Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The S60 has standard CTA Auto Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.
The S60 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A5 Sportback’s blind spot costs extra.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the S60 has standard Cross Traffic Alert and Braking Intervention automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A5 Sportback.
The S60’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the S60 and the A5 Sportback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:
|
S60 |
A5 Sportback |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
25.7% |
26% |
Neck Stress |
189 lbs. |
232 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.7 inches |
1 inches |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:
|
S60 |
A5 Sportback |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
103 |
172 |
Chest Movement |
.9 inches |
1.1 inches |
Abdominal Force |
194 lbs. |
219 lbs. |
Hip Force |
212 lbs. |
308 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
271 |
277 |
Spine Acceleration |
50 G’s |
56 G’s |
Hip Force |
575 lbs. |
777 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
319 |
333 |
Spine Acceleration |
29 G’s |
47 G’s |
Hip Force |
490 lbs. |
666 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the S60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A5 Sportback is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.