Crossover fatigue. This term, which was uttered half-jokingly during a recent Motor Trend staff meeting discussing one of the many crossover comparison tests we were attempting to execute, describes consumers who might be overwhelmed (and perhaps underwhelmed) by the countless crossovers available today. Our recommended remedy? Wagons! Wagons such as the 2017 Volvo V60, which is just as practical and luxurious as its more popular crossover sibling, the XC60. But unlike the XC60, the V60 is a tad more special because it can be had in a high-performance variant from Volvo’s Polestar division.
The 2017 Volvo V60 Polestar (and its sedan counterpart, the S60 Polestar) received some major changes under the hood for this model year. Replacing the transverse 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six is Volvo’s Drive-E 2.0-liter inline-four that is both supercharged and turbocharged. The new engine churns out 362 hp and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm) of torque versus 345 hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) before. Also significant is the gearbox routing that power to all four wheels - an eight-speed automatic, which does away with the somewhat lazy six-speed.