Volvo S90 and V90 score five stars in Euro NCAP tests

A perfect score for the S90 and V90 in the Euro NCAP crash tests of reiterates Volvo’s focus on safety

Over the years, Volvo has gained the reputation of building the safest cars in the world. The Swedish car maker’s latest entrant, the S90 sedan and the V90 estate, were recently put through a rigorous test by Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme). Unsurprisingly, both these cars scored a perfect five-star rating in the crash tests.

The Volvo S90 as well as the V90 remained absolutely stable in the front offset test. The dummy readings indicated impressive protection for the knees and femurs of the driver as well as the front passenger. Protection for a 6 year and 10-year child dummy was good for all parts of the body. In fact, the results of the full-width barrier test also reflected good protection for adults. Both the cars scored maximum points in the side barrier impact by providing adequate protection for children as well as adults. Euro NCAP also tested the front head restraints which demonstrated good protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision. Further, Volvo’s ‘City Safety’ autonomous braking system provided additional whiplash protection. Testing it for performance, at varying city driving speeds, the car manged to avoid collisions on every occasion. Additionally, the S90 and V90 also come with ‘intelligent speed assistance’ that warns the driver of the speed limit. The car’s lane assist system also warns the driver when the car is drifting apart.

However, in case of a collision with a pedestrian, Volvo’s sensors of the ‘active bonnet’ feature raise the bonnet, thereby providing better clearance from the elements in the engine bay. The car provided adequate protection for the legs and the head of pedestrian but protection of the pelvic region was poor in almost all test conditions.

A perfect score of five-stars is a testimony of Volvo’s undying commitment towards safety. Of the two cars, Volvo currently only has the S90 on sale in India. The sedan is brought to India via the CBU route and has been priced starting Rs 53.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). While the car that has been tested by Euro NCAP is the European-spec model, some of these features are not available in India.