Euro NCAP crash tests - commentary
Influenced by Euro NCAP or not, the fact is that new cars are getting safer. 17 cars took part in the recent crash test.
Influenced by Euro NCAP or not, the fact is that new cars are getting safer. 17 cars took part in the recent crash test. As many as six of them received the maximum rating of five stars. The new leader of the classification was the Renault Espace, which scored a total of 35 points out of 37 possible.
Another thing is that the Renault van was better than other Espace cars in terms of seat belt reminders. Three other cars scored 34 (Volvo XC90, as well as re-tested Toyota Avensis and Renault Laguna), which also means a maximum of five stars. The BMW X5 and Saab 9-5 were a point worse, while the Volkswagen Touran and Citroen C3 Pluriel literally brushed off five stars, scoring 32 and 31 points, respectively.
The results of the latest test are surprisingly good. Six of the 17 cars tested received the maximum score, only 2 received 3 stars. The biggest disappointment was the disastrous result of the Kia Carnival van, which scored only 18 points and deserved two stars. The rest of the cars, including two representatives of the B segment, received four stars. This is nice, because small cars have a short crumple zone and seem to be at a disadvantage when colliding with large vans and limousines. Meanwhile, the Citroen C3 Pluriel or the slightly larger Peugeot 307 CC fared better than big cars like the Honda Accord or Opel Signum.
The Volkswagen Touran has joined the Honda Stream, the large van that has so far been the sole leader in pedestrian crash tests - both cars have three stars in this test.
The rest of the cars, with the exception of the Kia Carnival, Hyundai Trajet, Kia Sorento, BMW X5, Toyota Avensis and Opel Signum (which received one star), received two stars each.
