A Complete Guide to Volvo Safety Ratings

Every 2021 Volvo received a Top Pick+ ranking, making Volvos a standout in terms of safety. Click here to learn more about Volvo’s safety ratings.
Written by Brittni Brinn
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
With five-star safety ratings across the board, Volvo manufactures some of the safest vehicles on the road. Every Volvo vehicle earned a Top Pick+ rating from the IIHS in 2021, making Volvo the only car manufacturer in the world with that distinction.
A Swedish manufacturer of luxury vehicles, Volvo aims to be the most desirable method of transportation in the world—and its dedication to safety definitely helps! From the
2021 Volvo S60
sedan to the
2021 Volvo XC90
luxury SUV, you’ll be rolling down the street in style while being protected by some of the best safety features out there.
Here with all the details is
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Jerry
. Let’s take a look at the technology that gives Volvo its stunning safety ratings and consider which models will best protect you in case of an accident. We'll even take a moment to help you lower your
Volvo insurance costs
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Are Volvos safe in accidents? 

With exceptional safety ratings across the board, Volvos are considered some of the safest vehicles available. While maintaining their iconic luxurious Swedish design, Volvos are equipped with safety technology and driver-assistance features that help prevent accidents as well as protect you in the case of a collision.

What makes a Volvo safe?

What gives Volvo the upper hand when it comes to safety? For one thing, the manufacturer is dedicated to safety and developing new technology—and that’s always been the case! In 1959, Volvo’s safety engineer Nils Bohlin developed the three-point seatbelt, and in 1964 Volvo tested the first rear-facing
child seat
—both innovations that have saved countless lives.
But what about the here-and-now? With a suite of airbag protection, enhanced stability and brake control, and a build that withstands roll-overs and crashes on all sides, Volvos are sturdy and well-equipped for keeping you safe during a collision. The company has even said that its ongoing goal is that “no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo”—an ambitious vision that keeps Volvo innovating.
Volvo’s implementation of safety features also prioritizes accident prevention. Here are some of the many driver assistance features that come standard on most Volvo vehicles:
  • Blind spot monitoring
  • Lane keeping pilot assist
  • Lane departure warning
  • Rear cross-traffic alert
  • Forward collision warning
  • Automated emergency braking
Volvo is also working on LiDAR-equipped autonomous driving, adding adjustable speed caps, and driver-monitoring systems that can intervene if a driver who is intoxicated or distracted gets behind the wheel.

The two safety rating systems you need to know

If you’re talking about safety in the car industry, you have to consider the two most important sources for reliable ratings: the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). A federal agency and a non-profit organization respectively, these two organizations conduct extensive tests on cars in the United States, using their own criteria to assign each vehicle with an overall safety rating.
Since 1993, the NHTSA has used a five-star rating system. Once a vehicle is tested, it’s given an overall score. To make sure consumers get the whole story when it comes to how safe a car really is, the NHTSA also provides a breakdown of the rating based on three main criteria: 
  • Frontal crash
  • Side crash
  • Rollover
On the flip side, the IIHS uses results from
six tests
to come up with a vehicle’s safety rating. Front and side crash tests are performed as well as an evaluation of the car’s other features that contribute to a safe drive, such as the headlights and car seat attachments. Crashworthiness, the ability of a car to withstand a collision, and accident prevention are two major factors that are also considered.
In the IIHS rating system, Good is the highest rating followed by Acceptable, Marginal, and, the worst score, Poor

Which Volvo has the highest safety ratings?

Should you go with a Volvo XC90 Recharge or a V60 Cross Country? As mentioned, all of the 2021 Volvo models received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, so whichever Volvo you choose, you’ll be well protected. Although numbers are still rolling in for the 2022 models, Volvo is shaping up to have another stellar year in terms of safety.
Although all of the Volvo models listed below also have an overall five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, some of them, including the XC90 and the XC40, drop down to four stars in the rollover category. The Volvo XC90 T8 trim, for example, has a rollover risk of 15.9%.
MORE: How to find vehicle safety ratings

2021 Volvo S60 safety ratings

Starting price: $39,995
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for LATCH ease of use
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars overall, 4 stars for frontal crash
A sophisticated luxury sedan, the S60 provides LED headlights that turn with the wheel, Swedish-inspired interior decor, and a suite of driver assistance features. With the Recharge trim, you can upgrade to a hybrid engine that is responsive and easy to handle. Even though the front-drive platform puts a damper on the driving experience, you can have peace of mind on the road knowing you’re in control of one of Volvo’s safest.

2021 Volvo XC90 safety ratings

Starting price: $50,095
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for headlights and LATCH ease of use
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars overall, 4 stars for rollover
A mid-size luxury crossover, the XC90 is the only
three-row SUV
offered in this year of Volvo’s line up. There’s also the option of adding a 400-hp plug-in hybrid engine with the T8 trim. The XC90 comes standard with a ton of tech features, like a digital gauge display and a semi-autonomous driving setting, making your ride feel like it’s driving into the future.
MORE:

2021 Volvo V60 safety ratings

Starting price: $42,045
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for LATCH ease of use
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars overall, 4 stars for frontal crash (passenger side)
The Volvo V60 station wagon couples practicality with luxury. With a spacious and attractive interior and a host of standard safety features, this model provides a practical alternative to an SUV. To add some excitement to your drive, the V60 comes standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an
available hybrid variant
.

2021 Volvo S90 safety ratings

Starting price: $52,595
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for headlights and LATCH ease of use
NHTSA safety rating: N/A
The elegant and minimal design of this luxury sedan is sure to turn heads. The
S90
comes with the choice of a turbocharged and supercharged inline-four engine or a plug-in-hybrid with an added electric motor. Not only is the S90 packed with driver assistance features like lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, it also gets pretty good gas mileage, with the base model providing 21 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

2022 Volvo V90 safety ratings

Starting price: $52,895
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for headlights and LATCH ease of use
NHTSA safety rating: N/A
A four-door wagon, the V90 provides an alternative for families looking to avoid an SUV. With a ton of standard features including a panoramic sunroof, in-dash navigation, four-zone automatic climate control, and a semi-autonomous driving mode, this luxury car is jam-packed with driver assistance features as well. Stay protected and classy on the road with this top safety pick!

2021 Volvo XC40 safety ratings

Starting price: $34,795
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for side updated test for crashworthiness and LATCH ease of use, Poor for seat belt reminders
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars overall, 4 stars for rollover
Even though it’s classified as a small SUV, the XC40 goes the extra mile! With a bold design and a choice of two turbocharged four-cylinder engines, the XC40 packs in a ton of standard safety features including blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross-traffic alert, adaptive LED headlamps, and rear parking sensors. As a Top Safety Pick+ and with a five-star rating overall, the XC40 is a great choice for a safe and luxurious ride.

2021 Volvo XC60 safety ratings

Starting price: $42,795
IIHS safety rating: Good (Top Safety Pick+), Acceptable for headlights and LATCH ease of use
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars overall, 4 stars for rollover
The
XC60
is the last on our list, but by no means is it a slouch when it comes to safety. This compact luxury SUV comes standard with automated emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Add the handsome design, decent cargo space, and good fuel economy, and you’ve got yourself a safe vehicle you can be proud to call your own.

How you can save money on Volvo insurance

Volvo’s high safety standards don’t just keep you safe on the road—they can also lower your insurance rates! Since Volvo vehicles are less of a risk because of their consistently high safety ratings and standard safety features, insurance companies will likely lower your premiums if you’re driving a Volvo.
Want to lower your insurance rates even more?
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