2026 Volvo vs. Mazda Brand Comparison
Safety
If you only know one thing about Volvo’s reputation, it’s probably related to the brand’s unwavering commitment to safety. There’s quite a good reason for that. Volvo’s dedication to safety has been so undeniably effective that it has moved the whole industry forward. Here are some of the important innovations from Volvo that have become industry norms:
- Three-point safety belt – (1959)
- Rearward-facing child seat (1972)
- Side Impact Protection System (1991)
- Whiplash Protection System (1998)
Volvo’s safety efforts aren’t entirely dedicated to new technologies; good old-fashioned crashworthiness is important as well. The definitive crashworthiness ratings come from the NHTSA, which does the crash testing for vehicles sold in the US. Every 2026 Volvo model that has been tested so far has received a 5-star rating*. Here are the models that have received the coveted rating:
- 2026 Volvo XC40
- 2026 Volvo XC40 AWD
- 2026 Volvo V60 Cross Country
- 2026 Volvo XC60
- 2026 Volvo XC60 T8 PHEV
- 2026 Volvo XC90
- 2026 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV
Car of the Decade Award – Volvo XC90
Few vehicles have ever enjoyed as much adoration as the Volvo XC90 receives from critics and owners alike. The blend of luxury, practicality, superb driving dynamics, and good looks has been so well executed with the XC90 that anyone who drives it quickly becomes a devoted fan. This has resulted in quite a few glowing reviews and awards. Probably the most glowing of all is the award given to the XC90 by AutoTrader, which declared it the Car of the Decade.
Even if you aren’t shopping for an XC90, this is still good news, as a part of why the XC90 got the award was that it serves so well as the brand’s flagship. Features and design cues first introduced for the XC90 work their way to the rest of the lineup far more quickly than you’ll find with Mazda or other brands. So the XC90 might have gotten the individual award, but what the award means for the brand is far bigger.
A Leader in Electrification
One major, as well as absolutely undeniable, advantage that Volvo has over Mazda is in the field of electrification. Mazda has just one conventional hybrid and two plug-in hybrid models, with zero pure electric models to go with them. Every model in the Volvo fleet, on the other hand, comes with some sort of electrification. There are three pure electric models, two plug-in hybrids, and every other model comes with a mild hybrid system. Here are the pure EV and PHEV models from Volvo:
- XC60 Plug-In Hybrid
- XC90 Plug-In Hybrid
- EX30
- EX40
- EX90
*Source: https://www.nhtsa.gov/ratings