Euro NCAP has published safety ratings for 10 new cars “with some impressive results”.
The Mercedes EQE scored a maximum five star rating and was also awarded a Very Good rating for its Highway Assist system.
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Chinese NEV industry leader BYD achieved five stars with its Atto 3 crossover SUV as did Mazda’s new mid size crossover SUV CX-60, BMW’s new X1 and 2 Series Active Tourer, and the latest generation of Seat, Ibiza and Arona. The updated VW Golf kept pace with newer rivals with a five star rating, while two cars, the Citroen C5 X and the Mobilize Limo, were each awarded four stars.
Mercedes-Benz continues to expand its EQ BEV range and the EQE sedan was the latest model to be rated by Euro NCAP. Like its stablemates, it does not disappoint, its excellent all round performance earning it a top five star safety rating. Active Distance Assist Distronic with Active Steering Assist is available as an option, providing driving assistance on highways. The system was the first to be assessed by Euro NCAP which, if the driver becomes unresponsive, safely manoeuvres the car to the slowest lane before bringing it to a halt. This function referred to as Active Emergency Stop Assist helped to give the EQE a Very Good grading and made it the highest scoring car tested by Euro NCAP so far in its assisted driving gradings.
Euro NCAP secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen, said: “Fully autonomous driving is still some way away but the groundwork is being laid by robust, high performing assisted-driving systems like this one from Mercedes.”
A five star rating for the new BYD Atto 3 (Yuan Plus in China) continued the run of success for Chinese brands in Euro NCAP, following similar results for Wey and Ora in the last publication. BYD has been in Europe for over a decade with buses but the arrival of the Atto 3 is the vehicle that will bring it to the masses. The budget friendly EV is performing well in Euro NCAP crash tests and comes fully equipped with latest ADAS technology.
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By GlobalDataThe two other Chinese made cars in this latest test batch were awarded four stars. The Citroen C5 X, built in China by joint venture Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile, and the electric Limo sedan from the Renault Jiangling joint venture Mobilize were, in general, solid performers but they did not stand out due to the omission of equipment or marginal performance in some of the active safety tests.
The two Seats also lacked some of the latest safety equipment, notably centre airbags, but made up for it in other ways and still qualified for five stars. The BMW X1 and 2 Series Active Tourer each got five stars with almost identical scores in all parts of the assessment. BMW thus successfully carries over the top ratings for the latest generation of these popular models, despite the tougher protocol requirements of 2022. Also, the Mazda CX-60 performed well all round to achieve a five star rating.
The facelifted VW Golf 8 earned five stars as well. The Golf 8 was first tested by Euro NCAP in 2019, but the model has recently been updated with the addition of a centre airbag, lap pretensioners, junction assist and a fatigue detection system, which delivered again five stars, this time against the latest test criteria.
Van Ratingen added: “There is a lot of pressure on car manufacturers to extend the lifetimes of their vehicles, especially those of combustion engine cars which will soon be replaced by all electric models. Most vehicle manufacturers tend to ride it out, some may even consider safety cutbacks to maintain competitiveness. So it is excellent to see VW continually improving the safety of the Golf, to keep abreast of the latest developments and keep pace with competitors.”
Finally, Nissan Juke’s hybrid variant was added to the 2019 result of the combustion engine model.
