Volvo is a brand arguably more synonymous with safety than any other, having pioneered seatbelts in 1959, side airbags in 1994 to name just a couple of innovations, so it comes as no surprise to learn the Euro NCAP results for the S90 and V90 are exemplary.
Both received five-star ratings, but the numerical ratings are where the pair shine most. For adult occupant protection, they achieved 95 per cent. For child occupant protection that number is 80 per cent. When it comes to how people outside the car are impacted, pedestrian protection is a solid 76 per cent, while safety assist, referring to active safety systems, is 93 per cent.
If you’re trying to split which of the two you should get on the basis of safety, Euro NCAP offers the caveat:
“The Volvo V90 is an estate version of the S90 saloon. Euro NCAP has verified that the results of the V90 are as good or better than those of the S90. Accordingly, the rating presented here is based on the assessment of the Volvo S90.”
Like the XC90 SUV which debuted the Scalable Platform Architecture, the S90 and V90 offer a full suite of semi-autonomous driver assistance options, an active hood to cushion errant pedestrians and extremely strong and painstakingly-engineered bodies. Euro NCAP’s secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen, said:
“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.”
