2009 Volvo C70

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Safety - What the Auto Press Says

Neither the federal government nor the insurance industry has crash tested the 2009 Volvo C70, but the car is almost identical to the 2008 model that was named a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Winning that award requires earning the highest possible score in every one of the Institute's crash tests and offering standard electronic stability control.

Volvo equips the C70 with, four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), and Volvo's Dynamic Stability and Traction Control System (DSTC). The C70 was one of the first convertibles in the world to incorporate side curtain air bags that protect front occupants in a side impact -- they explode upward from the doors so that they will function even with the top down. Volvo's Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) places active head restraints at all seating positions.

If sensors detect an impending rollover, the ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) fires a charge to quickly extend metal bars located behind the rear passenger seats. This system also works when the roof is up. In that case, the bars are designed to break through the rear window -- away from passengers. Other manufacturers are now introducing similar systems.

Only one safety system is optional -- Volvo's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which alerts drivers to vehicles in the C70's blindspot.