Spy shot of the 2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Volvo is preparing a mild update to its soft-roader V90 Cross Country, as evidenced by a lightly camouflaged prototype spotted during recent cold weather testing.

The changes mirror those introduced on last year's updated 2020 XC90, and include a revised grille, new wheel patterns, and new color and trim options.

The most significant change is under the hood, where mild hybrid technology will be introduced to all models. This is essentially a belt-driven motor-generator that recovers energy during braking and stores it for later use. Volvo says that for the XC90, this system can improve fuel economy by 15%.

The V90 Cross Country T8 plug-in hybrid should also benefit from a slight increase in power output and a larger battery; the 2020 XC90 T8 raises the battery size from 10.4 kilowatt hours to 11.6 kilowatt hours.

Electronic driver assistance features are likely to be added, but no major changes to the cabin are expected.

The updated V90 Cross Country will go on sale later this year, along with similarly updated versions of the related S90 sedan and V90 wagon. These should appear as 2021 models.