Volvo S80, Scion xB score 'good' on IIHS crash tests
"Good" is such a broad term. When we go looking at crash test data, "good" is not the word that grabs us by the earlobes and says "Hey! I'll save your tail!" "Good" indicates a level of competence perhaps elevated from average levels of acheivement, but the word doesn't connote stellar performance upon first glance. When you realize that "good" is where the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) ratings top out, the word has more gravity when shopping for a safe vehicle.
Today, the IIHS announced the two newest members of the "good" club. The Volvo S80, now in its second generation and based off the EUCD platform that will soon be ushering the P2's out the door entirely, has scored a good rating for frontal collisions. Another vehicle entering its second generation, the Scion xB, has also managed to rack up a green box on the test.
Both models' predecessors also earned "good" scores on the IIHS frontal collision test. The S80 hasn't been tested for side impacts by the Institute, but we'd safely bet on Volvo's mature SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) technology to keep us intact. The xB on the other hand, received a "Poor" score in its previous guise, and the new model hasn't been tested yet. The IIHS data, when combined with the Euro NCAP results and NHTSA results, provide a pretty complete picture of how all-around safe a car is, and good scores with the IIHS usually translate to safer ratings with the other agencies, as well.
[Source: IIHS]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James 9:22AM (6/20/2007)
Well, I'm now sold on the new xB.
I still think they beefed it up so much it's encroaching on minivan territory, but its other features and safety more than make up for its size growth (except maybe gas mileage).
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bmoredlj 10:14AM (6/20/2007)
Kudos to both cars. Volvo's score is no surprise...nor is the xB's since it's bigger and more solid. I hope the windshield-cracking problem of the old xB was fixed (a friend of mine lost two windshields to this defect)
To anyone who owns the new xB, a question: Doesn't the MASSIVE D-pillar of the new B make an equally huge blind spot, or is it not an issue? I would have gone with wraparound glass, personally.
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sadxbmom 5:41PM (8/02/2007)
I just bought two new 2008 Xb's on June 11,2007-one for myself and one for my college-bound son. No, neither of us has had problems with sightlines, but each car has had a cracked windshield within the first 6 weeks of purchase! Both windshields cracked while driving on the interstate at about 65-70 mph and with a temperature of about 95 degrees. Neither of us were tailgating other cars or near any large trucks and neither of us saw an impact, just a quick pop and a mysterious crack. So no, I don't don't think the redesign solved the windshield defect !
iQuack 1:17PM (6/20/2007)
In the past, Volvo owned safety, but not today. Volvos are excellent cars which Ford doesn't seem to have screwed up, but nearly all new cars of similar size and weight are just as safe as Volvos.
A friend of mine had an excellent Volvo S60 which I drove enough to like quite a bit. But at about $10,000 more than a similarly equipped Honda Accord, the Volvo wasn't a very good deal. And the Accord's seats are much more comfortable IMO.
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TheScionicMan 3:20PM (6/20/2007)
The first Gen xB scored poorly on side impact because it was designed before most cars had SIPS. The new version has side airbags so it should do well when they do test that.
I don't own a new xB yet but I have driven a few. Although the D-pillar looks big, it doesn't create as much blind spot as people think. The original xB has a window there, but at the angle you're seeing them in the rearview, there's little to no visibility through them either. There's plenty of other window space so it doesn't block your view, IMO.
Just for perspective, I'd like to point out that although these two cars both scored "Good" on the crash test, one costs 40-50 grand and the other is $16,000.
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Leopold Porkstacker 11:56AM (6/23/2007)
Gone are the days of the five-star crash/safety ratings of the simple yet effective Volvo 240 and 740 line. With 267,000 miles on my 87 turbo stickshift wagon, I am holding onto it for the long run.
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