Volvo - the go to for a safe journey
Volvo - the go to for a safe journey
Whether you’re looking for a neat city car to get you from A to B, a rugged 4x4 or a reliable family run-around, you want to know that every journey will be a safe one for you and your passengers as you climb into the driving seat.
As part of Road Safety Week (23rd–29th November), we’ve collated cars in five categories that have been recognised as class-leading for their safety features and innovation.
Volvos are renowned for their resilience and exemplary safety credentials – after all, it was the Swedish manufacturer that patented the three-point seatbelt. Never has this been truer than in the case of the XC 90 – which has been named Auto Express Car of the Year 2015. Not only has it been lauded for its design, performance and practicality, the XC 90 claims to have ‘the most comprehensive safety package of any car on sale’. This includes an autonomous braking system, a boron steel passenger compartment and the Run Off-Road system that can prepare your car for impact if you deviate from the tarmac.
For a stylish, fun and enviable first car, the Ford Fiesta is a safe bet. Its classic, sporty design, responsiveness on the road and superb range of engines make it the go-to for many young drivers, with the added reassurance of some excellent safety features. The Fiesta has been recognised with a Euro NCAP rating of five stars – and comes equipped with electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes and seven airbags. There’s also Ford’s Emergency Assistance service, which will contact the emergency services in the event of a collision, as well as an Active City Stop system, which can be specified as an optional extra for cautious urban drivers.
Travelling for business often requires early mornings, monotonous stretches of motorway and convoluted traffic scenarios. Getting from bed to the boardroom in comfort and style might be preferable, but travelling there safely is, of course, every commuter’s paramount concern. The adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ seems to have been the watchword of the Mercedes-Benz technicians – this compact executive car offers proactive safety features like the PRE-SAFE system. When it kicks in, seatbelts are tightened and seats are altered to offer driver and passengers optimum protection. If your attention levels wane a driver tiredness alert will be triggered, and with seven airbags and optional extras like cruise control and lane departure assist, it’s no wonder that the C Class has been awarded the maximum, 5-star NCAP crash test rating.
The new SEAT Leon has enjoyed considerable success – bagging fourth place in the Driver Power satisfaction survey, and first place for its in-car tech. But the area in which SEAT has truly excelled with the new iteration of the Leon is in its safety capabilities. Not only has it attained the full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, it’s an encouraging choice for families, having been awarded both adult and child protection ratings in excess of 90%. With a tyre-pressure monitoring system, emergency brake assist and stability control, not to mention a full range of seven airbags, the SEAT Leon offers some serious safety features to back up its considerable kerbside appeal.
If a hatchback simply isn’t your thing, the BMW 3 Series is a premium all-rounder in terms of performance, style, and most importantly, safety. A rival of the Mercedez-Benz C-Class, this versatile vehicle is available in a saloon, estate or a GT body style, and has an array of six trim levels with which to customise your ride. Loads of optional extras are specifiable to up the safety stakes, including blind spot monitoring, auto high beams and lane change assist – though you’ll find there’s plenty of kit as standard. There’s even the option of the four-wheel drive system – a perfect advantage in poor driving conditions.
