2019 Volvo XC40, XC60 SUVs Score Well in Crash Tests
Two new Volvo SUVs are helping the brand earn its safety-first reputation. The new-for-2019 Volvo XC40 earned the higher of two possible awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Top Safety Pick Plus. Its larger stablemate, the 2019 XC60, which was redesigned for 2018, earned the lower award, Top Safety Pick (no “Plus”). Both awards apply only to models with uprated headlights, however.
Related: Crash-Safety Goal Post Moved for 2019: Which Cars Scored Top Honors?
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IIHS’ top designations have grown harder to earn for the 2019 calendar year. To get a Top Safety Pick, a car now needs acceptable or good scores in both the headlight evaluation and tough new passenger-side small overlap front crash test; advanced or superior grades for front crash-prevention technology; and good scores in the five remaining tests. (IIHS scores are good, acceptable, marginal and poor in all categories except front crash prevention, where the grades are superior, advanced, basic or none.) To snag the Plus designation, a car needs superior or advanced grades in front crash prevention and good scores in all other tests.
Both Volvo SUVs garnered good scores in all crash tests and superior ratings for their standard frontal crash-prevention systems, which include forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. IIHS said that in track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph, both SUVs auto-braked in time to avoid collisions.
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Headlights are key to the models’ award status, however. The XC40 has standard LED headlights, but the base units earned a poor rating due to excessive low-beam glare, IIHS said. The only headlights to earn a good rating are the curve-adaptive lights included with the XC40’s optional Advanced Package.
Similarly, the XC60’s headlights — also LEDs — earned a marginal rating in base form because IIHS cited inadequate visibility in multiple scenarios. The model’s optional curve-adaptive headlights earned only an acceptable rating, however, as IIHS said visibility was inadequate on sharp curves.
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