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2009 Volvo S60 Safety Review

May 8, 2009

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

full complement of standard safety equipment
The Auto Channel

Good” overall rating
IIHS

Four of five stars, driver and passenger frontal impact
NHTSA

Though the S60 is not as feature-rich as Volvo’s newer S80 and V70, the 2009 Volvo S60 has most of the same safety-feature content.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing yielded the top “good” rating for the S60 overall and an “acceptable” rating for side-impact testing. In NHTSA’s frontal impact crash testing, the S60 earned four out of five stars for both driver and front passenger. For side-impact crash protection, it earned five out of five stars for both front and rear.

The 2009 S60 has a “full complement of standard safety equipment,” says The Auto Channel, including three-point belts with pyrotechnic pretensioners, whiplash-protection seats, front seat side impact airbags, front-to-rear side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, and Volvo’s OnCall telematics.

Popular Mechanics remarks on Volvo’s “safety cage design,” featuring the front and rear crumple zones Volvo helped introduce to the auto industry decades ago, as well as side-impact door guard beams that are now taken nearly for granted in automotive design. And Edmunds mentions, “rear parking assist is optional.”

Conclusion

Safety is one area where the 2009 Volvo S60 does not fall behind the competition.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:full complement of standard safety equipmentThe Auto ChannelGood” overall ratingIIHSFour of five stars, driver and passenger frontal impactNHTSA Though the S60 is not as feature-rich as Volvo’s newer S80 and V70, the 2009 Volvo S60 has most of the same safety-feature content. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing yielded the top “good” rating for the S60 overall and an “acceptable” rating for side-impact testing. In NHTSA’s frontal impact crash testing, the S60 earned four out of five stars for both driver and front passenger. For side-impact crash protection, it earned five out of five stars for both front and rear. The 2009 S60 has a “full complement of standard safety equipment,” says The Auto Channel, including three-point belts with pyrotechnic pretensioners, whiplash-protection seats, front seat side impact airbags, front-to-rear side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, and Volvo’s OnCall telematics. Popular Mechanics remarks on Volvo’s “safety cage design,” featuring the front and rear crumple zones Volvo helped introduce to the auto industry decades ago, as well as side-impact door guard beams that are now taken nearly for granted in automotive design. And Edmunds mentions, “rear parking assist is optional.” ConclusionSafety is one area where the 2009 Volvo S60 does not fall behind the competition. 2009 VOLVO S60 STYLING | [6 out of 10] Cars.com: “businesslike dashboard groups audio and climate controls within a broad center panel” The Auto Channel: “very much an example of Swedish Modern style" Popular Mechanics: “Remember the 240? Now forget it.” Edmunds: “still sports a ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2009 S60 lands at the entry end of the mid-size sport-sedan spectrum, where a few thousand in sticker price or a slight difference in payments might make the difference. That said, it’s hard to justify the S60’s boost in price for ’09 when it now lines up with the sporty, redesigned Acura TL, which has a much roomier interior, plus plenty of technology and safety features. The Saab 9-5—from Volvo’s rival Swedish brand—is perhaps the closest competitor to the S60, but the Saab is even more outdated, with a design that reaches back a full decade. The 2009 Volvo S60 boasts better interior appointments and a better ride than the 9-5, though the (more expensive) 9-5 is more of a driver’s car—and it has a roomier backseat. The Audi A6 is another alternative; it offers either front-wheel drive or quattro all-wheel drive and has a roomy interior that feels more upscale and exhibits a nice ride, but it’s also significantly more expensive than the others. Those who want refinement and a stylish appearance, inside especially, should consider the Nissan Maxima. The new Maxima isn’t at all the sport sedan it once was, but it’s comfortable—almost opulent—inside and has some of the features of pricier lux sedans.

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See the Volvo S60 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

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