New Skoda and Mini get top marks in crash test, while standard Suzuki Swift suffers
Euro NCAP’s latest testing puts a focus on advanced driver assistance systems
The Skoda Kodiaq and Mini Countryman have been awarded five-star safety ratings by Euro NCAP.
The car safety organisation’s latest crash test analysis also gave the new Nissan Micra hatchback five stars with its optional safety pack – the standard car achieved four stars.
Finally, the Suzuki Swift only managed three stars, increasing to four with an optional safety pack included.
The organisation said that all four cars achieved five stars for occupant and pedestrian protection. However, the Micra and Swift faltered slightly when it came to advanced driver assistance packages.
The Kodiaq is Skoda’s new large SUV and comes with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems as standard. Euro NCAP praised the Czech manufacturer’s “good form” as all of its recently tested cars have achieved five stars.
Meanwhile, the Micra only gets AEB and lane assistance as part of a safety pack, which nudges it into five-star territory when fully equipped. The Swift does not offer pedestrian detection at all, though AEB is included in the optional safety pack.
Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP secretary general, said: “Euro NCAP started rewarding AEB pedestrian systems last year and we have seen a rapid uptake of the technology.
“We hope to see as fast an adoption of AEB systems that detect cyclists when tests of those systems form part of the rating next year.”
The new rules for cyclist safety detection are being introduced because of increased awareness of the danger of cycling on the road. According to road safety campaigners Think!, 3,337 cyclists were killed or seriously injured on UK roads in 2015.
