Volvo's holistic approach to vehicle design also extends to the field of personal security and it has won overall 'Best Manufacturer' in the annual British Insurance Car Security Awards (BISCA) two years running (2004 and 2005).

The Volvo S40 was engineered in association with Thatcham, the world-leading automotive and technology centre, and the car is fitted as standard with a wide range of features designed to protect occupants from burglary, theft and assault.

An electronic immobiliser makes it impossible to start the car without the correct key, while deadlocks make it more difficult to break in. If a thief does manage to get in, via a window, for example, the deadlock system makes it impossible to open a door from the inside. The Volvo S40 is also equipped with electronic 'anti-theft' marking and uniquely identified control modules, while the audio equipment is an integral part of the on-board electrical system.

The sophisticated locking system of the Volvo S40 can be individually tailored across a wide range of settings. For example, the remote control can be set so that a single 'blip' opens all the doors, or just the driver's, and the indicators can be set to flash when the doors are locked or unlocked. It is also possible to set the doors to lock automatically when the car pulls away and to open and close the windows with the remote. As an option, the Volvo S40 can be equipped with laminated side windows, which are extremely difficult to smash. This is an unusual feature on a car in this sector.

Another important contribution to personal security is provided by the Home Safe and Approach lighting system. By pressing a button on the remote control when approaching the car, the driver is able to turn on the inside lights, the side marker lights and the lights in the rear-view mirrors. On leaving the car, a tweak of the headlight stalk activates the dipped-beam headlamps, lighting a path to the door. The headlamps can be set by the driver to stay on for 30, 60 or 90 seconds.