Volvo didn’t just ace the latest round of Euro NCAP safety testing—the brand’s new all-electric flagship, the EX90, walked away with a full five-star score and some of the highest marks handed out this year. If you’ve been paying attention, this shouldn’t shock you. Safety is practically Volvo’s middle name. If the company could trademark seatbelts, it probably would have.
Euro NCAP, Europe’s long-standing independent crash-test authority, put the seven-seat family hauler through its usual gauntlet of impacts, avoidance maneuvers, and child-safety evaluations. The EX90 didn’t flinch. It delivered especially strong results in both adult and child occupant protection—categories that carry real-world significance for families who care about more than just charging time and touchscreen sizes.
“Volvo Cars has long been a pioneer in automotive safety, and the EX90 is the latest example of that leadership,” says Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo’s Safety Centre. According to Volvo, the SUV’s performance reflects more than five decades of studying actual crashes—over 50,000 of them involving more than 80,000 people. This isn’t theory; it’s data-driven design shaped by what happens on real roads, not just what looks good in a controlled lab.
That research forms the backbone of the company’s internal Volvo Cars Safety Standard, a benchmark that goes beyond legal testing requirements. In practice, that means the EX90 isn’t just trying to pass tests—it’s engineered for the unpredictable chaos of daily traffic.
The EX90 is also the most digitally advanced Volvo to date. Built around core computing and constantly updated software, the SUV uses a suite of sensors, radars, and cameras to build a live 360-degree picture of its surroundings. Volvo calls this Safe Space Technology: an integrated safety net that not only reacts to danger but actively looks for it.
Inside, the hardware is equally serious. Reinforced structures and updated restraint systems are tuned specifically for the EX90’s electric architecture. One standout is the driver understanding system—named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024—which monitors the driver’s condition in real time. If the system senses fatigue, distraction, or anything that suggests the person behind the wheel isn’t fully engaged, it offers support. Think of it as having a hyper-aware co-pilot who never blinks.
There’s also a full-cabin occupant sensing setup capable of detecting movements as subtle as a baby’s breathing. If someone—or something small—is left inside unintentionally, the car can alert the driver. For parents, pet owners, or anyone prone to misplacing things, that’s peace of mind you can’t put a price on.
The five-star score joins a growing trophy shelf for the EX90, which already claimed the 2024 World Luxury Car Award earlier this year. With its blend of digital smarts, conservative Volvo style, and a safety strategy built on decades of real-world data, the EX90 isn’t just another electric SUV. It’s the latest chapter in Volvo’s long-running mission to make crashes less deadly—and ideally, less likely in the first place.
Source: Volvo