Safety body Euro NCAP has released its third batch of crash test ratings this year, with favourable results for the likes of Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Volvo.
Top marks have been given to the all-electric Kia EV6 and the newest iteration of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, both of which arrived on UK roads towards the end of last year.
Both models were said to have demonstrated excellent crash protection, though the EV6 received a lower vulnerable road user protection score, as it does not come fitted with an ‘Active bonnet’ system like the C-Class – a feature which is designed to mitigate the impact to a pedestrian’s head in an accident.
Kia EV6
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has also been given a Euro NCAP Advanced award for its ‘Car-to-X Communication’ system, which utilises data from other vehicles to provide an early warning of potential hazards in a car’s vicinity before they could otherwise be detected.
The model with the highest safety assistance technology score in this round of tests was the new Volvo C40 coupé-SUV, with the Volkswagen Multivan people carrier not far behind – both models also being awarded a full five-star rating from Euro NCAP.
Volvo C40
Volkswagen Multivan
This batch of Euro NCAP crash tests also included results for the new Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra – both built on the same Stellantis platform. Both models were awarded respectable four-star crash test ratings, with lower crash protection scores than the other models assessed in May.
This is because “neither car was equipped with a centre airbag for far-side crash protection, a countermeasure which is increasingly common on modern cars”, says Euro NCAP, who also added that “both cars offer plenty of crash avoidance technology but do not include some of the latest advancements introduced in the market.”
Peugeot 308
Vauxhall Astra
Commenting on the rising standards of crash avoidance technology across the industry, the Secretary General of Euro NCAP, Michiel van Ratingen said that “some manufacturers will have to continue to up their game in this area if they are not going to be left behind by the competition.”
Keyword: Top marks for Kia and Volvo in latest Euro NCAP tests