Remember the wagon? Long ago, for decades, it was the preferred vehicle we used to hop into when people hit the road with family and friends.

Enter the era of SUVs, and the wagons have mostly disappeared as families flocked to the new dominant vehicle type on today’s roadways.

But fear not, wagon lovers, you still have a few choices if you’d like to maintain solid cargo space and a roomy interior, but don’t want to follow the trend of SUV ownership.

The clear leader in the world of wagons today is the Subaru Outback, which is so successful it’s the leading seller for Subaru in the U.S.; sales actually grew by 10 percent in 2023 to reach 161,814 total Outbacks sold. And numbers are trending to grow yet again in 2024.

Wagons are pretty much an endangered species in this SUV-focused world, but they’re not dead yet. And Volvo is one of the main reasons for this.

With decades of wagon experience, the Swedish luxury brand continues to make options available to wagon lovers, including its V60 and V90 offerings.

Both of those vehicles also come in Cross Country options, and I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country, which lives up to the brand’s lofty wagon reputation.

The Cross Country is a version of the V60 featuring a higher ride height, improved suspension and protective body materials.

Volvo has few true competitors in the luxury wagon segment — mainly just the Audi A4 and A6 Allroad, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon. Read on for a full breakdown of how the V60 Cross Country holds up in this limited but important segment for buyers seeking alternatives to the barrage of SUVs we see in the market today that offer similar versatility, but a better driving experience.

There’s a lot to like about a good wagon. Even in an era when the majority of buyers prefer SUV and crossovers, a wagon can still offer you the level of storage space an SUV can, while offering a less bulky frame and easier entry and access to materials. 

Throw in a bit of luxury, and you have the 2021 Volvo V90, a stylish and well-designed wagon that is one of few vehicles keeping the luxury wagon segment alive. (Benz and Audi have some offerings, and Volvo also offers the smaller V60)

I can’t stress enough that these are not your 1970s or 1980s wood-paneled type of wagons either. For one, they don’t have the rear-facing “wayback” seat (though that would be a pretty cool thing for someone to bring back). But these high-end wagons are also now high-tech, beautiful machines that rival anything on the roadways.

I recently spent some time in a 2021 V90, and I’m back with a full report.