Volvo has lifted the veil off of the 2013 V40 Cross Country at the Paris Motor Show. Inspired by the V70 Cross Country that debuted in 1997, the hatchback is billed as an alternative to small crossovers.
Based on the V40 hatchback that bowed in Geneva earlier this year, the Cross Country features a raised ground clearance, plastic trim on both ends, brushed aluminum trim on the rocker panels and roof rails. A model-specific grille and available 19-inch alloy wheels finish off the look.
At its launch, the V40 Cross Country will be offered with the same engines that are found under the hood of the regular V40, including a 177-horsepower 2.0-liter turbodiesel and a smaller 1.6-liter unit that emits just 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Both six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes will be offered and certain models will come with all-wheel drive.
Regardless of what lies in the engine bay, all models come standard with a start/stop system and a Hill Hold function. Hill Descent Control, a system that maintains the car's speed on a steep slope, comes standard on the range-topping T5 AWD model.
After greeting the show-going crowd in France, the V40 Cross Country will go on sale in Europe and in China in 2013. Pricing information will be released closer to its launch. The V40 Cross Country is very unlikely to be sold in the United States.Â
