- The 2026 Volvo EX30 is the first electric model to get the brand’s rugged Cross Country treatment.
- The new EX30 CC has standard all-wheel drive, a raised ride height, skid plates, and available all-terrain tires.
- Volvo hasn’t yet announced pricing, but we expect the rugged subcompact electric SUV to cost around $50K when it goes on sale later this year.
When Jack Frost—or Kung Bore, his Swedish title—arrives in Lapland, it can be a nasty affair. Winters are frigid, dry, and unsympathetic; noses turn blue, breath lingers in the air, and oversized down jackets become a regional uniform. Ice-caked roads and blood-freezing temperatures are merely obstacles to work around for the Swedes. Volvo is native to the country and well-versed in making vehicles that can handle hostile conditions. The 2026 Volvo EX30 Cross Country is the latest to get the brand’s all-terrain-ready Cross Country treatment. It’s also the first electric model to wear the badge.
Volvo’s First EV Cross Country
The Cross Country nameplate has largely been reserved for Volvo station wagons, appearing on models such as the V60 and V90. All of them have featured standard all-wheel drive, a raised ride height, and rugged bodywork, making them more capable in adverse conditions and SUV-like enough to expand their market appeal. Volvo has experimented with some other segment-blending Cross Country models as well, from the V40 Cross Country hatchback to the S60 Cross Country sedan. While the V40 CC stuck around for seven model years, the S60 CC bit the dust after just three.
When it comes to the Cross Country version of the EX30, it features the same electric powertrain as the standard dual-motor all-wheel-drive model, producing 422 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Juicing its electric motors is a 64.0-kWh battery pack that Volvo estimates can deliver 264 miles of range on a single charge. When the electrons run out and the EX30 CC is plugged into a DC fast-charger, Volvo claims it can go from 10 to 80 percent in 26 minutes.
Of course, the Cross Country recipe remains nearly the same as it always has been. Its ride is raised 0.7 inch compared with the standard SUV. Volvo also softened its springs and rear anti-roll bar for added comfort and more predictable low-grip handling. Front and rear skid plates protect its belly, and flared overfenders give the little off-roader a more assertive appearance. The Cross Country EX30 also has exclusive 18-inch wheels that can be had with available all-terrain tires for an extra fee. So, despite an unfamiliar powertrain, it’s business as usual.
The EX30 CC also adds unique boreal flair inside and out. Its front and rear body panels feature a dark grey color that adds dimension to the EV’s otherwise one-note exterior. The front one adds texture too, with a topographic etching of the Kebnekaise mountain range in Arctic Sweden. The EX30 CC also wears its heritage on its door panels, which were designed to resemble a type of granite stone native to its home country.
We recently got a taste of the EX30 Cross Country’s specialized capabilities on rather unique terrain in its native environment. Driving on over a meter of ice atop a frozen lake in Lulea, Sweden, the Cross Country felt in its element and remarkably composed. While studded Michelin X-Ice North tires provided our sample car with massive traction, its nimble chassis is what gave us the confidence to flick the CC into slick corners without the fear of frosty repercussions. Its cushy springs ate up icy bumps and its 10-percent-softer rear anti-roll bar helped make quick direction changes smooth and pleasantly uneventful.
On particularly slippery sections, the Cross Country’s electronic stability control system did a good job of tempering torque and keeping the car moving in the right direction but admittedly we didn’t keep it on for long. Even with ESC and traction control partially off, it was exceedingly easy to catch slides and maintain control while sending it sideways on the sub-zero test track.
Since we didn’t have an opportunity to drive the EX30 Cross Country on dry pavement, it is hard to say how its tweaks will translate to non-winter conditions. But even on ice, it is obvious that the Cross Country is tuned to ride comfortably and handle playfully on any surface.
To encourage customers to embrace the EX30 Cross Country’s adventurous side, Volvo wants customers to think of the EX30 Cross Country as an experience rather than just an SUV, so it will offer a “Cross Country Experience” package along with the purchase. Part of the package includes special incentives for outdoorsy accessories, including discounts on the aforementioned A/T tires, a roof basket, and mud flaps. There’s also an opportunity to rent out a fully equipped cabin in Swedish Lapland to experience firsthand the conditions that inspired the EX30 Cross Country. Volvo says that if you book the cabin, which is available from February 21 to March 21, 2025, it will have a car waiting for you and will recommend a selection of outdoor activities to fully immerse you in the Scandinavian winter experience.
When and How Much?
The 2026 Volvo EX30 Cross Country is expected to go on sale in the United States sometime later this year. U.S. customers only recently started taking delivery of the standard EX30 Twin Motor Performance models after a whirlwind of changes were made to the rollout schedule since last June.
With underpinnings borrowed from Chinese parent company Geely, standard EX30 models were initially manufactured in Zhangjiakou, China—making them susceptible to tariffs recently imposed on Chinese-built EVs by the U.S. government. While it is unclear where the EX30 Cross Country is being built, Volvo is moving production of U.S.-bound EX30 models to its factory in Ghent, Belgium, this spring. The move could reduce import woes and keep costs down for both the standard EX30 and Cross Country models.
Volvo hasn’t yet released pricing for the new EX30 Cross Country. However, we expect it will cost more than the current Twin Motor Performance trim it’s based on. Since that model starts at $46,195, the Cross Country will likely approach the $50,000 mark.
Austin’s car fixation began at a young age and at 1:64 scale. Eventually, Hot Wheels weren’t cutting it anymore, so he developed an obsession with his father’s full-sized 1965 Ford Mustang instead. Desperate to break into the automotive industry, he bartered his way into a job at a local BMW dealership by promising to stop hurling nerdy technical facts at the salesmen who came into the neighboring coffee shop where he worked.
That was also around the time when he started writing automotive reviews, news articles, and technical guides for a number of local and international publications. Now at Car and Driver, Austin brings more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and an all-so-common love-hate relationship with German engineering to the table.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
