Volvo Moves its Drive-E Drivetrain into the V40 Cross Country

Volvo V40 Cross Country (Credit: © Volvo)

The Volvo V40 hasn’t been a part of the U.S. lineup since the automaker pulled it from the States following the 2004 model year. However, this could soon change with Volvo looking to revamp its lineup and base ranges of cars off of single platforms. This system would help the luxury automaker to release lower-volume cars like the V40 in the U.S. without the risk of spending too much money to sell just a few units. With that possibility sitting in the back of our minds, Volvo just announced that the brawnier V40 Cross Country will gain a new, cleaner drivetrain.

Starting in mid-fall 2014, Volvo will start including the Drive-E T5, four-cylinder engine as an option on the all-wheel-drive V40. This 2.0-liter engine will replace the old T5, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder unit that developed 254 horsepower and 360 Nm (265 pound-feet) of torque. The new engine will not only decrease emissions and increase fuel economy, but it will also retain the same driving characteristics buyers expect from Volvo. This smooth transition is thanks to the new four-pot’s 245 horsepower and 350 Nm (258 pound-feet) of torque. With this new engine also comes a new transmission, as Volvo will swap out the V40 Cross Country’s old six-speed Geartronic transmission for an eight-speed auto with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.

Volvo didn’t mention how much more fuel efficient the V40 Cross Country will be with this new drivetrain, but it did mention that its CO2 emissions will drop from 194 grams per km to 149 grams per km.

As I stated earlier, the V40 hasn’t been a part of the U.S. lineup in quite some time, but there is a chance that this new platform-sharing system will result in us getting it in the near future.