Volvo's newest station wagon is off-road rugged

Volvo introduced a rugged Cross Country version of its new V90 station wagon on Thursday. The V90 Cross Country is the latest in a line of off-road Volvo wagons that first debuted two decades ago.

"The V90 Cross Country takes the elegance of the V90 and transforms it into an all-road car that delivers safety, comfort and performance in a capable and adventurous package," Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson said in a press statement.

To create the Cross Country, Volvo took the V90 and bolstered the car's all-wheel-drive system, ride height, and durability to handle the more rugged terrain required of modern crossovers.

In fact, with a booming market for midsize crossovers, the V90 Cross Country gives Volvo another entrant in the highly lucrative segment along side the XC60.

In addition to the V90 Cross Country, Volvo also makes the smaller and cheaper V60 Cross Country and XC70 crossover wagons.

Like the V90, on which it's based, the Cross Country is built on the Swedish automaker's new Scalable Product Architecture. It's the same platform that underpins the Volvo's award-winning XC90 SUV.

The V90 Cross Country is expected the share the V90's lineup of new Drive-e Series 2.0 liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder engines.

Production of the V90 Cross Country is expected commence this fall at Volvo's Torslanda Plant in Sweden with a starting price of $55,300.