I drove the new Volvo EX30 Cross Country – it’s a tough, high-riding EV that can conquer ice lakes and look cool at home

DOING skids on a frozen lake with a kayak on the roof might seem like fun to you.

But this is serious work.

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If the dinky electric Volvo EX30 Cross Country can handle proper northern winters up near the Arctic Circle, then it can handle the worst of our weather back home[/caption]

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For those of you who don’t know, Cross Country is Volvo-speak for added toughness[/caption]

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The EX30 Cross Country rides higher, on fatter tyres, with softer suspension, and it’s armoured with skid plates and black cladding – making short work of the ice[/caption]

It really is.

If a dinky electric Volvo can handle proper northern winters up near the Arctic Circle, then surely it can handle the worst of our weather back home?

The short answer is: Yes, it can. And it will. And then some.

This is the EX30 Cross Country.

For those of you who don’t know, Cross Country is Volvo-speak for added toughness. Popeye after a tin of spinach.

The regular EX30 costs £33k. Absolute cracker. It’s Volvo goodness for Vauxhall money. The Sun’s 2023 Car of the Year.

All-wheel drive performance versions with a bigger battery start with a four.

Then you get to the one you really want, Cross Country. Also 428hp and four-wheel drive, but it rides higher, on fatter tyres, with softer suspension, and it’s armoured with skid plates and protective black cladding.

Look cooler

So you can do more things with it. Be more adventurous with it. Look cooler in it.

Which brings us back to the frozen lake.

The kayak was my insurance policy.

But I didn’t really need it.

The ice is one-metre thick here, apparently, and every Volvo is loaded with the latest anti-crash kit.

If this car senses a driver is about to have a code brown — like too much understeer pushing the car straight on — the on-board computer kicks in to calm things down. Mostly by braking the slipping wheels and managing the power.

That doesn’t mean it is allergic to fun.

Switch off the electronic stability controls and you’ll be mastering crowd-pleasing Scandinavian flicks in no time at all.

So that’s exactly what we did. For many laps. Until the poor photographer’s eyebrows started freezing in minus 18C. A bowl of reindeer broth warmed him up.

Drive sensibly on normal roads and this car is smooth, easy, assured and composed. You’ll hardly ever touch the brakes using one-pedal mode if you’re good at anticipating traffic flow.

As for the cabin, it’s a thoroughbred Volvo. Cool, classy, lots of recycled materials — even denim — all crowned by a turbocharged Google touchscreen and a 1.2-metre wide soundbar. Over-the-air updates will keep things fresh.

Other observations. Huge door pockets, central glovebox, grippy wireless phone charging tray, removable bin in the back. All things that please.

The boot is fine for buggies and the weekly food shop. But for those weekend adventures, you’ll want to bung on a roof basket for the camping gear.

You can borrow a kayak when you get there.