones to take the plaudits for our off-road experience. Despite the chunky rubber – which you’d assume to have a negative impact on refinement – the Cross Country still dampened exterior noise effectively, boding well for its on-road performance. 

Verdict

The EX30 Cross Country isn’t designed to be a big-seller for Volvo, but it should bring some excitement back to the outdoorsy trim level that threatened to fade away with a whimper. At first glance it appears to suit the EX30, so we’re keen to see what the future holds for more all-electric Cross Country offerings.

Specs