MATILDA FRANCES (Motoring World’s Editorial Director)
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ollowing recent crash test and assessment carried out by EuroNCAP, new Hyundai i30 scored a maximum five stars. Also surviving the latest crash trial with maximum stars are Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Opel Insignia, SEAT Ibiza and VW Arteon.
As revealed by EuroNCAP on Wednesday, Honda’s latest Civic scored four stars. Whereas the face-lifted Ford Mustang managed to garner three stars, adding additional star to the two it got in the previous test before face-lifting.
The luxurious VW Arteon performed well in all areas of assessment, becoming the highest-scoring executive vehicle for pedestrian protection to date. Alfa Romeo’s new off-roader, the Stelvio, did exceptionally well in adult occupant protection, with a near-perfect 97 percent score, matching competitors like the Volvo XC90, assessed in 2015.
The SEAT Ibiza stood out for its high level of standard safety equipment. Other cars in this category often have autonomous braking as an option, but the Ibiza’s system, which includes pedestrian detection, is standard equipment, helping it to a well-deserved five-star rating.
Commenting on the results, Euro NCAP Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen, said, “The greater the extent to which these new technologies are fitted, the better and faster will be the progress in safety on our roads, to the benefit of all. It is to SEAT’s credit that they have made a sophisticated AEB standard on a supermini like the Ibiza, and we commend them for it.”
In the small family car category, Hyundai’s new i30 gets five stars with good performance across the board.
The Honda Civic is let down by lower-than-expected protection offered to children, but is still rated as a solid four star car.
Earlier this year, the Ford Mustang scored a disappointing two stars in Euro NCAP testing. Its manufacturer responded by making AEB and Lane Assistance standard on its face lifted model and has introduced improvements on its frontal airbags, which explain why the latest Mustang on sale managed to reach three stars.
On Mustang’s improvement, Michiel van Ratingen said:“It is good to see that after 20 years, Euro NCAP’s call for safety improvement still strikes a chord with responsible companies like Ford. While a three-star rating is unexceptional, the updates Ford have introduced have not only made Mustang’s safety better in key areas but also show that the company cares about its customers and safety reputation.”
Editorial Director, Motoring World Intl.
Euro NCAP organizes crash tests on new vehicles and provides motoring consumers with a realistic and independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. Established in 1997 and backed by several European Governments, motoring, consumer and insurance organizations, Euro NCAP has rapidly become a catalyst for encouraging significant safety improvements to new car design.
