Euro NCAP normally tests dozens of new cars for crash safety every year – but the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed its testing regime in 2020.
Last year, the independent safety organisation tested just 11 new models. This was “a stark drop” from the 55 new cars tested in 2019.
The shortfall was caused by a combination of pandemic-related restrictions leading test labs to halt operations, along with vehicle manufacturers postponing new model launches.
Of the 11 cars it did manage to test, nine were given a full five-star rating, one scored four stars and one was rated three stars.
There were no vehicles lower than three stars, which the organisation judged to be “a positive result” helped by manufacturers quickly adopting the latest safety technology.
Several cars tested last year featured centre airbags for far-side protection, attention assist tech and advanced autonomous emergency braking that prevents car, pedestrian and cyclist collisions.
Back in late 2018, the poor crash test of the Fiat Panda stunned Euro NCAP – which awarded it a zero-star rating.
Tougher tests
The strong across-the-board performance was particularly impressive given tougher Euro NCAP crash tests introduced for 2020.
A new moving barrier now forms part of the moving front-end crash, to evaluate the effect of big cars crashing into small ones.
To assess interaction between front-seat passengers, a new far-side impact protection test was introduced – this is where centre airbags prove beneficial.
Euro NCAP also improved its assessments of crash avoidance tech, and begun new tests of Driver Status Monitoring systems.
In a notable trend of the times, Euro NCAP added that of the cars tested during 2020, two in three were either battery electric or plug-in hybrid.
Of all the new cars sold in the UK and Europe in 2020, 98 percent have a valid Euro NCAP safety rating.
Euro NCAP 2020 test results
- Audi A3: 5 stars
- Honda e: 4 stars
- Honda Jazz: 5 stars
- Hyundai i10: 3 stars
- Isuzu D-Max: 5 stars
- Kia Sorento: 5 stars
- Land Rover Defender: 5 stars
- Mazda MX-30: 5 stars
- Seat Leon: 5 stars
- Toyota Yaris: 5 stars
- Volkswagen ID.3: 5 stars
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