Volvos safety features reached another milestone; S60 rated among safest cars

The models of Volvo Car Corporation, a completely owned subsidiary of Swedish-based Volvo Group, are once again in the limelight owing to their world-class safety features. This time the safety credentials of the model were acknowledged by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). According to a latest report, Volvo S60 is counted among the two top-most rated cars during the frontal crash test, which was carried by IIHS.

In the recently conducted study, the driver side, forming 25 per cent of the car’s frontal, was made to crash with a rigid barrier at a speed of 40 mph (64 kmph). At that time, the driver’s seat was occupied by a Hybrid III dummy. This test was designed to see what will be the impact when the car collides with another vehicle or an object like a pole/tree.

Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Car Corporation, Thomas Broberg, quoted, “The relatively small overlap is a very severe crash situation and we are very pleased with the test result. Our aim is to build cars that help protect the occupants in most crash situations that occur in real-life traffic. This test confirms that our safety systems work as intended also when a small part of the front is involved in the collision.”

According to past safety tests, Volvo's safety features are well-known across the globe. Proving this statement right, last year, five models of the company, namely C30, S60, S80, XC60 and XC90, were felicitated with a Top Safety Pick. In 2011 IIHS report, Volvo came up as the only European luxury brand whose five models were awarded by the organisation.

Among the rated models, XC60 was the only crossover, which was provided with an overall 5 Star U.S. NCAP rating and IIHS Top Safety Pick. In 2010, Volvo XC60 managed to acquire all the 5 Stars among the entire individual crash tests, which comprised 5 Stars for the passenger as well as driver’s safety during the frontal collision. Moreover, the car was provided with all the stars at the time of both side collision tests.

The Managing Director of Volvo Auto India, Tomas Ernberg commented, “Volvo cars have always been synonymous with luxury and safety. As per our overarching philosophy of ‘Designed Around You’, Volvo has always aspired to provide its customers a world-class experience which interweaves Scandinavian sophistication with superlative safety features. The latest test results are a testimony to our unmatched safety features in real-life crash situations.”