The Volvo S60 has secured a 5-star crash safety rating from Euro NCAP – despite not actually being tested.
The Volvo S60 is the saloon version of the Volvo V60 sports wagon estate and was not part of the latest round of Euro NCAP tests.
These tests saw the Volvo V60 earn itself a full 5-star rating, along with a 94% score for adult protection and a faultless 100% score for safety assist systems.
Volvo can thus use 5-star branding on its promotional material for the V60, which a spokesman admitted to Motoring Research, was ‘important for customers and supports (the) core safety brand value’.
However, the firm could not officially extend this to the Volvo S60, despite it sharing the same underpinnings and safety structures.
Motoring Research felt this was an anomaly, given how, estate versions of same-name model ranges could share the score.
No differentiation is made, for instance, between hatchback and estate versions of Ford Mondeos and Vauxhall Insignias, despite Euro NCAP often only testing one version of the cars.
So, we questioned it. And received clarification. The Volvo S60 CAN boast a 5-star rating, too. Euro NCAP confirmed to us that ‘the Euro NCAP 5 stars apply to the Volvo S60 as well’.
Volvo is currently assessing this new development at its Sweden HQ. The move could open up some interesting arguments: shouldn’t the Volvo S80 share the V70’s 5-star score, for instance? And the Volvo V50 should surely get the S40’s 5-star rating?
Motoring Research will thus keep you informed of developments. For now, though, our changes will apply to the Volvo S60 only.
This will now boast a 5-star rating in our dataset, from today. Will other Volvos follow suit? Watch this space! RA
