What is really the most safe volvo? XC60 or V60 Hybrid?

[volvonew]

What is really the most safe volvo? XC60 2009/2014/2018 or 2000 kg V60 Hybrid 2014

These are my final 4 choices for a car. My primary thought is passive safety for me and my family. The XC60-18 would be tough for my budget every month, but if the difference is big, its worth it. The price difference between the other 3 is not that great.

Is the SUV (XC60-2009 or 2014) generally safer than the V60-2014, the ratings seems to be the same, but in iihs death rates, the Suv seems to be a bit safer. Maybe thanks to the higher driving position only or also weight? Or is there another advantage - since size difference is small between XC60 and V60? And is there a difference between 09 and 14 (faceliftet) models when it comes to XC60 safety?

The V60 2014 Hybrid is actually heavier (2000kg) than the SUV (only because its this special version, which is subsidised heavily in my country because of its PHEV tech). In has meant a slight bit worse performance in some crash tests i read, but shouldn’t the heavy vehicle actually be safer in some situations? Though it of course does not have that high driving position.

The XC60-2018 should off course be the safest, but I value passive safety a lot more than active things like driver assist systems, and it seems most the new additions are in terms of drive assist systems for this model actually? I though did read that “The vehicle is built to direct impact away from the passenger cabin in the event of a crash.” (https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/3042...lly-that-safe/) - which might be an improvement over the old model also in passive safety?

For the driving experience I testdrived all 4 (v60,xc60-09,xc60-14 and xc60-18, and each has their advantage taking price into account). So i decided to let safety be the deciding point only.

Btw, The two cars we have now are an 2014 Opel Insignia (will be returned when changing job soon) and a Mercedes SLK R171 (2005). No matter what volvo it should be a step up in safety.

[Whyman]

The latest XC60 has the worlds highest NCAP score which includes both passenger and pedestrian protection.

[marchesman]

Weight is unequivocally desirable. Height works both ways, good for two car collisions bad if just one as you are more likely to roll, which isn't good especially for tall people. AWD should be good, especially here when it's wet half the time, but if you have it you tend to drive faster and with the same breaking limitations as front or rear wheel drive cars you run into things harder.

So if you don't trust yourself heavy, low and fwd is the way to go, if you are wary of other people as I am, then heavy, high and AWD makes sense.

http://www.caee.utexas.edu/prof/kock...hFootprint.pdf

https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/Procee...ESV-000260.pdf

[Fantastic]

What most car buyers don't know or get told by manufacturers or dealers is that any hybrid or fully electric vehicle is not as safe in an accident as the equivalent petrol/diesel (probably somewhere in manual which we all read cover to cover?), as they have additional problems...

If they are involved in an accident, emergency services can't touch them until the battery pack has been immobilised. Also, driver/passengers have to 'jump' out, not 'step' out, to avoid earthing the car through their body - which ain't a good thing.

Even the current F1 hybrid cars with all their multi million safety features have these same problems.


Edit: above assumes battery pack damaged or compromised, which will occur in above a minor shunt.

[DieselElectric]

Do you have any (statistics-based) references for that? A quick search I did for passenger safety with electric vehicles VS safety didn't turn up much other than this from the US department of energy. It didn't seem much of a concern. In fact, it seemed to suggest EVs would be safer due to a lower centre of gravity.

Also, driver/passengers have to 'jump' out, not 'step' out, to avoid earthing the car through their body - which ain't a good thing.

Further, I don't understand this. Why is the car's electrical system connected to ground? It's not like it's an electric train where the rails form the "neutral" part of the circuit.

And even if after an accident, one terminal of the battery was physically touching the ground (without touching the body of the car) andthe body of the car had become connected to the other (and you were driving with bare feet), unless it was raining I can't see that the conductivity of the road would be terribly high.

[xsaab]

In a recent Grand Tour episode Hammond crashed an all electric car. It caught fire pretty disasterously, in the next programs ribbing of Hammond, the other two made much of the fact that the crashed car kept re igniting for 12 days as each battery caught fire.

[Chief inspector]

The cars battery has no reference to earth so you wouldn’t need to jump out. As the post above says, one terminal would need to have a good ground contact from the accident and you yourself in good contact with the other pole and then earth.....

The battery exploding in an impact is a risk that ICE only cars dont have, but they are designed to prevent this, so it really is a pretty remote risk.

[DieselElectric]

Originally Posted by xsaab

In a recent Grand Tour episode Hammond crashed an all electric car. It caught fire pretty disasterously, in the next programs ribbing of Hammond, the other two made much of the fact that the crashed car kept re igniting for 12 days as each battery caught fire.

In a recent Top Gear they simply drove a petrol car and it caught fire.

Basically, anecdotes (especially on popular TV shows) are probably not a good reference. Need statistical data from a large set of cars.

[Fantastic]

Originally Posted by DieselElectric

Do you have any (statistics-based) references for that? A quick search I did for passenger safety with electric vehicles VS safety didn't turn up much other than this from the US department of energy. It didn't seem much of a concern. In fact, it seemed to suggest EVs would be safer due to a lower centre of gravity.


Further, I don't understand this. Why is the car's electrical system connected to ground? It's not like it's an electric train where the rails form the "neutral" part of the circuit.

And even if after an accident, one terminal of the battery was physically touching the ground (without touching the body of the car) andthe body of the car had become connected to the other (and you were driving with bare feet), unless it was raining I can't see that the conductivity of the road would be terribly high.

I recently saw a documentary on First Responders and they were delayed from assisting a trapped driver as they had to look up details of where the hybrid cables ran, cut through rear side panel and isolate the battery, which all adds to rescue time. Well documented in press eg http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...accidents.html , there are many more and seen training guides for first responders.
When I worked on Civil Engineering highway schemes were were told not to touch a hybrid or electric car if it had serious damage.

The cars are obviously not connected to the ground like electric trains picking up the 'third rail'. With regard to 'jumping out', if the battery pack and/or it's wiring has been compromised and is in contact with the body of the vehicle then if you get out holding the car (eg door) then YOU earth it through your body..

Last F1 season (sorry can't remember the race or team) one of the cars had to pull over as the battery became 'compromised'. The driver was told to jump out so not get electrocuted, had to toss the steering wheel into car (so no contact was made) and marshals were unable to move it - risk of electrocution.

'EV's' are probably more stable when driving about, due to their low down extra weight, but in a crash?

[Fantastic]

Originally Posted by Chief inspector

The cars battery has no reference to earth so you wouldn’t need to jump out. As the post above says, one terminal would need to have a good ground contact from the accident and you yourself in good contact with the other pole and then earth.....

The battery exploding in an impact is a risk that ICE only cars dont have, but they are designed to prevent this, so it really is a pretty remote risk.

Sorry to disagree, but if the bodywork has become 'live' from the high voltage battery then you will earth it through your body if touching the bodywork and ground. Like you can swing around all day on a high voltage power line with generally not a lot of problems (apart from usually static build up in your hair &#128533. But you touch the ground while holding the cable - ouch!!