Compare the2024 Subaru ImprezaVS 2024 Volvo V60 Cross Country

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Impreza are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The V60 Cross Country doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Impreza and the V60 Cross Country have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Subaru Impreza achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The V60 Cross Country has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Impreza 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the V60 Cross Country. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the V60 Cross Country ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Impreza’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Impreza’s reliability 19 points higher than the V60 Cross Country.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 65 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 19 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

As tested in Motor Trend the Impreza RS 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Volvo V60 Cross Country:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Impreza lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The V60 Cross Country doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Impreza gets better mileage than the V60 Cross Country:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Impreza uses regular unleaded gasoline. The V60 Cross Country requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Impreza higher (7 out of 10) than the Volvo V60 Cross Country (5). This means the Impreza produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the V60 Cross Country every 15,000 miles.

The Impreza has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The V60 Cross Country doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Impreza stops shorter than the V60 Cross Country:

The front and rear suspension of the Impreza uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the V60 Cross Country, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

For better maneuverability, the Impreza’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the V60 Cross Country’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

The Subaru Impreza may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 950 pounds less than the Volvo V60 Cross Country.

The Impreza is 1 foot shorter than the V60 Cross Country, making the Impreza easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Impreza has 6.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the V60 Cross Country (100.5 vs. 94).

The Impreza has 2.4 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the V60 Cross Country.

The engine in the Impreza is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the V60 Cross Country. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Impreza has standard extendable sun visors. The V60 Cross Country doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Impreza, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Impreza outsold the Volvo 60 Series by almost three to one during 2023.