18,000 'safest ever' Volvos recalled in airbag scare

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Yet Volvo was yesterday at the centre of a safety scare after airbags in one of its most popular models failed to inflate properly in two separate tests.

The problem was identified in an 18mph 'pole test' on the new V70 estate carried out by Euro NCAP, the independent organisation that awards safety ratings to new cars in Europe.

The test is designed to simulate a car slamming sideways into a lamp-post or tree - but the Volvo's airbags were triggered too late to prevent injury.

Volvo recalled 18,000 V70s and XC70 four-wheel drive models worldwide for a software upgrade and the car was retested by NCAP. But executives at the Swedish car-maker were baffled when the airbags again failed to inflate properly.

NCAP General Secretary Michiel van Ratingen said: "Volvo is embarrassed this happened twice. They are working to find out what caused it."

The previous V70 was Britain's top-selling large estate car in 2006. The new £24,995 V70, which went on sale in September, is set to attract 7,000 annual UK sales. At its launch Volvo boasted it was "safer than ever".

Volvo said the side airbags opened as required in its own tests and there was "no cause for alarm". In spite of the fault, the V70 won the maximum five stars for adult protection from NCAP.