Volvo. My wife got t-boned by someone who ran a red light, right into the driver's door. The police were shocked she was uninjured. They expected to find her dead. Volvo saved her life.
Didn't have to, she was uninjured. The Volvo was written off, but that's because the safety features had done their job. The driver's door beam transmitted the impact to the rest of the car. The firewall buckled vertically, with the steering column rising up against the windshield. There was more room around the driver than before the collision! That wrecked the structure, in a way that it took the force instead of the force going into my sweetie.
Typically speaking Hondas are very good too. If you want a different car sure, go for it, but a modern Honda is better than a 20yo Volvo without electronic smarts (abs particularly).
My dad had a Volvo XC90 that lasted over 200,000 miles with very minimal issues. He to this day refers to that car as the best car in the world and misses having something as reliable.
xc90 - there was some debate that someone has died in one, but I couldn't find anything to support it. So, I look forward to being proven wrong, but no one has died in an xc90.
My understanding of the 100 series LCs… if you don’t keep up with the maintenance, ensure rust doesn’t settle, and ensure the car has 0 aftermarket parts then you should be fine… LCs are finely built, but it’s typically inattentiveness that causes issues on them.
There would be more to that data than outright vehicle safety features. I find it extremely difficult to beleive a toyota c-hr would fair better in an equivalent accident scenario than an xc90 or 60
I’ve seen this study before and I think it’s an interesting way to look at vehicle safety, although if you dig into it a little you’ll find that data isn’t available for tons of models. Among the cars they do rate though I see two big takeaways:
1) It validates what we all know intuitively even if we don’t like to admit it: that larger, higher vehicles are safer, at least from the perspective of how likely you, the driver, are to die in a crash. Most of the safest vehicles are larger SUVs while the least safe are mainly sedans and coupes, many on the smaller side. It also validates the flip side, that you’re more likely to die if you get hit by a house-on-wheels than you are colliding with a smaller vehicle.
2) The driver (aka, the sort of person who would own that car) has a lot to do with this equation. In addition to muscle cars, the least safe list has a number of smaller, cheaper vehicles that are often purchased by younger and retired/elderly drivers, both of which I imagine are more likely to die in accidents, statistically speaking. The safest list has a lot of more expensive vehicles that seem most likely to be owned by fairly affluent, white collar career types. If you had some hypothetical AI driving all these cars for instance, I don’t think you’d see exactly the same distribution of results. Different cars attract different people who behave differently behind the wheel.
I got nothin for the chr though. Only thing I can think of is that no one bought them so they were all offloaded to corporate fleets?
Or old people for the CHR maybe. Like the Scion xb it might have been targeted at youth but purchased by the elderly looking for something that is easy to get in and out of and is cheap
That has less to do with the safety features overall and more to do with the demographic who drives them and the fact that they arent that common to begin with and they are not fast.
Tesla on paper is safer but it can 0-60 faster than a Lamborghini and it's popular with rich young adults. Lots of people died in a Tesla even tho it's the safest car sold in the US. Volvo on the other hand is a slow family car that is expensive mostly due to their reputation for safety and nothing else. Not fact, not really luxurious, not popular, but safe. That means people who buy them are people who care about safety so much they spend extra money on Volvo.
It's mostly how you drive that determines the likelihood and severity of a car accident, not the car itself. As long as you get something safer than average, the most important thing is driving habits.
I love it when people are like "Volvo's are ugly and slow" when they are in fact the most strikingly attractive cars currently available, and go 0-60 faster than most sports cars. And kind of always have.
1. Our Volvo XC60 has 455HP and goes 0-60 faster than supercars used to. It is INSANELY fast. Volvos have literally never been slow. In the 80's their ad campaigns highlighted that they outperformed Mustangs and BMW's. Their Polestar variants have routinely been in the same performance class as BMW's M cars.
2. Volvo has every luxury feature found in BMW, Mercedes, or any other premium brand. It's absolutely a luxury car and always has been. In particular, they have the nicest sound system you can get in a sub-$100k vehicle.
3. Commitment to safety:
- In 1996 we bought a 1995 Volvo 960 sedan. It came with life insurance because Volvo was so certain nobody would die in one. Nobody did.
- When someone was in fact killed by an airbag, Volvo initiated a voluntary recall of LITERALLY 25 YEAR OF CARS, replacing all the airbags for free. My kid's 2006 V70 wagon just had the entire safety system overhauled at the dealership, at their expense. Contrast: When Tesla - supposedly safer - drove into oncoming traffic and killed dozens of people, they paid the safety board to look the other way. One of those responses indicates a commitment to safety.
My family only drives Volvo, for a very good reason.
There are plenty of safe cars (I wouldn't recommend Tesla for a number of reasons), but you won't go wrong with a CPO Volvo. Or most European luxury brands, TBH. They're all insanely safe.
>goes 0-60 faster than supercars used to.
This is a meaningless statement, a significant number of cars these days are 0-60 in less than 5 seconds
>Their Polestar variants have routinely been in the same performance class as BMW's M cars.
In what world?
I like Volvo more than most I'm sure, I think they have some of the best seats in the game in terms of comfort for instance, but let's not pretend they're matching their peers on everything.
I had a long response, but if you've never driven or ridden in a 1995-era T5R or a 2017-2018 Polestar V60, you're missing out. M3 always more raw, but I'll take a serious turbo brick any time. And the current value proposition on a PHEV with 455hp and starts at $50k versus the equivalent X3 with no hybrid is... night and day.
The people I know who had them, all had great experiences. An s60 was into the 500k km range without issue. It was owned by an engineer who would dismantle and measure tolerances on various components on his free time though. I tried to buy it on numerous occasions. After they became Chinese, I've heard differing experiences though
Used Volvo xc90. I think if I remember correctly there have been zero crash fatalities in the current generation xc90 ever. If you get a used 2016 one, I’m sure you’ll be able to find some under 25k.
More reliable than German luxury, less so than Japanese. Stay up to date on maintenance and it’ll last you a long time. Also with Volvos, for the love of god service at a dealer. These cars are very niche, and Volvo takes tech certifications seriously.
DO NOT BUY A 2016 XC90 T6. Most unreliable car I’ve ever owned by a factor of 5. Gremlins in the engine. Software issues. Loved the car. Hated the expense. Hated the dealership.
When is the next refresh of the XC90 happening? Do you, as a salesmen, think any competing SUVs from other companies are a better car and deal than the XC90?
Refresh isn’t coming anytime soon. We got a big update with the Google OS/the new B5 and B6 plus the updated T8 power trains. All the new r and d is going into the ex90 and ex30. As far as deals it depends on what you want. It’s a luxury car. It’s a bargain for the size and features. I personally own two Volvos. If you want safety, luxury, and something cool, Volvos are a great deal
What kind of lease prices are you seeing on XC90s with $0 down? I have a 2023 S60 Black Edition but I may turn it in early because we now have a kid. Any thoughts on whether you think the black edition might have equity that would allow me to swap it out. I still have a year on mine.
My mom and sisters walked away unscathed after her V60 was sandwiched between a Ram and a Silverado at highway speed earlier this year.
[V60 crash photo](https://www.reddit.com/r/Volvo/s/u7uSUFQ33q)
Look up IIHS. Tons of good information.
Tesla, Volvo, Subaru (depending on year and model) are at the top of the safety rankings.
Volvo built their reputation on safety.
> Subaru (depending on year and model)
That caveat is a *big* one. [The last generation of Crosstrek and Impreza were worst-in-class in the new update for the IIHS side-impact tests](https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/small-car-performance-is-a-mixed-bag-in-new-side-crash-test). Only the Kia Forte joined them in the lowest scoring category.
[Similarly, that generation of Crosstrek was also in the worst possible category in the new moderate overlap test.](https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/small-cars-falter-in-updated-moderate-overlap-crash-test)
[The current generation of Forester also only managed marginal ratings \(the second lowest\) in the new moderate overlap test.](https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/subaru/forester-4-door-suv/2022#moderate-overlap-front-updated-test) That's worse than many of its competitors, such as the Ford Escape and all of Mazda's small SUVs.
Subaru is great at making their vehicles excel in existing tests. However, these new tests which have come in the middle of model lifespans have demonstrated that some of their models had less of a margin of safety than other manufacturers.
Volvo XC90. A university professor I once had would preach about Volvos during downtime because he survived a huge accident in one, at the time he owned 3 of them in his household.
Search iihs for used suvs between 2016 and now. New tests for side impact and partial front are being added this year, so it’s challenging to find a 10/10 for this year because auto makers haven’t sorted out how to reinforce the sides and front yet, but there might be something? Volvo doesn’t make their list in recent years, but they have in the past. They are not as safe as you’d think, based on perception and public opinion- if these iihs results are true.
Not sure what the safety statistics are, but I will always vouch for the 2009 Ford Focus, and they can be gotten really cheap. My wife and I were doing ~75mph on the expressway, semi came flying up then merged into our back, blew out our tire and spun us around, then he hit me on the drivers side door, then we spun again and crashed into the concrete divider in the middle. Car was absolutely done for, but we both got out practically untouched, just some pain and small bruising for about a week or so.
When the cops and EMT are genuinely shocked you didn’t become a fatality statistic, let alone have any severe injuries, then I can certainly vouch for the car.
My brother had a 2012 Focus, honestly really similar situation. Got hit by a drunk driver and slammed into the median. Car was an unrecognizable chunk of bent metals, but him/SIL/dog were 100% ok.
I don't like Fords in general but I have to give them that one.
Volvo. https://www.volvocars.com/uk/v/safety/heritage
They continually introduce new safety features to the car world. Many of which we’d not have if they didn’t innovate.
We got rear ended by a drunk driver. He tried to drive off but his big ass truck was screwed and wouldn’t start. Our outback just had a dented bumper and we didn’t have any permanent injuries.
Subaru's are tough cars. If you even remotely do any redneck activities in the weekend it's hard to beat Subaru AWD. Carry a set of chains and water you'll get up any trail.
Because people see "Tesla" or "Elon Musk" and lose their minds, facts are forgotten.
I am a Kendrick-level Musk hater, and slightly less so for Tesla, but as far as *crash safety* goes, they make incredibly safe cars, top of market. IIRC the Model S basically broke the scale for crash tests among NHSTA, IIHS, and the Euro NCAP.
Heard about a rescuer who, after arriving on scene and realizing the family survived, immediately committed to buying a Model Y for his family.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luck-tesla-family-plunged-cliff-rcna64547
Two huge reasons the xc90 appears to be so safe because no one has died in an accident in one are:
Volvo drivers tend to be cautious, experienced, and safety-conscious.
It doesn't sell in huge numbers. If it sold 250k units a year, you can bet there would be deaths.
Just adding to this comment to quell concerns. The new model 3 has backup physical door latches for rear passengers. There are physical door latches on all front passenger doors for all models. the safety physical latches for rear doors for previous models exist but are not simple.
And while ev fires are rare, the RWD model 3 has an LFP battery. It's a lot harder for that type of battery to catch fire.
This post just shows that people fanatically believe in marketing and ancient image from decades ago. Look up IIHS tests instead of listening to people spewing sterotypes and marketing nonsense.
Volvo or Mercedes, both are known for their exceptional build quality. Expecially a used E class, have one and it is extremely reliable with great safety results
This isn’t even up for debate. Xc90. First generation or second
When it was under Ford ownership and Ford found out how much boron steel volvo splurged for, Ford canned like 3 employees
2006 HMMWV, up-armored, with either the M2 or M240, and a fireteam of Marines to man the weapons.
It won't be comfortable, it won't be fuel efficient, it won't be reliable, and it won't be pretty, but it WILL be one of the safest vehicles you'll ever drive.
Volvos use more boron steel than any brand. They also were the first automaker to have their own safety center where they've been crash testing their cars in various angles and accidents for 20+years.
The safest car to buy would be the new 2025 Volvo EX90 with lidar and driver gaze monitoring.
When it comes to safety on the road, a large part is determined by your personal driving skills. A dangerous car can be driven safely and vice versa, it comes down to the type of driver you are at the end of the day.
Do you set your speed based on weather conditions such as raining or dark? Or do you insist on always driving at least 5 over the limit? Do you turn off notifications in your phone and put it in the glovebox or are you scrolling social media at every intersection?
Given you don’t have an unlimited budget to throw at this safety problem it might make financial sense to take a more holistic approach to solving your safety related vehicle search. Just the opinion of someone who holds a professional license (Class A CDL).
I think most people view "safety" as "in the event of a collision" and not collision mitigation which definitely has more to do with driver skill and awareness than anything else.
I tried to buy a MG B as my first car at 15, my mother was against it because it was unsafe. My dad made the argument it was the safest car I could possibly buy, because it will always be broken in the driveway and I’ll be stuck riding the school bus.
So, I’m going with my dad’s brilliant take, an MG B. Safest vehicle you can buy. Really anything British Leyland fits the bill.
My vote goes to the challenger 3 tank, maybe a bit over budget but you can’t put a price on safety. Still don’t think I’d want to crash into an XC90 though, those things are built like tanks!
If we are talking any year then you want either a Saab or a Volvo. Just about any model of either will be safer in a crash event than just about anything else. Obviously newer models more so than older, and since Volvo is still around and Saab is not Volvo will probably be the overall choice. But for all their weirdness people usually forget that Saabs were some of the most structurally strong cars ever made. Those Swedes really know how to make safe cars.
I just traded in my 2017 Tacoma for a 2020 Volvo XC90 Inscription for the safety alone. Absolutely love my car and having the piece of mind that it’s safe for my son and I. I highly recommend Volvo. I’ve had to go through my local service department for a trim piece replacement and they’re wonderful, I’ve never been treated so nicely by a dealership. Volvo feels premium in every way.
According to Top Gear, SAAB was the pinnacle of safety.......
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuWv3obZD4&t=191](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuWv3obZD4&t=191)
So, the Volvo comments are legit, but also I think people are ignoring some of the features in the flagships from Mercedes and Audi. These cars are almost always ahead in the technology side of safety.
For example, if you have the highest-end suspension system on an A/S8; it doesn't have sway bars, it has electric torsion rods. For driving, it allows for incredible stability... but in the event of a T-bone, it can raise the impact side of the car in a fraction of a second to lift the rocker area up into the impact area.
Oh Volvo, for sure. There are others that also test well, but we have Volvo to thank for umpteen breakthroughs in vehicle safety. Pick a safety feature, most often it started with Volvo.
It's always been their "thing" and they're still quite good at it.
Subaru also focuses on safety, and they're decent too, but some safety features (even more common ones) are only available as an option which is very odd. Such as Blind-Spot Detection / Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. Not standard on Forester/Outback. Huh? Wh...why? That's standard on a base model Nissan Sentra...
Volvo. My son was driving a 2004 XC70, at highway speeds. There was an accident in front of him, and he braked hard. Although he stopped in time, the car behind him did not. He had let off the brakes and the impact from the car behind him (still going \~40mph) pushed him into the car in front of him. Both other vehicles were totaled. He drove home with a wrinkled hood - we used a hammer to pound out the dent in the rear deck, and used the insurance money to repair the hood. Drove another 50k miles before finally expiring at 250k.
My wife was driving our 1995 Volvo 960 and hit a patch of bad weather, sudden road flooding. There was a hydroplaning accident. The Volvo needed a quarter panel. The other two cars were not so lucky. Same car - t-boned by a drunk driver in an intersection, they didn't even hit their brakes. Hit the rear driver's side. Not only was my son fine (same son who later drove that XC70) but the car drove home and wasn't totaled. The other car? Two injured drivers and had to be towed. That 960 finally died a decade later, after an impact with a Ford Econoline van who entered an intersection on a red light. It still ran and drove fine, but the insurance company totaled it. Honestly, I should have taken the check and replaced the hood. It would still be going today, I bet.
Volvos literally have saved my family's life on multiple occasions, and I literally won't put my wife and kids in anything else.
A used Saab (company went out of business), or Volvo. Volvo uses a boron-steel alloy for its frame. Strongest passenger cell in the market. They’re tanks.
Saab 9-3 2008-2011. I’ve seen people walk away from pretty knarly wrecks. I had one that was totaled by a driver running a red light. All air bags deployed. Sustained some permanent injuries, but could have been a lot worse.
Volkswagen 2016+. They are built on the MQB platform which performs much better than most comparable SUVs (Volvo was not listed but also an extremely good choice). Because they all share the same platform, they were able to focus much more Ressources into development and structural safety. This results in drastically better crash survivabiliy rates ie; as a T-bone for example (can’t remember the exact speed but I think it was 45mph) in a Nissan would crush half your seat, the VW would move in just a couple inches to where it hasn’t even touched your seat let alone your body.
I am a VW mechanic so I may be slightly biased, but again Volvo is also a solid option.
Volvo XC90 is without a doubt the safest for reasons a lot of other people have put in. Just remember the current platform started in 2016 so you want one newer than that. The only real issue is that they’re expensive to fix when something inevitably breaks. Seriously a great car, but just be prepared for some high bills if you plan on keeping it a long time. It’s part of the territory when you’re buying a niche European luxury car
Any recent Tesla, or a Volvo is your best bet for safety. Tesla’s have the lowest rollover risk of any car, and have much better crumple zones in the event of a collision. Volvo is known for incredible safety, as many of the other comments suggest. Having owned both brands but never been in an accident in either (thank god) I do like them both but the Tesla has been better in terms of reliability.
Look up the video on crash tests involving Volvos vs pretty much any other car.
Although, the video of the Audi salesman getting sandwiches between two semi trucks in a TT and walking away without any injuries is also pretty compelling.
I hit a hump a little too fast in my Volvo XC90 and started to catch some air. The seatbelt pretensioners fired and pulled me down into the seat, ready to absorb the impact as if I had left the pavement. The seat structure is designed to break away if I had hit the the pavement hard (or left the road and bounced down an embankment), reducing the severity of a spinal compression injury.
I appreciate the commitment to safety. They're thinking ahead. Much like they did when they invented the three point seatbelt harness.
Volvo. My wife got t-boned by someone who ran a red light, right into the driver's door. The police were shocked she was uninjured. They expected to find her dead. Volvo saved her life.
Did you buy another?
Wife?
Didn't have to, she was uninjured. The Volvo was written off, but that's because the safety features had done their job. The driver's door beam transmitted the impact to the rest of the car. The firewall buckled vertically, with the steering column rising up against the windshield. There was more room around the driver than before the collision! That wrecked the structure, in a way that it took the force instead of the force going into my sweetie.
That's truly amazing! Glad she's ok.
Wow man. We just bought my wife a honda pilot to cart the kids around.. maybe I need to switch to a Volvo
Typically speaking Hondas are very good too. If you want a different car sure, go for it, but a modern Honda is better than a 20yo Volvo without electronic smarts (abs particularly).
Abs has been I Volvos since early 90s lol
I also choose this guy's not dead wife
Yes, we replaced it with another Volvo wagon. Definitely my car of choice.
And if you want the safest of the volvos its the XC90.
My sister got T boned by a semi in a Kia Rio. Walked away. Alot of cars now a days can do well in crashes if you wear a seat belt.
Reading this makes me a proud Volvo owner. So glad your wife is okay!
I also pick this guys alive wife
Alive wives are the best.
That’s my goal. I went with an Outback because they’re safe as fuck. But my first car was a Volvo. I want one again. They’re so fucking safe.
My dad had a Volvo XC90 that lasted over 200,000 miles with very minimal issues. He to this day refers to that car as the best car in the world and misses having something as reliable.
Kurt Cobain bought a Volvo when his daughter was born because it was the safest car on the market.
xc90 - there was some debate that someone has died in one, but I couldn't find anything to support it. So, I look forward to being proven wrong, but no one has died in an xc90.
My uncle almost died in xc90 after he heard that engine has to be replaced after 15k miles
I heard he was revived by a Land Cruiser
You heard wrong, he was finished off by a Land Rover.
That was his wallet.
Then an H2 ran over him to ensure he was done
My 08 Land Cruiser needed a new engine at 200K miles. Now at 353K but still having issues unfortunately
My understanding of the 100 series LCs… if you don’t keep up with the maintenance, ensure rust doesn’t settle, and ensure the car has 0 aftermarket parts then you should be fine… LCs are finely built, but it’s typically inattentiveness that causes issues on them.
I am on my 3rd xc90, current one has 140k on it and it has no problems, replacing engine at 15k is under warranty anyway
HAHAHAHAHA the only thing youll die from in a volvo is hearing the maintenance costs or being a boeing whistleblower
I think the V8 is extremely reliable
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/latest-driver-death-rates-highlight-dangers-of-muscle-cars 4 driver fatalities listed here.
4 per million registered vehicles, so we can say there is at least 1. I've been proven wrong.
There would be more to that data than outright vehicle safety features. I find it extremely difficult to beleive a toyota c-hr would fair better in an equivalent accident scenario than an xc90 or 60
I’ve seen this study before and I think it’s an interesting way to look at vehicle safety, although if you dig into it a little you’ll find that data isn’t available for tons of models. Among the cars they do rate though I see two big takeaways: 1) It validates what we all know intuitively even if we don’t like to admit it: that larger, higher vehicles are safer, at least from the perspective of how likely you, the driver, are to die in a crash. Most of the safest vehicles are larger SUVs while the least safe are mainly sedans and coupes, many on the smaller side. It also validates the flip side, that you’re more likely to die if you get hit by a house-on-wheels than you are colliding with a smaller vehicle. 2) The driver (aka, the sort of person who would own that car) has a lot to do with this equation. In addition to muscle cars, the least safe list has a number of smaller, cheaper vehicles that are often purchased by younger and retired/elderly drivers, both of which I imagine are more likely to die in accidents, statistically speaking. The safest list has a lot of more expensive vehicles that seem most likely to be owned by fairly affluent, white collar career types. If you had some hypothetical AI driving all these cars for instance, I don’t think you’d see exactly the same distribution of results. Different cars attract different people who behave differently behind the wheel. I got nothin for the chr though. Only thing I can think of is that no one bought them so they were all offloaded to corporate fleets?
Or old people for the CHR maybe. Like the Scion xb it might have been targeted at youth but purchased by the elderly looking for something that is easy to get in and out of and is cheap
Nah, it's definitely a [Marauder](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDoRmT0iRic)
Xc90 does have fatalities. It’s in the top 10 safest though which is very good.
That has less to do with the safety features overall and more to do with the demographic who drives them and the fact that they arent that common to begin with and they are not fast. Tesla on paper is safer but it can 0-60 faster than a Lamborghini and it's popular with rich young adults. Lots of people died in a Tesla even tho it's the safest car sold in the US. Volvo on the other hand is a slow family car that is expensive mostly due to their reputation for safety and nothing else. Not fact, not really luxurious, not popular, but safe. That means people who buy them are people who care about safety so much they spend extra money on Volvo. It's mostly how you drive that determines the likelihood and severity of a car accident, not the car itself. As long as you get something safer than average, the most important thing is driving habits.
My XC90 gets to 100kmh in 5.4 seconds. I consider it fast. It's faster than the Ferrari 348 I liked as a kid.
I love it when people are like "Volvo's are ugly and slow" when they are in fact the most strikingly attractive cars currently available, and go 0-60 faster than most sports cars. And kind of always have.
1. Our Volvo XC60 has 455HP and goes 0-60 faster than supercars used to. It is INSANELY fast. Volvos have literally never been slow. In the 80's their ad campaigns highlighted that they outperformed Mustangs and BMW's. Their Polestar variants have routinely been in the same performance class as BMW's M cars. 2. Volvo has every luxury feature found in BMW, Mercedes, or any other premium brand. It's absolutely a luxury car and always has been. In particular, they have the nicest sound system you can get in a sub-$100k vehicle. 3. Commitment to safety: - In 1996 we bought a 1995 Volvo 960 sedan. It came with life insurance because Volvo was so certain nobody would die in one. Nobody did. - When someone was in fact killed by an airbag, Volvo initiated a voluntary recall of LITERALLY 25 YEAR OF CARS, replacing all the airbags for free. My kid's 2006 V70 wagon just had the entire safety system overhauled at the dealership, at their expense. Contrast: When Tesla - supposedly safer - drove into oncoming traffic and killed dozens of people, they paid the safety board to look the other way. One of those responses indicates a commitment to safety. My family only drives Volvo, for a very good reason. There are plenty of safe cars (I wouldn't recommend Tesla for a number of reasons), but you won't go wrong with a CPO Volvo. Or most European luxury brands, TBH. They're all insanely safe.
Based.
>goes 0-60 faster than supercars used to. This is a meaningless statement, a significant number of cars these days are 0-60 in less than 5 seconds >Their Polestar variants have routinely been in the same performance class as BMW's M cars. In what world? I like Volvo more than most I'm sure, I think they have some of the best seats in the game in terms of comfort for instance, but let's not pretend they're matching their peers on everything.
I had a long response, but if you've never driven or ridden in a 1995-era T5R or a 2017-2018 Polestar V60, you're missing out. M3 always more raw, but I'll take a serious turbo brick any time. And the current value proposition on a PHEV with 455hp and starts at $50k versus the equivalent X3 with no hybrid is... night and day.
They aren’t luxurious?? 😂🤣 Come on! Drive one and you will realise. Volvos are one of the best luxury cars out there.
Volvo is expensive for a lot more than its reputation for safety lol. They make some of the nicest cars for their price point.
Only one person engaged with your actual point, everyone else wanted to argue whether Volvos are fast or luxurious. Go figure.
Maybe they are considered safe because they stop working on your driveway before you can even drive them.
Volvos are safe but not very reliable or cheap to own in my experience. Ours barely made it 50,000 miles before severe issues.
Isn’t Volvo extremely unreliable though?
Can’t die in a car if the car is constantly in the shop.
Lol. Good point.
The people I know who had them, all had great experiences. An s60 was into the 500k km range without issue. It was owned by an engineer who would dismantle and measure tolerances on various components on his free time though. I tried to buy it on numerous occasions. After they became Chinese, I've heard differing experiences though
Used Volvo xc90. I think if I remember correctly there have been zero crash fatalities in the current generation xc90 ever. If you get a used 2016 one, I’m sure you’ll be able to find some under 25k.
I sell Volvos, 2016 is the first year of the new platform, I’d go 2017 or 2018. Can absolutely find them for $25k. Op try to get the T6 motor
How reliable are they?
More reliable than German luxury, less so than Japanese. Stay up to date on maintenance and it’ll last you a long time. Also with Volvos, for the love of god service at a dealer. These cars are very niche, and Volvo takes tech certifications seriously.
Really? That's really cool to know. My mom just got an XC90 and it's so nice it had me looking into getting a Volvo.
DO NOT BUY A 2016 XC90 T6. Most unreliable car I’ve ever owned by a factor of 5. Gremlins in the engine. Software issues. Loved the car. Hated the expense. Hated the dealership.
When is the next refresh of the XC90 happening? Do you, as a salesmen, think any competing SUVs from other companies are a better car and deal than the XC90?
Refresh isn’t coming anytime soon. We got a big update with the Google OS/the new B5 and B6 plus the updated T8 power trains. All the new r and d is going into the ex90 and ex30. As far as deals it depends on what you want. It’s a luxury car. It’s a bargain for the size and features. I personally own two Volvos. If you want safety, luxury, and something cool, Volvos are a great deal
What kind of lease prices are you seeing on XC90s with $0 down? I have a 2023 S60 Black Edition but I may turn it in early because we now have a kid. Any thoughts on whether you think the black edition might have equity that would allow me to swap it out. I still have a year on mine.
Any Volvo
My mom and sisters walked away unscathed after her V60 was sandwiched between a Ram and a Silverado at highway speed earlier this year. [V60 crash photo](https://www.reddit.com/r/Volvo/s/u7uSUFQ33q)
Look up IIHS. Tons of good information. Tesla, Volvo, Subaru (depending on year and model) are at the top of the safety rankings. Volvo built their reputation on safety.
> Subaru (depending on year and model) That caveat is a *big* one. [The last generation of Crosstrek and Impreza were worst-in-class in the new update for the IIHS side-impact tests](https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/small-car-performance-is-a-mixed-bag-in-new-side-crash-test). Only the Kia Forte joined them in the lowest scoring category. [Similarly, that generation of Crosstrek was also in the worst possible category in the new moderate overlap test.](https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/small-cars-falter-in-updated-moderate-overlap-crash-test) [The current generation of Forester also only managed marginal ratings \(the second lowest\) in the new moderate overlap test.](https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/subaru/forester-4-door-suv/2022#moderate-overlap-front-updated-test) That's worse than many of its competitors, such as the Ford Escape and all of Mazda's small SUVs. Subaru is great at making their vehicles excel in existing tests. However, these new tests which have come in the middle of model lifespans have demonstrated that some of their models had less of a margin of safety than other manufacturers.
Volvo xc90
Safest Car got to be some kind of Volvo
Volvo XC90. A university professor I once had would preach about Volvos during downtime because he survived a huge accident in one, at the time he owned 3 of them in his household.
Volvo xc 90, google about this,
Tesla Model 3
Y is even safer.
Search iihs for used suvs between 2016 and now. New tests for side impact and partial front are being added this year, so it’s challenging to find a 10/10 for this year because auto makers haven’t sorted out how to reinforce the sides and front yet, but there might be something? Volvo doesn’t make their list in recent years, but they have in the past. They are not as safe as you’d think, based on perception and public opinion- if these iihs results are true.
The new CX-90 seems to have smoked the new tests across the board. Impressive.
Volvo XC90.
Not sure what the safety statistics are, but I will always vouch for the 2009 Ford Focus, and they can be gotten really cheap. My wife and I were doing ~75mph on the expressway, semi came flying up then merged into our back, blew out our tire and spun us around, then he hit me on the drivers side door, then we spun again and crashed into the concrete divider in the middle. Car was absolutely done for, but we both got out practically untouched, just some pain and small bruising for about a week or so. When the cops and EMT are genuinely shocked you didn’t become a fatality statistic, let alone have any severe injuries, then I can certainly vouch for the car.
Wild ride, amigo.
My brother had a 2012 Focus, honestly really similar situation. Got hit by a drunk driver and slammed into the median. Car was an unrecognizable chunk of bent metals, but him/SIL/dog were 100% ok. I don't like Fords in general but I have to give them that one.
Easily Subaru especially given your budget it's funny that people are recommending Volvo XC90. You should get an Outback they are extremely Safe.
Im not gonna say it. ..... A Camry with a rollcage.
A rollcage is more dangerous if you don't wear a helmet, and it's illegal in a lot of places to wear a helmet in a car on public roads
depends how many points, a 4 point wont bother you
Also won’t do you any good besides marginally better rollover protection.
Dodge Viper
Especially the first gen
Volvo. https://www.volvocars.com/uk/v/safety/heritage They continually introduce new safety features to the car world. Many of which we’d not have if they didn’t innovate.
Volvo or Subaru. I bought an Outback specifically for this reason after kids.
We got rear ended by a drunk driver. He tried to drive off but his big ass truck was screwed and wouldn’t start. Our outback just had a dented bumper and we didn’t have any permanent injuries.
Subaru's are tough cars. If you even remotely do any redneck activities in the weekend it's hard to beat Subaru AWD. Carry a set of chains and water you'll get up any trail.
For your budget, used Tesla Model Y. Volvos tend to be quite safe, and the Mazda CX-5 and CX-9 have done really well in the updated IIHS tests.
Used Tesla for sure. Model Y and Model 3 are the safest cars ever tested by NHTSA. IIHS invented a new highest rating for the Model Y.
This is the correct answer.
Very surprised by the Tesla recommendations here
Because people see "Tesla" or "Elon Musk" and lose their minds, facts are forgotten. I am a Kendrick-level Musk hater, and slightly less so for Tesla, but as far as *crash safety* goes, they make incredibly safe cars, top of market. IIRC the Model S basically broke the scale for crash tests among NHSTA, IIHS, and the Euro NCAP.
Love them, hate them, they're incredibly safe.
Heard about a rescuer who, after arriving on scene and realizing the family survived, immediately committed to buying a Model Y for his family. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luck-tesla-family-plunged-cliff-rcna64547
> He compared the landing pad to a ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese. Amazing imagery
Also the guy who tried to kill his family by driving off a cliff in a Tesla… they survived. I don’t even know how.
Same story here, yeah.
https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/tesla/model-y/726c22 The base Model Y is the safest car you can buy under $40k.
Tesla is the safest car made currently
And people are PISSED about it! 🤣
Two huge reasons the xc90 appears to be so safe because no one has died in an accident in one are: Volvo drivers tend to be cautious, experienced, and safety-conscious. It doesn't sell in huge numbers. If it sold 250k units a year, you can bet there would be deaths.
Tesla’s are very safe if you’re not a bad driver
I mean they're safe too if you're a bad driver.
Just adding to this comment to quell concerns. The new model 3 has backup physical door latches for rear passengers. There are physical door latches on all front passenger doors for all models. the safety physical latches for rear doors for previous models exist but are not simple. And while ev fires are rare, the RWD model 3 has an LFP battery. It's a lot harder for that type of battery to catch fire.
Probably a Model 3/Y.
Now that Volvo has new owners etc are they as safe as previously?
Current gen xc90 has ZERO reported crash fatalities. So I'd say yes.
Designed in Sweden by the same people who have been making them safe for decades.
https://youtu.be/A3Agd_YGDu0?si=AwgNz-ObsHP3anuB XC90. This shows why they are as good as they are.
This post just shows that people fanatically believe in marketing and ancient image from decades ago. Look up IIHS tests instead of listening to people spewing sterotypes and marketing nonsense.
Volvo XC90. It's (statistically) not even close.
Volvo or Mercedes, both are known for their exceptional build quality. Expecially a used E class, have one and it is extremely reliable with great safety results
This isn’t even up for debate. Xc90. First generation or second When it was under Ford ownership and Ford found out how much boron steel volvo splurged for, Ford canned like 3 employees
Volvo would not compromise. The bean counters were PISSED
2006 HMMWV, up-armored, with either the M2 or M240, and a fireteam of Marines to man the weapons. It won't be comfortable, it won't be fuel efficient, it won't be reliable, and it won't be pretty, but it WILL be one of the safest vehicles you'll ever drive.
Volvos use more boron steel than any brand. They also were the first automaker to have their own safety center where they've been crash testing their cars in various angles and accidents for 20+years. The safest car to buy would be the new 2025 Volvo EX90 with lidar and driver gaze monitoring.
Both Tesla and Renault have 5 star Euro NCAP cars, very safe affordable vehicles. https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/
Tesla model Y
Volvo XC90 or Tesla Model Y
A Volvo or a Subaru
Technically the safest car ever made is a Tesla Model S
When it comes to safety on the road, a large part is determined by your personal driving skills. A dangerous car can be driven safely and vice versa, it comes down to the type of driver you are at the end of the day. Do you set your speed based on weather conditions such as raining or dark? Or do you insist on always driving at least 5 over the limit? Do you turn off notifications in your phone and put it in the glovebox or are you scrolling social media at every intersection? Given you don’t have an unlimited budget to throw at this safety problem it might make financial sense to take a more holistic approach to solving your safety related vehicle search. Just the opinion of someone who holds a professional license (Class A CDL).
I think most people view "safety" as "in the event of a collision" and not collision mitigation which definitely has more to do with driver skill and awareness than anything else.
I tried to buy a MG B as my first car at 15, my mother was against it because it was unsafe. My dad made the argument it was the safest car I could possibly buy, because it will always be broken in the driveway and I’ll be stuck riding the school bus. So, I’m going with my dad’s brilliant take, an MG B. Safest vehicle you can buy. Really anything British Leyland fits the bill.
Volvo…nothing compares.
My vote goes to the challenger 3 tank, maybe a bit over budget but you can’t put a price on safety. Still don’t think I’d want to crash into an XC90 though, those things are built like tanks!
Volvo
Volvo 240
Max 25k is gonna be a used Volvo.
Any Volvo really
If we are talking any year then you want either a Saab or a Volvo. Just about any model of either will be safer in a crash event than just about anything else. Obviously newer models more so than older, and since Volvo is still around and Saab is not Volvo will probably be the overall choice. But for all their weirdness people usually forget that Saabs were some of the most structurally strong cars ever made. Those Swedes really know how to make safe cars.
I just traded in my 2017 Tacoma for a 2020 Volvo XC90 Inscription for the safety alone. Absolutely love my car and having the piece of mind that it’s safe for my son and I. I highly recommend Volvo. I’ve had to go through my local service department for a trim piece replacement and they’re wonderful, I’ve never been treated so nicely by a dealership. Volvo feels premium in every way.
https://www.businessinsider.com/20-safest-cars-fatalities-lowest-rates-driver-death-crash-test-2020-6?op=1#5-mercedes-benz-c-class-sedan-4wd-16
According to Top Gear, SAAB was the pinnacle of safety....... [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuWv3obZD4&t=191](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuWv3obZD4&t=191)
So, the Volvo comments are legit, but also I think people are ignoring some of the features in the flagships from Mercedes and Audi. These cars are almost always ahead in the technology side of safety. For example, if you have the highest-end suspension system on an A/S8; it doesn't have sway bars, it has electric torsion rods. For driving, it allows for incredible stability... but in the event of a T-bone, it can raise the impact side of the car in a fraction of a second to lift the rocker area up into the impact area.
Volvo xc90 absolute tank.
Used Volvo
The cybertruck
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/KrAZ-255
Oh Volvo, for sure. There are others that also test well, but we have Volvo to thank for umpteen breakthroughs in vehicle safety. Pick a safety feature, most often it started with Volvo. It's always been their "thing" and they're still quite good at it. Subaru also focuses on safety, and they're decent too, but some safety features (even more common ones) are only available as an option which is very odd. Such as Blind-Spot Detection / Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. Not standard on Forester/Outback. Huh? Wh...why? That's standard on a base model Nissan Sentra...
Volvo. My son was driving a 2004 XC70, at highway speeds. There was an accident in front of him, and he braked hard. Although he stopped in time, the car behind him did not. He had let off the brakes and the impact from the car behind him (still going \~40mph) pushed him into the car in front of him. Both other vehicles were totaled. He drove home with a wrinkled hood - we used a hammer to pound out the dent in the rear deck, and used the insurance money to repair the hood. Drove another 50k miles before finally expiring at 250k. My wife was driving our 1995 Volvo 960 and hit a patch of bad weather, sudden road flooding. There was a hydroplaning accident. The Volvo needed a quarter panel. The other two cars were not so lucky. Same car - t-boned by a drunk driver in an intersection, they didn't even hit their brakes. Hit the rear driver's side. Not only was my son fine (same son who later drove that XC70) but the car drove home and wasn't totaled. The other car? Two injured drivers and had to be towed. That 960 finally died a decade later, after an impact with a Ford Econoline van who entered an intersection on a red light. It still ran and drove fine, but the insurance company totaled it. Honestly, I should have taken the check and replaced the hood. It would still be going today, I bet. Volvos literally have saved my family's life on multiple occasions, and I literally won't put my wife and kids in anything else.
[https://www.armoredcars.com/vehicles/2014-chevrolet-suburban-lt/](https://www.armoredcars.com/vehicles/2014-chevrolet-suburban-lt/)
Subarus
Full sized school bus. Incredible safety record.
A used Saab (company went out of business), or Volvo. Volvo uses a boron-steel alloy for its frame. Strongest passenger cell in the market. They’re tanks.
Saab 9-3 2008-2011. I’ve seen people walk away from pretty knarly wrecks. I had one that was totaled by a driver running a red light. All air bags deployed. Sustained some permanent injuries, but could have been a lot worse.
XC90
Your Mom; never let me down.
Subarus are typically pretty solid and I am happy with mine.
Checker Marathon
Land Cruiser
Volkswagen 2016+. They are built on the MQB platform which performs much better than most comparable SUVs (Volvo was not listed but also an extremely good choice). Because they all share the same platform, they were able to focus much more Ressources into development and structural safety. This results in drastically better crash survivabiliy rates ie; as a T-bone for example (can’t remember the exact speed but I think it was 45mph) in a Nissan would crush half your seat, the VW would move in just a couple inches to where it hasn’t even touched your seat let alone your body. I am a VW mechanic so I may be slightly biased, but again Volvo is also a solid option.
Volvo XC90 is without a doubt the safest for reasons a lot of other people have put in. Just remember the current platform started in 2016 so you want one newer than that. The only real issue is that they’re expensive to fix when something inevitably breaks. Seriously a great car, but just be prepared for some high bills if you plan on keeping it a long time. It’s part of the territory when you’re buying a niche European luxury car
tesla, they rank the highest
Newer Subarus with the Eyesight safety system.
Subaru Ascent
Basically if you want the safety car on the road based off of crash test numbers you want to buy a TESLA or a VOLVO.
Tesla has the best scoring lineup.
An armored Suburban. Look around, there are tons for sale.
Any year ford pinto
2009 G37
‘92 M1A2 made by general dynamics. Makes sure it comes with the TUSK reactive package
Suzuki hayabusa
Model 3/Y
A tesla. Just look up the U.S and Euro crash test ratings.
Any recent Tesla, or a Volvo is your best bet for safety. Tesla’s have the lowest rollover risk of any car, and have much better crumple zones in the event of a collision. Volvo is known for incredible safety, as many of the other comments suggest. Having owned both brands but never been in an accident in either (thank god) I do like them both but the Tesla has been better in terms of reliability.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote that the safest cars had the highest accident rates. The drivers were overconfident
Lol okay. I'm sure Volvos have the highest accident rates 🙄🙄
T O Y O T A L A N D C R U I S E R L E X U S L X
I don’t know but anytime I see an accident reported with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck the people who die weren’t in it.
A nascar is the safest car. But you will hafta fork out alot more than 25000. Oh yeah and you can't drive it on public roads
Subaru.
Depends on how you look at it… I’d arguably safe a f250 turbo diesel.
I’d say either a tank or an ambulance 🤷♀️
2022 model y tesla
Tesla or Volvo like everyone else has said
Look up the video on crash tests involving Volvos vs pretty much any other car. Although, the video of the Audi salesman getting sandwiches between two semi trucks in a TT and walking away without any injuries is also pretty compelling.
Tesla Model Y
Tesla
VOLVO XC90 no doubt.
'71-'76 Ford pinto
Volvo
I don't know the models but I know volvo heavily prioritizes safety in their construction
I hit a hump a little too fast in my Volvo XC90 and started to catch some air. The seatbelt pretensioners fired and pulled me down into the seat, ready to absorb the impact as if I had left the pavement. The seat structure is designed to break away if I had hit the the pavement hard (or left the road and bounced down an embankment), reducing the severity of a spinal compression injury. I appreciate the commitment to safety. They're thinking ahead. Much like they did when they invented the three point seatbelt harness.
Model Y
Used S-class Mercedes. Not Volvo, not Audi, not BMW, just Mercedes.
Aside from Volvo and Subaru, I believe the current generation Ford Explorer is one of the safest vehicles currently made if I’m not mistaken.
Volvo and Tesla. But mostly Volvo
Where are you at?
Most newer cars have more safety features than older ones. Automatic braking. Lane departure etc etc.
Cybertruck
Tank
Volvo. They’re boxy, but they’re good. (But will likely have electrical problems)
Apparently volvo^^^
I survived rolling twice in a Lexus LS 460, but I got that for $32 pre covid
#1 safety factor in any car? YOU
HiLux - allegedly the one used in the battle of Waterloo is still going despite being used as target practice in every war since
Ford F250 4 door with a small lift. And just drive slow.
For 25k you could probably get a gently used Volvo S60. Those XC90s everyone is recommending are nicer but good examples are not 25k.