EuroNCAP reveals leading safety winners
Safety authority, Euro NCAP has revealed its best in class for 2011, after a busy year testing the latest models. In total the authority tested 53 new car models available in the European markets, with only eleven models scoring four stars and the Dacia Duster scoring the lowest with three stars.
To be selected as top of the class, the cars not only had to achieved a five star rating but also show class-leading scores in each of Euro NCAP’s four areas of assessment. In the supermini category, the Chevrolet Aveo was named best in class, while the small off-road vehicle accolade went to the Audi Q3. The small family category winner was the Ford Focus, the small MPV winner, the Mercedes B-Class with the Volvo V60 claiming the large family car category win.
Runners-up in each category include the Chevrolet Malibu, Mercedes M Class, Toyota Yaris, Lexus CT200h, Opel Zafira Tourer, Hyundai ix20, and BMW X1.
Euro NCAP also tested its first electric cars last year, with plug-in vehicles exposed to the same test conditions as their fossil-fuelled counterparts, while special attention is paid to battery integrity after a crash. The Nissan LEAF was the first of its kind to achieve Euro NCAP 5 star overall rating, placing itself amongst this year’s best small family cars.
The safety authority also rewarded several car makers for their advanced safety features not yet included in its rating scheme. The Ford Focus, offered with optional Active City Stop, Driver Alert Forward Alert and Lane Keeping Aid. Other top achievers include the Mercedes B Class and Volvo V60 which were recognised for Collision Prevention Assist and City Safety respectively, both Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems (AEB).
Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General says: "With Euro NCAP Advanced, we have already recognized a number of technologies offering safety benefits to consumers. The safety case for AEB systems is very strong and we are therefore strongly encouraging manufacturers to increase the availability of such systems on new cars. We are well underway to add the assessment of these systems to the overall rating and to make these systems a requirement for five stars in the future."
In 2012, Euro NCAP introduces stricter standards by increasing the minimum score in the pedestrian assessment from 40 per cent to 60 per cent, reflecting the stepwise improvements introduced by automakers of the last years in this field. While a number of carmakers have already demonstrated that cars can be engineered to pass the new limit, the increased demands will challenge others to improve the safety for vulnerable road users.
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