Euro NCAP has published its penultimate results of the year – and this one’s a biggie. The Tesla Model X, Porsche Taycan, and new Ford Kuga have faced Euro NCAP’s crash testing.
Some good news for Tesla – the Model X has been described as ‘stand-out performer’. It’s safety assist score was a heady 94 percent, the same score that the Model 3 got earlier this year. The big Tesla also got 98 percent for adult occupant protection. That makes it a contender for Best in Class for 2019.
It’s not the only strong-performing EV in this round, though. It’s joined by the Taycan, Porsche’s newly-minted thorn in the side for Tesla’s high-end EV monopoly. It scored five stars, too, though it’s individual percentages aren’t as impressive as the Tesla. It got 85 percent and 73 percent in adult occupant and safety assist respectively.
“The devil’s in the detail when you compare the Euro NCAP assessments of the Tesla Model X and Porsche Taycan. Both are safe cars, but the Tesla Model X is the stand-out,” said Matthew Avery, director of research, Thatcham Research and Euro NCAP board member.
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In the realms of more conventional cars, Skoda’s new Octavia, the new Renault Captur, Ford’s new Kuga, the facelift Audi Q7 and the new Subaru Forester all scored five stars. Peugeot’s 2008 just misses out on an unconditional five stars, given that safety packs need to be equipped.
The addition of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) helps keep some older cars up to date. The Ford Mondeo earns five stars as a result, while Volkswagen’s Sharan and its sister car, the Seat Alhambra, both hold a steady four-star score. Worryingly, however, the Sharan was penalised for its door detaching in a side pole test. This poses a risk of occupants being ejected in an accident.
The Jeep Renegade got a bad rap, too, still only having AEB as an option. It’s the only sub four-star score of 2019. Last year, the Wrangler got a pitiful one-star rating – one of the lowest ever seen.
“Well done to Tesla and the other five stars performers for not only bringing best in class performance in testing but also making safety systems accessible and standard across the European market,” said Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s secretary general.
“It is also good to see manufacturers – Ford and Volkswagen in this case – standardising AEB and keeping safety up-to-date even for older cars, to the benefit of their customers. It’s a pity that not everyone follows this example, and by prioritising looks over substance Jeep ended up at the bottom of the list of this year’s rated cars. The good news is that consumers have more choice than ever to find a safer alternative.”