Volvo V40 Cross Country: New Details Surface

On June 14th 2013, Volvo will launch the V40 Cross Country crossover, a raised and restyled version of the V40 hatchback. AutoCarIndia has just revealed a rash of new details about the crossover that'll be pitted against the likes of the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1 in the entry level luxury crossover space in India. 

Firstly, the Volvo V40 Cross Country will be imported to India through the completely built unit(CBU) route. Doing thus will mean that the crossover will be at a distinct price disadvantage compared to the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3 (which will see CKD assembly shortly) right from word go.  

However, the speculated ex-showroom price of 28.5 lakh rupees for the Volvo V40 Cross Country does make the crossover seem reasonably priced given the amount of kit on offer and also the fact that the car is a completely built unit. Launching into the main aspects of the Volvo V40 Cross Country, the crossover will be available in a single variant for India. The 2 liter-inline five turbo diesel engine (148 Bhp-350 Nm) is said to be the only motor on offer.

This engine is mated to a 6 speed automatic gearbox, which will drive the front wheels of the V40. The engine-transmission combination works in tandem with a start-stop system for better fuel economy and lower tail pipe emissions.  Although the Volvo V40 Cross Country will take on crossovers such as the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1, the crossover comes a cropper in terms of ground clearance. With a ground clearance of just 145mm on offer on the crossover, scraping the under body over larger speed breakers could be a bother.

Coming to the safety features and equipment on offer, the Volvo V40 has the competition well covered on this front. The V40 comes with front, curtain and knee airbags, ABS+EBD, Traction Control, ESP and City Safety Braking, as its prominent safety features. Coming to creature comforts, the crossover gets Cruise Control, a Park Assist System, Leather Seats with ventilation function, Panoramic Sun Roof, Rear Parking Sensors, Rear Parking Cameras and an 8 inch TFT display based infotainment system.

The V40 gets 4 colours: Red, Blue, Copper and Silver and three colour combinations are offered for the leather interiors. in India, Volvo doesn't have the same level of brand recognition and value as the Teuton trio. Also, Volvo is yet to have a significant dealership and service center reach when compared to the well oiled set-ups of the Germans. Until date, Volvo's main weapon in India has been its pricing. With the Indian government jacking up import duty for CBUs, Volvo might no longer be able to price its cars lower than those of the German luxury car makers. Therefore, CKD assembly is the way to go for Volvo.