VOLVO is going from strength to strength and building on its reputation for developing top quality, premium vehicles that are feature-rich and competitively priced.

Hot on the heels of the latest XC90 we have the introduction of new Cross Country models to the V60 and S60 range bringing all the rugged and dynamic styling associated with the trim level.

Models carrying the V prefix are versatile, hatchback estates and the S stands for saloon.

The V60 priced from approximately £30,000 to £38,000 will account for most of the Cross Country sales and it has an increased ride height of 60mm, optional AWD powertrain, SE or Lux trim levels, along with three powertrains - a D3 150bhp, D4 190bhp and D4 AWD 190bhp - with carbon emissions from 111g/km. There is also a choice of 10 colours.

The new Cross Country grading has some defined, stand-out features such as a matt grey honeycomb grille, sculpted bonnet, silver skid plates, black lower mouldings and wheel arches, gloss black window trims and wing mirrors.

At the rear of the vehicle the words ‘Cross Country' sit proudly across the skid plate, there are twin tailpipes integrated into the plate and a detachable tow bar is available as an option.

The interior features cloth or leather seats depending on the trim level with an option to upgrade to sports leather seats. And in true Scandinavian tradition the cabin is clutter-free with clear dials and instrumentation along with a real attention to detail.

The instruments and centre stack are angled towards the driver, but the passenger can easily access some of the controls too so leaving the driver to concentrate on the road ahead.

Onboard technology includes the likes of a seven-inch colour display screen with sat nav, DAB radio, air conditioning, a rear parking camera, powered seats, a glass tilt and slide sunroof, a soft-touch dashboard and plenty more besides.

There is ample room for five adults (four in absolute comfort) and the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats increase the storage capacity from 557 litres to 1,241 litres. There are also plenty of smaller compartments scattered throughout the cabin.

I tried out the V60 Cross Country D4 Manual in Lux Nav trim priced at £34,995 (increased to £42,540 with options fitted).

This diesel-driven 190bhp model can reach from 0-62mph in in 7.8 seconds with a top speed of 130mph. According to official figures it can deliver combined fuel economy of 67.3mpg with carbon emissions of 113g/km.

Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the car proved an absolute delight to drive. Despite its length, it felt agile and easy to manoeuvre and the excellent all-round visibility is another plus factor on a car that will be used to transport children on a regular basis.

The acceleration was beautifully smooth through the gears with a constant supply of power on tap from the impressive new Volvo-designed and built Drive-E engine.

The ride is comfortable and the cabin remains insulated from any road, engine or wind noise - even when the car is pushed that little bit harder.

The road-holding is very reassured and the steering is nice and precise too meaning the joy is restored to tackling long, winding country lanes.

And of course, it would not be a Volvo if it didn't come wwith a whole host of safety features.

As well as the more instantly-recognisable systems, this car came complete with a Driver Support Pack (£1,900 optional extra) which introduced the likes of collision warning with full auto brake, pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with distance alert, lane keeping aid, road sign information display, driver alert control and a whole lot more.

Another factor that always appeals to me regarding Volvo is that despite packing their cars with outstanding technology and creature comforts, the company does the simple things exceptionally well.

For example, the rear headrests can be folded forward when not in use to give the driver a clear view through the rear screen, the direction for climate control is easily set by pressing head, body or legs buttons (which is so much less fiddly than many other vehicles) and finally the simplicity of all the features - you don't need an honours degree in computing to set the nav or adjust the temperature.

All in all, the V60 Cross Country is a great car. It's not cheap especially with all the optional add-ons, but it is premium quality and certainly delivers on all counts.