Small luxury SUVs are in high demand thanks to their combination of small stature, maneuverability, and lower price. Yet many people who are in the market for a small premium sport utility vehicle probably want to get the safest vehicle they can for their money, and that reduces options considerably. In fact, only three small luxury SUVs are Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ winners – and they’re all Volvos. Here they are and what makes them great sport utility vehicles.

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is one of the safest small luxury SUVs

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is one of the safest small luxury SUVs on the market. It is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner. To win the coveted Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have good crash test ratings in all major categories. It also has to have superior or advanced safety systems and acceptable or good headlights standard on all models.  

Although the Volvo C40 Recharge has all good crashworthiness ratings, it’s worth noting that it also has a poor rating for its seat belt reminders and just an acceptable rating for its LATCH system.

The 2022 Volvo XC40 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Another one of the safest luxury small sport utility vehicles you can buy is the 2022 Volvo XC40. You’ll want to pay attention to the updated side crash test, which is not part of the Top Safety Pick+ award. The XC40 has just an acceptable rating for that. In addition, it has a poor rating for seat belt reminders and an acceptable rating for the LATCH system.

An IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is important because it helps consumers choose the safest SUVs. The IIHS’ tests have evolved to keep pushing safety standards higher, which is important for both car buyers and manufacturers.

The 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge is another of the safest luxury sport utility vehicles

It’s no surprise that another Volvo makes the list of the safest luxury small SUVs. The 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner. It has all good crashworthiness scores. Its seat belt reminders weren’t tested, though its LATCH system rating is just acceptable.

Although a vehicle winning the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award is obviously a positive when you’re car shopping, not all vehicles with these awards are equal. The IIHS says, “These awards identify the best vehicle choices for safety within size categories during a given year. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones. Thus, a small car that qualifies for an award might not protect its occupants as well as a bigger vehicle that doesn’t earn the award.”

If you’re in the market for a brand new luxury small SUV, you can’t go wrong with any of these Volvos. Of course, you’ll want to pay attention to ratings other than those included in the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, such as the updated side crash and seat belt reminders. Yet this list is a great place to start the search for your next vehicle.