Company car drivers downsizing to smaller cars will welcome the latest EuroNCAP crash test results for six new cars.

Five out of the six cars received the maximum five-star award. A number of less expensive cars were among the high performers.
The cars achieving five-stars are

  • Audi Q5
  • Honda Jazz
  • Hyundai i20
  • Kia Soul
  • Peugeot 3008

The Suzuki Alto scored three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies. Suzuki has now made ESC optional on all Alto variants.

“At the heart of the new rating scheme is the objective to offer consumers a full picture of a car’s overall safety performance,” said Michiel van Ratingen, EuroNCAP secretary general.

“EuroNCAP is now able to emphasise the importance of new safety technologies that assist a vehicle’s behaviour before an accident regardless of its size.

“Many claim that the weight and size of a car is the only criteria for safety.

"We believe that there are other aspects of safety that are just as important.

"The smaller cars we tested whose results are released today show that size should not stand in the way of all-round safety.”

The Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 were also praised for their pedestrian scores that not only meet current requirements, but also meet EuroNCAP’s future requirements.

Seats from the Kia Soul achieved a good result in the programme’s whiplash testing, again revealing that it is not only larger or expensive cars that achieve impressive results in safety.