Crossovers seem to be the sport utility vehicle (SUV) of our times. Many of you will probably remember when the Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wagoneer and Toyota 4Runner were some of the only SUV type of vehicles on the market (well with any real following). Then the ‘90s brought the dawn of a new age with the Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder and a host of other vehicles that would hit the market throughout the new Millennium. Crossovers have seen that same trend in the last couple years and Volvo is looking to play again in that market with the 2012 Volvo V30.
The image above is a rendering of what the new compact crossover could look like when it comes to market. Maybe it is just me, but the rendering seems to look similar to the new Hyundai designs that we have seen on the Verna announce earlier this month and the redesigned Sonata. Don’t get me wrong, that isn’t a bad thing, the newer Volvo’s have a slightly more aggressive then their predecessors which I think makes them more inviting to the younger crowd. I digress. The V30 mechanicals will be based on the C30 hatchback according to our partners over at MotorAuthority.com. So expect a spirit filled engine and sharp handling.
Bottom line—if you like the C30 but needed four-doors, then Volvo might have something for you in the first half of next year. Safety and Swedish engineering might be worth the wait. It might even give the up coming BMW X1 and Mercedes BLK crossovers a run for their money.
