Volvo V40 is UK’s safest used car, says Co-op Insurance

9:43 am, July 22, 2016

THE Volvo V40 has this week been presented with the ‘Co-op Safe Used Car 2016’ award.

The inaugural Co-op Insurance award celebrates the safest used cars typically bought by families in the UK.

Working in collaboration with safety experts Thatcham Research, Co-op Insurance awarded the trophy to the Volvo V40 with Driver Support Pack, which beat strong competition from the Volkswagen Golf and Nissan Qashqai to claim the title.

In order to be in the running for the award – which is the first to recognise safety in the UK used car market – all the cars had to have a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating, CO2 emissions of 120g/km or lower and be available to buy on the second-hand market for £15,000 or less.

The cars were then evaluated further on their crash worthiness, which included ratings for adult, child and pedestrian protection, and the availability of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).

The Volvo V40 received the top rating of five stars in its Euro NCAP crash test in 2012, and its overall scores are still the highest ever recorded by the safety assessment institute.

The V40 was one of the first cars to have AEB as standard. The system, known as City Safety, works at speeds of up to 31mph and will automatically apply the brakes if it senses an impending crash to avoid the collision entirely or lessen its severity. The V40 was also the first car in the world to come with an airbag to help protect pedestrians in an accident.

James Hillon, director of products at Co-op Insurance, said: ‘At the Co-op, we are keen to help educate people not only about car safety, but about what they should be thinking about before they even set foot on a car forecourt.

‘The Volvo V40 was awarded the accolade because it is a perfect example of a reasonably priced car that has a large number of safety features as standard, even on older models.’

Bruce Greenwood, Used Car Programme manager for Volvo Car UK, added: ‘With renowned Volvo safety, quality and dependability, as well as the peace of mind you get when buying through the Volvo Selekt Approved Used Car programme, the Volvo V40 is an outstanding used family car choice.

‘Volvo is committed to protecting drivers, passengers and pedestrians, and we are thrilled that the V40 has been recognised by Co-op Insurance as the first ever Co-op Safe Used Car.’