Make no mistake about it, the seat belt saved more lives than any other automotive safety feature before or since. When you think that Volvo gave away the patent to other carmakers, it becomes clear that the Swedish company takes safety seriously.
Almost six decades after the three-points seat belt was introduced as standard equipment, Volvo continues to focus on safety. Case in point: the S90 mid-size sedan and its station wagon sibling, the V90. Euro NCAP tested the two models and, color me unsurprised, both were awarded five stars.
Bearing in mind these models are the first Volvos to be tested against the European agency’s 2017 crash test regime, the results are all the more impressive. Adult occupant protection is rated 95 percent, whereas child occupant protect is a rather impressive 80 percent. As for pedestrians protection and safety assist, the two Volvos boast 76 and 93 percent ratings.
It should be highlighted that the fine print reads, “Euro NCAP has verified that the results of the V90 are as good or better than those of the S90,” without actually crashing the V90 into a barrier. This is the reason why V90 ratings perfectly mirror those of the S90. In terms of configuration, the tested car is a left-hand drive D4 Momentum that tips the scales at 1,828 kilograms.
As standard, the S90 and V90 are equipped with safety features that include an active hood, both low- and high-speed autonomous emergency braking systems, lane assist, and a pedestrian detection system designed to mitigate or lessen the effects of such a crash. And yes, the XC90 seven-seater SUV is similarly equipped and it’s also a five-star vehicle according to the Euro NCAP.
“Volvo has invested in safety, has made key technologies standard across the model range and the results speak for themselves: a very impressive five-star rating,” declared Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP's secretary general.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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