Each year, Euro NCAP publishes a Best-in-Class list to indicate which vehicles are safer compared to competitors released in the same calendar year.
A weighted sum of points in four critical areas is used to compile a rating of the safest cars:
- how well the adult passenger and driver are protected;
- how well the child in the car is protected;
- whether the safety of people outside the car (pedestrians) is ensured;
- what security systems are in the car.
These are the cars recognized Euro NCAP the safest in the world.
Safest Large SUV - Volvo XC60
This Swedish car scored a nearly perfect 98% in the Adult Driver and Passenger Safety category. In the category that evaluates various electronic driver assistants such as stability control and lane guidance systems, Volvo scored 95 percent, 20 percent higher than its closest competitor.
The XC60, along with the S90 and V90, has made Volvo Cars history as the first automaker to test all three vehicles in the Euro NCAP (AEB) Autonomous Emergency Braking tests - City, Inter-Urban and Pedestrian. The three Volvo cars are the only cars to achieve excellent results in all three AEB categories.
In 2017, the XC60 was named Japan's Car of the Year.
The safest executive car - Volkswagen Arteon
This luxury liftback is in the premium segment of one of the largest car companies, so it comes as no surprise that it is the epitome of reliability.
It received a five-star overall rating and an impressive 96% driver and passenger safety record. The child safety rating was 85%, which is comparable to the safety offered by competitors such as the BMW 5 Series. But the Arteon's 85% pedestrian protection rate is far ahead of its costly competitors.
Along with a large number of airbags and driver assistance systems such as automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, Arteon has a pedestrian monitoring system. Thanks to it, the driver will be aware in advance of the people on the side of the road.
And if the worst happens, the Arteon's "active" hood will tilt up to reduce the likelihood of head injury to an unfortunate pedestrian.
Best Safe Compact Crossover - Volkswagen T-Roc
The Volkswagen T-Roc is another impressively safe vehicle with 96% driver and adult protection as measured by the Euro NCAP crash test.
Its 87% Child Passenger Protection rating is one of the best in the car market and confirms the T-Roc's status as a very attractive family car. Each model has six airbags and adaptive cruise control to maintain a set distance from the vehicle in front.
In addition to high safety standards, the German crossover has a very beautiful appearance, a comfortable interior and excellent handling. It is, however, quite expensive compared to many of its compact SUV competitors.
Safest compact hatchback - Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen is a brand associated with very high quality. And the results of Euro NCAP crash tests only confirm the impeccable reputation of the German automaker.
VW Polo earned 96% of Euro NCAP points for driver and adult protection. Even in the basic configuration, the car is equipped with an anti-lock braking system, which significantly reduces the likelihood of an accident and subsequent injuries.
The Polo's safety can be enhanced with a range of additional features such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and active cruise control.
The safest compact MPV - Opel Crossland X
This is the fourth (and last) German in the top safest cars in 2018. The best protection for an adult driver and a passenger (85%), a little less for a passenger-child (84%), and pedestrian safety is 62%, which is good, but does not reach the level of many competing vehicles.
Best compact family cars - Subaru XV and Subaru Impreza
The nomination "family car" includes two good and reliable cars at once. Each of them is superbly equipped and built to the standards expected of Japanese cars.
Both cars scored the same number of points - 35.8 or 94% for adult safety and 89% for child safety. As for the safety of the pedestrian, then the models have everything in order - 82%.
Euro NCAP experts named Ford Mustang and Fiat Punto hatch the most unreliable passenger cars
Mustang testing was based on the 2015 model, however Ford added new safety features such as pedestrian detection, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking to new models ordered after May 2017. This new product has yet to undergo a crash test.