Volvo has all but bet its brand reputation on the premise of revolutionary safety, and the S60 is no exception. It almost goes without saying that the 2012 Volvo S60 is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick. To earn this safety award, a car must receive the top score of Good in front, side, rear and roof-strength crash tests. The 2012 S60 hasn't been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The S60 has standard front-wheel drive, antilock brakes with brake assist, an electronic stability system, traction control and six airbags, including side curtains for both rows. In addition, the 2012 S60 comes with some standard perks such as rear seat belt monitors, which alert you if anyone in the second row has unbuckled their seat belt, and the Home Safe Lighting feature that uses the car's headlights to illuminate your path right up to the front door. Even more exceptional is Volvo's City Safety system that is standard on the S60. This system helps reduce the incidence and impact of rear-end collisions in traffic by automatically applying the brakes in a too-close situation if the driver does not.

Optional safety features include the Pedestrian Detection system that will brake the car to avoid hitting any pedestrian taller than 31 inches should they wander in front of your car without you noticing. You can also opt for all-wheel drive, blind spot and lane departure warning systems, and a backup camera.

The only safety issue I was disappointed by was the S60's lower Latch anchors. They were deeply embedded in the leather seats and took some maneuvering to access and use. Furthermore, thanks to the S60's sexy design, the curvaceously slanted rear window is at such an angle that using the top tether anchor was tough. I was still able to install my child-safety seats, though. Given all the other great safety features in the S60, I don't feel inclined to complain too much, but I'd love it if Volvo made them a little easier to use.