2008 Volvo XC90 Safety Review [ 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 40 XC90 reviews and test drives.
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Volvo XC90 does well in federal government crash tests. It is widely regarded as one of the safest luxury SUVs on the market. Edmunds calls it "safe as a bank vault."
Though no frontal crash tests have been conducted by the federal government, the 2008 XC90 gets top five-star scores for front- and rear-seat safety in side crash tests. Both the two- and all-wheel drive models get four-star rollover ratings. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet tested the 2008 model, but gave the 2007 XC90 its top rating of "Good" in frontal offset and side impact tests. It even named the 2007 model a "Top Safety Pick" for its good performance and standard electronic stability control.
Accident Avoidance
The 2008 XC90's accident avoidance systems are generally well-liked. Reviewers note the gyroscopic roll stability control system, which was the world's first when the XC90 was introduced in 2003. The system monitors the roll angle of the vehicle, activating the dynamic stability and traction control systems to correct dangerous angles and, in theory, prevent a rollover.
Road and Track says that "witnessing this system firsthand, we can say that it works. We experimented with several 'moose test' situations in a parking lot where we drove at a sustained speed, then suddenly swerved to make it through a coned-off chicane, not unlike the maneuver to avoid an animal or object in the middle of the road. Even as we kept our foot on the accelerator, DSTC cut power and applied the brakes, most noticeably to the outside front wheel."
This system helped the XC90 score four out of five stars on the government's rollover test. Dynamic stability and traction control and roll stability control are standard on all XC90s.
Crash Protection
Volvo has made its full set of crash-protection systems standard on all XC90s. These include Volvo's Whiplash Protection Seating System (WHIPS), which allows headrests to move backward to absorb impacts and protect against whiplash. Volvo's Rollover Protection System (ROPS) and Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) use a combination of crumple zones and air bags to protect passengers. "In the event a rollover does occur, the XC90 is prepared to handle it," says Road and Track.
Safety standards include air bags for both front-seat passengers, featuring weight sensors to help the vehicle determine whether an occupant is present in each front seat (a light on the overhead console informs the driver if the vehicle deactivates an air bag), limiting unnecessary air bag deployments. Its dual-threshold air bags can also inflate at different speeds depending on the severity of an impact. Front passengers are also protected by side-impact air bags. Edmunds notes that the XC90 "was also one of the first to provide side curtain air bag coverage for all three rows of seating, and its heavy-duty third-row seat is carefully positioned over the rear axle to ensure the largest possible crumple zone in the event of a rear-end crash."
The XC90 is not only designed to protect its passengers but also protects passengers in other vehicles. The XC90 has a low front crossmember, designed to hit the bumper of smaller, lower cars the XC90 may collide with. Hitting the bumper of those cars means that their crumple zones will be activated, whereas a higher crossmember (like those on other SUVs) may miss the bumpers on smaller cars and enter their passenger cabins, injuring the occupants.