One of the lesser-known vehicle services Volvo offers its customers is armor protection. The company has been offering such vehicles since at least 2020, when it announced it would begin up-fitting the XC90. Volvo still offers bulletproof XC90s, and has since added the smaller XC60 to the line. To show how Volvo makes these SUVs safe not just in crashes, but under fire, the company released a short video showing the components and manufacturing process.

You Can Barely Tell The Difference

When Volvo began offering its armored XC90s, it partnered with a company in Germany to do the up-fitting, and two levels of protection were available. Volvo doesn’t make it clear if that’s still the case, or if it has moved more of the armoring process in-house. It also only highlights what would likely be the lighter armor option. Regardless, the armoring begins with completed XC90 and XC60 models. They’re disassembled and scanned, after which custom armored parts are added. These include stainless steel reinforcements around hinges and door surrounds, plus aramid ballistic plastics in the roof and passenger compartment panels. The glass is also replaced with ballistic-resistant materials, and Volvo notes that all of its modifications are fully compatible with its cars’ driver assist and safety systems. So, they will still have adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and automatic braking, among other features.

Volvo notes that its armored vehicles meet armor certifications for both North and South America, as well as Europe and the UK. Based on the NIJ IIIA rating Volvo cites, the cars are resistant to pistol rounds of a variety of calibers. Previously, Volvo also offered armor that would provide explosive resistance, too, but it doesn’t mention that in the video or on the site where prospective buyers can contact the company to purchase an example. Even just with ballistic resistance, the armor can add a significant amount of weight. The company says the total additional weight can reach 705 pounds.

It’s As Easy To Live With As Any Volvo

Volvo notes that its armored vehicles effectively have all the same functionality and convenience of any normal Volvo. The interior has pretty much the same amount of space and doesn’t look any different. The rear windows don’t roll down, but that and the weight gain are the only real differences. The armored vehicles are covered by the same warranties as a standard Volvo, and they can be serviced at any regular Volvo dealer.

Volvo even lets owners armor the plug-in hybrid XC90, not just the standard version. The plug-in hybrid is probably the ideal choice for this weighty package, since it’s the most powerful option with 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque. It would also offer some all-electric range. The standard plug-in hybrid can go 32 miles on a charge, though that could be somewhat reduced with the added weight. Volvo doesn’t list pricing for these armored vehicles, and the costs likely vary depending on the customer’s needs, especially if Volvo still offers higher levels of protection.