Launched in Singapore earlier this year, the Volvo V40 Cross Country is rugged yet elegant. We got to drive the five-door vehicle for a couple of days and managed to enjoy the ride.
Spacious in the driver and passenger areas, the Volvo V40 Cross Country is an easy drive even though the interior could have been given a slightly more elegant furnishing. The panoramic glass roof gives the interior natural light while reducing infrared radiation.
Well if you enjoy choice and variety, the Volvo V40 Cross Country offers seven mood themes giving the interior a “theatre lighting” feel. You can also dim the reading lights.
If you enjoy your music in your smartphone or MP3 player, there is a USB connector and a choice of audio system selections. That was where my collection of music from my premium Spotify came in really handy though the Bluetooth connection was used to amplify the music through the vehicle’s audio system.
If you are easily intrigued by aesthetics and mood, the dashboard offers three graphic themes to suit your whims and fancy. An ELEGANCE theme gives an amber illumination while the ECO theme features green background illumination with an eco meter displayed on the left. The last graphic theme is the PERFORMANCE theme with a red background illumination giving a sporty feel. A tachometer scale replaces the speed scale in the centre of the display, vehicle speed is shown digitally in the centre and the right display displays the power meter.
Verdict: A good drive and not a fuel guzzler. Spacious and comfortable. The Eco start-stop feature to me was a great feature.
