Late last year, we learned that the Volvo V60 Cross Country station wagon would end production in April 2026, and while the company has given hints that it is still looking into the space for the future, there haven’t been any official comments that could be considered promises of the longroof’s return. Until now – Volvo Cars president and CEO Håkan Samuelsson told Road & Track that Volvo is “looking into that,” adding, “Not just looking into. I think it’s not really too much [to say] that … I think we will not only have SUVs five years from now.” While he understands that the U.S. has become obsessed with SUVs, he also pointed out that practical and emotional factors may play into the drive for wagons or sedans again.
Wagons Are Better EVs, and They Might Be More Hip, Too
Cole Attisha
The CEO noted that air resistance will play a role in decision-making, something that Ford CEO Jim Farley has repeatedly noted, too, saying that “the sedan silhouette turns out to be very clean aerodynamically.” The other big factor is one of individuality. Many Americans grew up in the back of station wagons, and having crossovers and SUVs when they came of age felt like a meaningful change that differentiated them from their parents. As SUVs and crossovers proliferate, younger generations may want something that feels different from what today’s parents drive, and that could shift the perception of what is desirable and modern “back to lower cars,” according to Samuelsson. “They say, ‘My mother used to have [that car] when they see an SUV.” In a nutshell, EV range benefits and the pleasure of driving something different in shape from the previous generation may make station wagons very compelling by the end of the decade. But Volvo can’t rely only on that, and it’s got plans for a big SUV that could be very popular in the U.S.
Volvo Is Working On Something Big
Samuelsson’s discussion also revealed that Volvo is working on something that R&T says points to a previously rumored Cadillac Escalade rival, something to take on the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS with. The CEO said, “We are, right now, developing a car where it’s really the U.S. market in sight, which should be a really big seller here.” He added that it’s “a family-oriented bigger car,” adding that it needs variety in its powertrain offering, with an EV-only offering “difficult” to find success with. Better still, this new SUV may be produced at Volvo’s South Carolina plant, which is currently underutilized and has been offered to other brands. “With such a car,” Samuelsson said, “with the volume we [could] sell in the U.S., it should be no problem to fill the factory. If Volvo can introduce a big SUV specifically for America while also bringing wagons back, it should be able to appeal to more buyers, something it desperately needs to do. Unfortunately, a specific timeframe for any new Volvos is out of the question for now, but we’ll report back as soon as more information becomes available.
