Quick, act surprised.
Volvo’s taking a lot of pride in its new XC60 SUV, the second instalment in what is the Swedish marque’s most popular model in history. So immensely popular is the XC60 that ahead of the arrival of this all-new model (unveiled in early March), sales of the outgoing model rose unexpectedly, an amazing display of unmatched brand and product loyalty that the new model will definitely continue to cement.
We reckon that the team in Sweden are looking a little smug today though, as the XC60 has been awarded a full five-stars after thorough testing by regional safety watchdogs ANCAP. Its results showed that the XC60’s exceptional performance in its battery of tests, with the Program stating unequivocally that the new SUV managed to achieve class-leading scores in two areas while maintaining impressive levels of protection in others.
“The XC60 passed the assessment achieving not only 5-stars, but taking out the highest scores today in the areas of Adult Occupant Protection (98%) and Safety Assist (95%). High levels of protection were recorded for occupants in all-four crash tests. All body regions received full-scores in the side-impact and pole tests.” — James Goodwin, CEO, Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP)
The XC60 is the first of the Series-60 vehicles to be brought up to speed with the latest Volvo brand values, which were first seen with the XC90 large SUV and then cemented with the S90 saloon and V90 estate.
“Volvo has a strong heritage in designing stylish and dynamic SUVs that offer the latest in technology. The all-new XC60 is no exception.” — Hakan Samuelsson, President & Chief Executive, Volvo Car Group
That technology contributed greatly to the XC60’s stellar performance in ANCAP’s tests, with City Safety, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving capability available across the range, along with new systems like Oncoming Lane Mitigation and Steer Assist. These systems not only keep people safe today, but they’re also a signal towards Volvo’s long-term goal, which is to ensure that no one is killed or seriously injured in a Volvo vehicle by 2020.
Interestingly, ANCAP’s 5-star rating covers all but the T8 TwinEngine hybrid, which they say requires separate testing due to its complex petrol-electric powertrain.
You can read our international launch report here and the local launch report here.
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