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The all-new Volvo V60 Cross Country.

Courtesy photo

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The all-new Volvo V60 Cross Country.

Courtesy photo

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The all-new Volvo V60 Cross Country.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the all-new Volvo V60 Cross Country.

Courtesy photo

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A highlight of our quick trip to Denver for the annual Rocky Mountain Automotive Press Christmas party was the opportunity to drive home in the new Mild Hybrid version of the Volvo V60 Cross Country. Well, that and the fact that the temperatures were in the mid-50s in the Mile High City. It was nice to get out of the freezing Utah weather, if only for a short couple of days.

We always love to travel in a Volvo as they continually have the most comfortable seats in the industry. Plus, they are loaded with all kinds of technology that always helps make the drive even better, as was shown to us right away when we picked up the car in airport parking.

We had chosen a hotel in Lakewood on the opposite side of the city from the airport, and we easily entered the address using the Google mapping function that comes standard in all Volvo models. As it was late afternoon, we were given directions along a circular route, keeping us off Interstate 70 where there were a couple of accidents heading into downtown Denver. This saved us about 45 minutes of drive time.

The route was shown in the middle of the Volvo’s large 12.3-inch driving display, which made it very easy for Craig to know where we were headed. It also projected the turn-by-turn directions on the heads-up display!

This Google feature allowed us to talk with the Volvo by saying “Hey, Google” as one would with a Google phone. This proved to be handy as we made our way back to Utah the following day, as it would also predict traffic and weather conditions along the route.

This new system allows for over-the-air updates to the Volvo’s software, which will keep it up to date with any new additions or alterations to the car’s systems. We expect this type of technology to continue enhancing all brands of vehicles as there could be life-saving changes made just through updating the software.

As Volvo moves toward a full electrification of its entire line, some of its most popular offerings are receiving a mild hybrid system that is self-charging and helps give the vehicles a little more push from electricity when starting or with heavy acceleration.

We found this to be a great addition as we managed to get a very nice 28.5 miles per gallon during more than 750 miles of driving. Granted, many of those were on the freeway coming home from Denver, but they did include some heavy grades and some very inclement weather.

And speaking of the inclement weather, we received our first measurable snowfall during the second week of December while we had the V60, and it proved to be an awesome snow car. We were out and about early in the morning after the first snow, with over 4 inches in some locations. The Cross Country, with its included all-wheel drive, behaved as if it were a normal day at work.

We strongly recommend those in the Intermountain West make sure to check the AWD box as it made all the difference in the world with real snow on the ground. We also encountered some seriously slushy conditions up and over the two high mountain passes on our way home from Denver, and it was nice to have the peace of mind that we were inside the safety and prowess of a Volvo. We learned there are times when chains and/or AWD are required to make the drive over I-70.

Of course, the Volvo was equipped with all the safety awesomeness that comes in any of this manufacturer’s vehicles. Included were adaptive cruse control, blind spot monitoring, forward collision avoidance and mitigation, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, rear cross path detection and even an automatic door unlocking system in the event of a crash.

The properly functioning rear cross path detection allowed Craig to narrowly miss being involved in an accident. He was slowly backing out of parking space at a grocery store when another vehicle went charging by behind him. The Volvo took over by stopping the car and sounding an alarm inside, all before he could even react. This saved us from having to call our friends at Volvo and explain a minor accident in a parking lot!

As we would have expected from this luxury brand, the V60’s interior was loaded with all kinds of great options ranging from heated and cooled nappa leather seats to the awesome iPad-like infotainment system. It all gives the owner an extra sense of well-being.

Equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and an eight-speed gearbox, the V60 had more than enough mojo to keep us empty nesters engaged and out of trouble if we needed an extra push while making the trek home from Denver. It all added up to 247 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque — not bad for a mid-sized SUV!

The V60 proved to be the perfect traveling companion, making our one-day excursion home from the Mile High City a delight indeed. It would be an awesome everyday driver for anyone and comes with just the right amount of luxury, technology and mojo.

Base price: $54,100

Destination charge: $1,095

Price as driven: $63,565

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