The 2012 Volvo S60 has been designated as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its good performance for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection, plus standard electronic stability control (ESC).
The previous generation of the S60 earned good ratings in the Institute’s front and rear evaluations, but for 2005-09 it was rated acceptable in the side impact test.
The previous model wasn’t evaluated for roof strength in rollover crashes. The new model improves to good in the side impact test, and earns a good rating in the roof strength test. 
The roof of the S60 withstood a force equal to 4.95 times the car’s weight. By comparison, the current federal standard is 1.5 times weight. Institute research demonstrates that occupants of vehicles with strong roofs are much less likely to sustain serious injuries in rollover crashes.
In addition to good crash test ratings, winners must have ESC, an important crash-avoidance feature, which is standard on the S60.
The 2012 Volvo S60 and all new Volvo vehicles, comes with Volvo’s safe and secure coverage plan. The plan includes a five-year/60,000-mile warranty, five-year/60,000-mile wear and tear coverage (brake pads, rotors and wiper blades), five-year/60,000-mile complimentary factory scheduled maintenance and five years of unlimited mileage roadside assistance.
Article Last Updated: March 26, 2011.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
