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SAFETY | 9 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
intriguing safety options that go beyond the norm
Cars.com
safety is omnipresent
Autoblog
side-curtain airbags now extend 2.4 inches lower…to better protect kids
Motor Trend
No data
NHTSA
No data
IIHS
Maybe they didn’t invent the station wagon, but with the 2008 XC70, Volvo is aiming for nothing less than safety perfection.
“Safety and Volvo go together hand-in-hand,” says Cars.com, and “because cars from other manufacturers score just as highly in crash tests, Volvo has to do even more now.” While neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has weighed in on the Volvo’s fortitude in a crash test, TheCarConnection.com expects the ’08 to earn five stars and top ratings across the board, given the stellar performance of the previous-generation XC70, as well as the superior crash performance of the S80 sedan on which it’s based.
“As you would expect, stability control and traction control are standard,” reports Car and Driver. But this is just the tip of the iceberg that is the XC70’s safety arsenal. Inflatable side curtain airbags, dual-chamber side curtain airbags, dual-stage front airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, WHIPS whiplash protection system, anti-lock brakes, and the LATCH attachment system for children’s seats are all standard items, most of which are science-fiction fantasy compared to the 240GL Wagons of yesterday.
Cars.com weighs in on some optional items, such as “Volvo's $695 blind-spot monitor,” which “acts as a nanny for the driver,” and the “built-in booster seats for a pretty decent price of $495.” Incidentally, as Motor Trend points out, “the side-curtain airbags now extend 2.4 inches lower down the door to better protect kids” in the event of a side impact, effectively working in concert with those booster seats. Edmunds sheds more light on the available Collision Avoidance package that, for $1,695, “monitors following distance and alerts the driver and primes the brakes for action if the car gets too close.” Edmunds also notes that the second-row height-adjustable booster seats are “an industry first.”
Conclusion
The 2008 Volvo XC70 sports impressive safety gear and pedigree, but it hasn’t been crash-tested yet.
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