We know from the car buying women we talk to that safety (at a fair price) is a deal breaker for a family car. So let me now remind Club members that you can now combine buying one of the safest cars with fantastic new car buying deals that mean you don’t have to haggle either. Just talk to your nearest Volvo car dealer for more information.
Now let’s hear it for the Volvo XC60, the winner of this year’s What Car? Safety Award, making it one of the safest cars ever made, according to a panel of expert judges. Hurrah!
This is a 5 door SUV that exceeds all other vehicles with the safety protection it offers car occupants in the event of an accident. It’s also fitted with a host of pioneering Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) designed to avoid crashes occurring AT ALL.
XC60 Safety Features
Volvo XC60 safety features include: AEB systems which operate at a variety of speeds and driving environments, and can detect pedestrians, cyclists and even large animals; a suite of Lane Support Systems to alert the driver when the car is drifting and actively steer to avoid head-on collisions; Blind Spot Indication Systems; Rear Cross Traffic Alerts; and a Run-Off Road system.
As a result, Euro NCAP awarded the Volvo XC60 a score of 95% for its safety assistance features.
Safety Award judge and director of research at Thatcham Research Matthew Avery tells us that
“The Volvo XC60 achieved a very high adult occupant protection score of 98%, in Euro NCAP’s toughest crash tests ever. But it is also bursting at the seams with safety technology to avoid the crash happening at all. It is so far ahead of the game that its innovative Cross Traffic Alert and Turn Across Path systems are not yet a part of the Euro NCAP programme.”
How to Make Car Safety A Shopping Deal Breaker
To make safety a deal breaker Matthew advises all car buyers to
Make sure it’s a five-star safety car
Head to Euro NCAP’s website and check the safety score of any car you’re considering. If it hasn’t earned a five-star rating, don’t buy it.
Demand AEB
Understand whether the car has AEB* as standard or as an option. If it’s not available, score that car off your list. If it’s only optional ask the dealer to fit it as part of the sale. If they won’t, take your business to one who will.
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems can detect an impending crash and slow or stop the car if the driver fails to act. Systems can use lidar, radar, camera or a combination of these to monitor the road in front of the car. If a vehicle in front slows suddenly the system will alert the driver and, if they fail to act, apply the brakes automatically. Some systems only work at lower, urban speeds while others function up to motorway speeds. Real world data shows that AEB is reducing the most common crash type, the rear end collision, by a highly significant 38%.
Don’t be fobbed off
Other dealers might downplay the importance of safety systems to sell you an in-stock car that doesn’t have them. Don’t be tempted by the instant option – insist on a car that has the kit you want. Then ask for your FOXY Lady Drivers Club discount for you or a member of your family.
