News: Renault ditches Scenic, launches XMOD

Renault has decided to stop making the Scenic. That might sound like a bit of a shock, but hang on, the devil is in the detail. The seven-seat Grand Scenic will continue on as one of Europe's best-selling medium-sized MPVs, but the five-seat Scenic is now going to be dropped, and replaced by a new model called the Scenic XMOD. 

News: Mercedes' E-Class nose-job continues

Just before Christmas, Mercedes revealed a striking new look for the E-Class saloon and estate, doing away with almost two-decades of upright, four-headlamp tradition. Now, it's moved on to the E-Class coupe and cabriolet, with equally arresting results.

Gone, once again, are the four separate headlamp units, replaced by strikingly curvy single lamp setups (albeit with a hint of the old four-lamp shape in the LED daytime running light highlights) while the slatted grille has been replaced by a gaping SLS-style maw.

Oddly, and unlike the saloon and estate, the awkward-looking retro coachline above the rear wheel, meant to evoke memories of the classic fifties 'Pontoon' Mercs, has been retained. 

Inside, there are only minor changes, and the cabin retains its obvious C-Class links (in spite of the name, the E-Class coupe and cabriolet are more closely related to the smaller C-Class). There's a new steering wheel, some updated displays, an analogue clock and some updated trims and materials.

Mechanically, there are no changes of significance, bar some minor engine and transmission details that bring the Co2 figures down a small bit, and safety equipment also remains the same as the saloon's, including the newly updated DISTRONIC PLUS system which watches for possible accidents ahead, PRE-SAFE PLUS which preps all the safety systems for an incoming collision and lane keeping assist to wake you up if you drift out of your lane.

“Three words sum up both the E-Class Coupe and the four-seat Cabriolet model: captivating, athletic, passionate”, said Mercedes-Benz head of sales and marketing Dr. Joachim Schmidt. “It is especially pleasing that the two vehicles also incorporate the most intelligent technology ever. This makes them true dream cars.”

News: Volvo celebrates 25 years of airbags

The first Volvo car equipped with an airbag left the assembly line in 1987 – and since then the company has extended the technology with several world-firsts.


Volvo was first with both the seat-mounted side airbag and the Inflatable Curtain (IC) - and in 2012 the technology's 25th anniversary was celebrated with the introduction of the groundbreaking pedestrian airbag in the all-new Volvo V40.

"It is the first time airbag technology has been used to help protect vulnerable road users, in this case pedestrians, outside the car," says Lennart Johansson, Senior Manager for Interior safety at Volvo Car Corporation.

Lennart Johansson, who was part of the pioneering work in the 1980s, adds: "The benefit of modern airbag technology is that it takes very little space and still helps provide a good level of protection that can be optimized for the occupant and the crash situation. However, when we see a need for enhanced protection we always search for a total safety solution. The airbag is one solution and it can be combined with other measures."

Another recent example is the new knee airbag in the all-new Volvo V40. It is designed to distribute the load on the driver's lower body in a frontal collision.

The airbag has been a standard feature in all cars for several years, but in the early days both the technology and its reliability created intense debate. At that time, many of these anxieties were justified.

"Getting an airbag to deploy is not a challenge, but making it deploy at exactly the right moment is," explains Lennart Johansson, adding: "In recent years, the timing and the performance level of inflation have been in focus. And in modern airbag technology, the inflation level can be adapted to match crash severity."

The use of sophisticated radar and cameras in recent cars paves the way for the possibility of activating protective safety systems even before the impact if necessary.

A look in the rear-view mirror shows that the first airbag solutions emerged back in the early 1950s. However, the technology was far from mature. One 1955 patent describes a system similar to today's, but with the significant exception that the driver himself had to deploy the bag by pressing a button. Another early debate focused on the use of a pyrotechnic charge to inflate the airbag with gas.
A controversial bill in the United States in 1984 speeded up the airbag development process. Focusing on the dangers of not using the safety belt, the bill stipulated that within three years new cars must be equipped with protective safety devices that did not have to be activated by the occupants.


The airbag was quickly recognised by many observers as the best solution and some even believed that it even would replace the three-point safety belt that was invented by Volvo Car Corporation back in 1959.

However, Volvo successfully argued that the best safety result would be achieved by co-operation between the safety belt system and airbag technology.

"More airbags will not necessarily improve the overall safety level. It is important to regard the airbag as part of a systematic approach where the car's structure, the safety belts, the airbags and other details such as the steering column interact to ensure optimum absorption of the collision forces in an accident," comments Lennart Johansson.


In the late 1990s, the airbag became standard equipment in the Volvo 850.
In 1994, Volvo Car Corporation took the technology further by introducing a side airbag that is integrated in the seat backrest, ready to help protect the chest in a side impact.
"We took a huge step forward by making the side airbag part of our patented Side Impact Protection System that is integrated in the body structure," says Lennart Johansson.

By then, it was already time for the next world-first from Volvo Car Corporation - the Inflatable Curtain (IC).

The IC is designed to enhance head protection for both front and outer rear seat occupants in a side impact. In some car models, it is also helps protect the occupants in a rollover situation.
The roof-mounted version was introduced when the new Volvo S80 was launched in 1998 and is a standard feature in all Volvo models except the C70.

Instead, the convertible Volvo C70 is equipped with door-mounted inflatable curtains that are deployed upwards in a side collision and remain inflated to help provide protection if the car rolls over. 
Volvo has taken this technology another step further by extending the curtain to also provide enhanced protection in offset collisions and for children in the rear seat.


Airbag technology has changed a great deal since it was introduced 25 years ago - and Volvo has been one of the key players in the refinement process.

"Airbag performance has been improved significantly. Today's technology is much more adapted to the collision sequence and the way occupants are moved by the crash forces. After 25 years, refining the airbag technology is a vital part of our aim to build the safest cars in the world," explains Lennart Johansson.

Meanwhile, Volvo Car Ireland has announced that Bluetooth phone connection will now be standard on four of its most popular models, the V40, S60 and V60 ranges. This feature is part of the High Performance Audio system which includes USB connectivity, AUX-input, 8 speakers and Steering wheel audio controls.

The High Performance Audio system provides USB audio connection for iPod, iPhone and USB 2.0 memory sticks. The audio streaming and USB capability enables the driver to play music through the High performance Audio system. The driver can control the music selection through the use of the steering wheel controls. Information such as the artist name, album and track is displayed on the multi information display.

Bluetooth® technology allows safe hands-free phone calls whilst driving. This is becoming an increasingly important feature for drivers particularly in light of recent moves by the government to double penalty points for motorists caught using a mobile phone when they are driving.

The High Performance Audio system normally retails at €500. The addition of this option as a standard feature will further enhance the already generous specification levels of these models which have City Safety and a world first pedestrian airbag as standard (on V40).

News: Volvo's V40 R-Design and XC rock in

Volvo Car Ireland has today announced the pricing of the all-new Volvo V40 R-Design and Volvo V40 Cross Country.

Starting from €29,495 and €28,645 respectively, Volvo is now able to offer both a more sports inspired and a more rugged looking take on the V40.

The V40 R-Design has taken cues from its R-Design stable mates in the rest of the range, with a re-profiled front bumper and rear diffuser, five-spoke 17" Ixion wheels, silver matt door mirrors, unique R-Design embossed nubuck upholstery, sports floor mats, sports steering wheel and pedals. In addition to this, as standard, the V40 R-Design benefits from a TFT crystal display screen with unique blue colouring, illuminated gear-knob, unique R-Design aluminum trim and vertical LED day-running lights.

Those wanting to complement the standard specification can add active bending xenon headlights with cleaning system, rain sensor, leather-faced R-Design embossed seats, cruise control, keyless start and rear theatre lighting.

The V40 R-Design is available in the striking launch colour, Rebel Blue, unique to R-Design, along with six other colours. Prices start from €29,495 for the D2 R-Design version still benefiting from class leading CO2 emissions of 94g/km up to the D3 Geartronic R-Design available from €33,995.

Road Test: Skoda Rapid 1.2 TSI

Price as tested: €17,500 (approx)

+ Sweet engine, space, quality, crisp styling, price
– Bumpy suspension, plain interior
= A simpler Skoda than of late, a return to the brand’s roots


The new Rapid, named unselfconsciously for the old rear-engined Skoda saloon of the eighties (as well as other, more venerable Skoda models) represents a slight, but significant, change of tack for the Czech firm. In recent years, Skodas have become ever more sophisticated, and their prices have risen to reflect this. Step into a Superb saloon or a Yeti crossover, and you are confronted with interiors and equipment that are easily the equal of any Audi or Mercedes.

The Rapid, while not a backward step, draws more from Skoda's more utilitarian past. While it retains a level of sophistication appropriate to a modern Volkswagen group car, it feels like a simpler, more straightforward car.

And, thankfully for those of us looking at vastly reduced car buying budgets, its price will reflect that. A basic Rapid, fitted oxymoronically with a 75bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine, will cost around €15,995 when it goes on sale in November, and that price will include electronic stability control.

The Rapid also represents a subtle shift in the centre of gravity in the Skoda range. Until now, the Octavia had been Skoda's core model; a rival to the Ford Focus in price and demeanour, even if its physical size drifted closer to the likes of the Mondeo. The Rapid is more obviously Focus-sized, albeit narrower than the norm for the class, and its arrival will allow the new Octavia, due next year, to grow in size and luxury to be a true Mondeo rival. The larger Superb will get even bigger again next time around, close to BMW 5 Series size. The Rapid, Skoda expects, will shortly become its second-best selling model after the Octavia, sold globally and the spearhead of a massive renewal of the Skoda range. New or facelifted models will be launched every six months over the next few years as Skoda seeks to double its current sales.

Mechanically, the Rapid reflects the idea that it is meant to be a simpler, more affordable car. Instead of being based on the VW Group's high-tech new MQB platform, it uses a mixture components, some lifted from the current Polo and Jetta. That means a straightforward torsion bar rear suspension, which allows the Rapid to have a truly cavernous 550-litre boot, but also means that you'll feel a lot more of the road surface than you would in some rival cars. The boot also has quite a long drop over the loading lip down to the floor; not a problem when putting things in, but it could prove awkward when reaching in to extract heavier items. The rest of the Rapid's cabin is very well-executed, with high quality (although noticeably not soft-touch) surfaces and clear, bright instruments. Rear legroom and headroom are excellent but you'll notice that the cabin is quite narrow, and larger passengers will occasionally clonk elbows, and the front armrest frequently gets in the way of your elbow when changing gear.

As with the Ford Focus 1.0-litre Ecoboost we tested recently, the Rapid also offers a compelling reason to switch back from diesel to petrol power, especially if your average mileage is relatively low. The 85bhp 1.2 TSI turbo petrol engine (which should roughly split the difference between the basic model and the bigger-selling 1.6 TDI 105bhp diesel's circa €19,000 price tag) feels lively, spins eagerly and sounds crisp and sharp to the ear. Its fuel consumption figures hover around the 55mpg mark (which seems achievable) and its 119g/km Co2 rating means it matches, for now, the diesel in terms of motor tax.

If the Rapid has a failing it's in that low-cost suspension setup. We've been spoiled ever since the launch of the original 1998 Ford Focus by family cars that ride and handle with increasing sophistication and precision. The Rapid is not by any means a bad car to drive, but the way the rear suspension constantly jiggles and jitters over poor surfaces is annoying. On a smoother road, with smooth driver inputs, the Rapid begins to feel more fluent and it settles into an enjoyable rhythm, but you're never going to drive it for the sheer pleasure of it.

No matter, reckons Skoda; this is a car aimed squarely at cost-conscious families and in that regard it squares up excellently. That tempting entry price (albeit for an engine what will likely prove underpowered, especially if you're using the Rapid's 500-odd-kg payload) will be sufficient for many, but the Rapid's other qualities (space, comfort, Band A & B emissions, Skoda's excellent reliability reputation) should also prove deal-sealers. The fact that, although a hatchback, it looks like a four-door saloon and its simple, rugged nature will also doubtless appeal to more traditional Irish car buying minds. Mind you, it's worth pointing out that Seat will shortly be launching a new Toledo, mechcanically identical to the Rapid, and likely close on price too. Nothing like a bit of sibling rivalry...

While the Rapid is pretty much an innovation-free zone, Skoda has kept up its reputation for leaving in some small, pleasant touches. An ice-scraper tucked into the fuel filler cap for one, a phone and music player interface front and centre on the dashboard (not tucked awkwardly away as many rivals do) for another. Small touches, but they add up.

And in a quiet way, it's stylish. It won't draw eyeballs like a Lamborghini, but the new corporate Skoda 'face' (deep-set headlamps either side of a discreetly-chrome-ringed, wing-shaped grille) is handsome and the rest of the Rapid, although plain, looks pleasingly chiselled and chunky.

From the perspective of the road test writer, the Rapid is a tough car to get especially wound up about. There is no screaming V12 engine, nor cutting-edge battery or hybrid technology to rhapsodise about. Nor is there curvaceous styling or razor sharp chassis responses.

But speaking for a moment as a car buyer and a family man living on a budget, it's very appealing. Spacious, solid, pleasant and affordable. In that sense, you could easily see it pleasing a great many buyers.


Skoda Rapid 1.2 TSI
Price: €17,500 (approx)
Range price: €15,995 to TBA (approx)
Capacity: 1,197cc
Power: 85bhp
Torque: 160Nm
Top speed: 183kmh
0-100kmh: 11.8sec
Economy: 5.1-100km (55.3mpg)
CO2 emissions: 119g/km
Tax Band: A. €160 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested

Road Test: Volvo V40 D2 1.6 SE

Price as tested: €28,995

+ Styling, cabin, comfort, dynamics, safety, innovation
– Poor auto ‘box, gimmicky functions, expensive and confusing options list
= Volvo's best drivers’ car should give the A3 a fright


With the new V40, Volvo is at last right-sizing its range. The previous S40 saloon and V50 estate were nice cars in their own right, but sat at confusing price and size points, half way between the likes of a BMW 1 Series and 3 Series. Now, they have been done away with (although the smaller C30 hatch will continue for a while in some markets) and replaced with a new hatchback, the V40, which aims itself right down the throat of the 1 Series, the Audi A3 and the upcoming new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, while also taking on the likes of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta or a well-specced VW Golf.

Style-wise, it certainly makes an impact and is probably Volvo's best styling effort since the clean, muscular 1995 C70. You could easily accuse it of having a few too many lines and the little inset in the rear doors, meant to homage the original P1800 coupe, is rather lost. But for all that, it's a deeply handsome car; unmistakably a Volvo but still breaking new styling ground for the brand.

Inside, much has been lifted from the existing S60 saloon and that's no bad thing. It looks gorgeous in there and quality levels are very high with, as almost goes without saying for a Volvo, comfort levels to match. Space is excellent in the front, aside from a slight lack of foot space for front passengers, while it’s fine in the back, even for tall passengers, unless you option it up with the panoramic glass roof, which robs a bit of headroom. The 'floating' centre stack has been a love-it-or-hate-it Volvo touchstone for some time now but the TFT digital instrument pack is all new. It's fitted to all but the most basic ES models (which make do with regular analogue dials) and allows you to customise the display colours and layout to your taste, flicking between Comfort, Eco and Sport modes. To be honest, it's a bit too gimmicky for its own good, with the layouts being pretty but not very intuitive and, oddly for a Volvo, needing you to distract yourself from the road ahead too frequently to figure out what's going on.

Equally gimmicky and equally pointless is the adjustable steering weight. We've come up against similar systems in the past (hello, Hyundai i30) and they are rarely, if ever, satisfactory. Yes, there is a difference in feel and effort in each mode, but it's too subtle a difference to make it worth the effort and we'd rather see a single setting that works well for all. Just leave it in Light mode and you'll be fine.

Underneath its swoopy new body, the V40 uses a mixture of old S40 mechanical parts (which also therefore means it's related to the MkII Ford Focus) and some S60 components (which itself draws on the current Ford Mondeo). The result could have been a mish-mash, but actually it works very well. As long as you avoid the optional 10mm lower Sport Suspension, the V40 combines such talents as being a refined and comfy motorway cruiser and a decently talented back-roads attacker. Certainly in the mountains above Verona, it felt agile and responsive, displayed no bad manners under than an occasional tendency to understeer at maximum effort and generally gave a good dynamic account of itself. It's not (quite) as engaging to drive as a Golf nor (anything like as much) as a BMW 1 Series, but it does do an excellent job of balancing comfort, agility and stability. Probably Volvo’s best-ever drivers’ car, in fact

The primary engine for Ireland will be the familiar 115bhp, 270Nm 1.6-litre D2 engine, which also sees service in other Volvos, various Fords and a glut of Peugeots and Citroens. It's a thoroughly decent engine, with plenty of low-down oomph, but an unfortunate habit of giving elongated growls at the top of the rev range. Not enough to seriously upset refinement, but you'll never enjoy wringing it out. Volvo claims average fuel consumption of 3.6-litres per 100km (better than 70mpg) which we got nowhere near, but then we did have the sweeping roads of the Dolomites to enjoy, so ask us again on that score once we get the V40 at home in the summer. Co2 emissions are 94g/km when fitted with 16" wheels (a class leading figure) and if you go for the optional 18" rims, that only climbs to a very creditable 99g/km. That should keep you safe from anything Michael Noonan's got planned...

Speaking of options, we need to speak of options. Volvo is offering a frankly bewildering range of optional extras on the V40, some of which can be bought individually, some of which come in packs and to be honest, we still haven't got our heads around it. The headlining safety pack, which includes Pedestrian Detection cameras, blind spot monitors, lane keeping, collision warning and active headlights seems only right and proper to fit to a Volvo, but it will set you back an extra €1,300 on this SE model, thanks to the loading of VRT and VAT on the options. Which, for ground breaking safety items, seems more than a bit churlish of the Government to charge for with one hand while simultaneously smacking us around the head with the other for not driving more safely... Fit the kit and you would almost unquestionably have the safest car in its class.

Other options include such items which you might think should come as standard, including such as Bluetooth phone connection and cruise control. Let's just say that you're going to have to do your homework if you want to spec your V40 up correctly. A couple of options to avoid are either of the twin-clutch Powershift or conventional Geartronic automatic gearboxes, both of which felt erratic and ill-matched to their engines. Ireland will take only the D2 diesel, more powerful 5-cylinder D3 2.0-litre 150bhp diesel and T3 150bhp petrol 1.6, which has a creditable 125g/km Co2 figure.

Thankfully coming as standard is Volvo's new pedestrian airbag, a vast u-shaped device that emerges from the trailing edge of the bonnet should a sensor in the front bumper detect that you've just run into someone. It works above speeds of 20kmh and below 50kmh and is part of Volvo's ambitious commitment to see that by 2020, none of its vehicles should be involved in a fatal collision. Once again, the Swedes are showing the rest of the world the way to go when it comes to safety.

Price-wise, it could find itself in a touch of difficulty though. At a basic €26,995 (for either the entry level diesel or petrol) it's right up against the cheapest BMW 1 or Audi A3. Should it have undercut them more? And is an extra €2-€3k over and above an equivalent VW Golf too much of a stretch for potential buyers? Perhaps it comes down to how well Volvo's traditional safety and environmentally friendly messages can combine with the new-found style, and whether sufficient youthful buyers can be found to whom that will appeal.

The V40 is an instantly appealing kind of car though; not just because it's pretty, not just because it's safe but because it's the kind of car that, even after a few minutes, you want to spend a lot of time with. It feels like a car that will fit neatly into a broad swathe of lifestyles, and with its understated Swedish looks and image, feels a bit more in touch with our caring, sharing times than the more overtly aggressive Germans. It's also a new beginning for Volvo, as it seeks to dramatically expand its sales under its new Chinese owners, Geely Motors. We will more than likely be seeing more versions of the V40; a faux-4x4 XC40 has already been confirmed, a four door saloon is apparently being worked on and a sporty R version is not being ruled out.

If we say the V40 is nice, that sounds like damning with faint praise, but that's exactly what it is; nice. And frankly, these days, a bit more niceness wouldn't go astray.


Facts & Figures

Volvo V40 1.6 D2 SE
Price as tested:€28,995
Range price: €26,995 to €35,995
Cubic capacity: 1,560
Power: 115bhp
Torque: 270Nm
Maximum speed: 190kmh
0-100kmh: 12.3secs
Fuel consumption: 3.6l/100km (78.5mpg)
Co2 emissions: 94g/km
Tax band: A (€160)
EuroNCAP rating: Not yet tested

Road Test: Volvo XC60 Ocean Race AWD

Price as tested: €47,757

+ Looks, beautiful cabin, decent economy, ride comfort
– Awkward driving position, roly-poly handling
= Looks better down the yacht club than most

Galway resident that I am, I guess the Volvo Ocean Race means a bit more to me than just the badge on the side of a few posh Swedish motors. It’s a bi-annual pageant that’s coming to the West again this year, bringing with racing yachts, a truly global competition, a party atmosphere and the inevitable face paint stalls. It’s fun.

To mark the occasion, Volvo has of course produced a series of cars that tie in with the firm’s sponsorship of this famous round-the-world race for big sailing yachts. Tick the VOR box on your order form, and you get nice chrome kick plates, soft leather upholstery with ‘sail-inspired stitching’ and (this is my favourite bit) a loop of sail rope to pull the luggage cover back and forth with.

Underneath our Ocean Race spec XC60 was something rather more unusual. All wheel drive. Now, when the XC60 was originally launched back in 2008, it debuted as a four wheel drive car, but when the front-drive DRIVEe version was launched in 2010, we all figured that the all-paw XC60 was dead and dusted. After all, what would be the point in spending more money, more tax and more fuel on a car that’s never going to go off-road anyway?

Well, the winter snows of 2011 put paid to that assertion, and so Volvo was keen to point out that yes, you can still get an XC60 that lives up to the billing of its chunky, handsome bodywork and high ride height. We didn’t get the snow, but it could come back at any moment...

While the all-wheel-drive traction is certainly a welcome returner and it has its uses even if winter has become spring and is heading once again for summer, let’s be totally shallow and admit the real reason we like the XC60 so much; the way it looks. Yes, yes, skin deep beholders and all, this is a seriously handsome car and the VOR-spec Electric Silver Metallic paint really shows off the lines to great effect.

That beauty continues inside, where the gorgeous biscuit leather upholstery, faultless ergonomics and pretty main dials all work their usual Volvo magic. Ah, but there’s a flaw and quite a serious one. This is the first time we’d ever driven an XC60 with a manual gearbox and it has shown up a quite awful deficiency in the driving position. Quite simple, the seat points one way and the wheels and pedals point another. In fact, so bad is the offset that the only way to drive the XC60 comfortably was to steer with the right hand while resting the left on the gearshift. It honestly felt like steering from the wrong side of the car and brought on swift and merciless backache. Considering Volvo’s hitherto unimpeachable reputation for comfort, this needs sorting, and fast.

Mechanically, all is well though. The 2.4-litre five-cylinder diesel engine is not long for this world, being as Volvo is committed to replacing all its current engines with a new family of four-cylinder petrol and diesel turbos, no bigger than 2.0-litres. That’s a shame as it’s one of the very few truly characterful diesels around. With five pots beating, it sounds great when revved hard and is very refined at all other times. Decently economical too. Volvo claims 5.7-litres per 100km for the car, which you’ll never manage, but our average of 6.9l/100km seems about right for a 4wd car of this size. It’s also surprisingly sprightly, with a big slug of 420Nm of torque punching hard from low down the rev range, making it feel just a touch of a GTI SUV...

Handling wise, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Thanks to long springs and high profile tyres, the ride is very comfy and well sorted, but the handling does suffer from too much body roll, all of which seems to happen early and at low speeds. This means that the XC is actually better on a country road than it is in town, where roundabouts can make it feel a touch lumbering and lurchy. The feel-free steering, which weights up a bit oddly depending on what you’re doing, doesn’t help either. Best to stay on the motorway, where the XC60 is in it’s element, swishing quietly along and a loping, friendly efficiency.

For the rest of the practical stuff, the rear seats are decently spacious and the boot, although a little shallower than is ideal, is fine.

So, if we get snow in July, just in time for the Volvo Ocean Race to return to Galway, XC60 AWD owners could well be quids in. As will anyone who decides to buy on; it’s a very likeable, pretty and practical car. Fix the awful driving position and there’s no doubt that this would be our favourite compact SUV.


Facts & Figures

Volvo XC60 VOR AWD D3
Price: €47,757
Range price: €43,707 to €58,445
Capacity: 2,400cc
Power: 163bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Top speed: 195
0-100kmh: 10.5sec
Economy: 5.7l-100km (49.6mpg)
CO2 emissions: 149g/km
Tax Band: C. €330 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star: 94% adult, 79% child, 48% pedestrian, 86% safety assist