Skoda Superb joins list of top safety achievers

According to the latest safety test results released by Euro NCAP, the Skoda Superb achieved 5 Stars, thanks to robust crash protection and its Autonomous Emergency Braking systems. The Superb is also equipped with crash avoidance technologies awarded under the Euro NCAP Advanced Rewards scheme such as Multi Collision Brake and Crew Protect Assist.

Among other cars tested, the Hyundai i20 supermini acheived 4 stars which is quite good for its segment, but misses out on the 5 stars due to a lack of an AEB system.

However, the Fiat Panda Cross recveived a modest 3 star rating. The supermini, based on the third-generation Panda 4x4 launched back in 2012, lacked assist technologies and also did not fare well in the latest full width crash test designed to evaluate the protection offered to smaller occupants in the driver and rear passenger seat.

Given below is the list of car safety ratings for 2015 so far, from the Euro NCAP website.

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Renault Espace and Suzuki Vitara awarded 5 stars

The latest Euro NCAP safety test results for this year is out and the new Renault Espace (large MPV) as well as the Suzuki Vitara (supermini) has been awarded 5 stars. The later received points for its Autonomous Emergency Braking system (included in the rating scheme since last year).

Also included in the report published this month are the results for the Fiat 500X in the Small MPV category and the Mazda 2 in the Supermini category. Both cars were awarded 4 stars.

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Nissan Datsun Go crash test results

The Nissan Datsun Go car which is aimed at the Indian market was recently tested for safety. The car failed spectacularly getting 0 out of possible 5 stars. The car comes without air bags and looking at the video of the test, it would not have done much good even if the car had been fitted with them. If the car can get this badly damaged at just 40mph speeds, I am just wondering what would happen at UK highway speeds of 70mph.

MNCs need to stop pushing lousy products into the emerging markets. And India definitely needs to have some minimum safety standards put in place.

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Tesla Model S 2014 scores 5/5 in Euro NCAP crash test

The Tesla Model S electric car has scored 5 stars (the maximum) safety rating after testing by the Euro NCAP.

The 4 door saloon falls under the executive class.

Read the full report here.

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Launch of the Proton's compact car - Proton Iriz in Malaysia

Malaysian car company is launching their new compact car the Proton Iriz today. Blogger Paul Tan is streaming the launch live.

Even before the launch of the car, it has received five-star rating in Adult Occupant Protection and four-star rating in Child Occupant Protection by the New Car Assessment Programme for Southeast Asian Countries (Asean NCAP).

The car will come in 3 Trim lines and 8 variants and in 7 colours.

Prices of the car (on-the-road) will be between RM42,438 and RM62,888.

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BMW to recall cars over air bag fears

BMW is recalling about 1.6 million 3-Series vehicles produced between May 1999 and August 2006 worldwide. They will replace passenger-side front airbags made by Takata Corp because the inflators could break apart during deployment and injure passengers.

The recall is an extension of last year's recall of 240,000 cars globally for the same issue, he said.

The air bag supplied by Japan's Takata has also affected Honda Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co, Mazda Motor Corp, Fuji Heavy Industries-owned Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Chrysler brand.

This latest recall will affect about 574,000 in the United States, about 450,000 in Germany and about 189,000 in the United Kingdom.

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Safety risk of Heavy Quadricycles

Quadricycles, which as the name suggest, were originally derived from motorcycles. They have emerged as a new class of sub-compact vehicles in Europe.

They are small and fuel-efficient. I have recently noticed several Universities here in the UK using street-legal quadricycles. These include the Club Car Villager 2+2 LSV, the Renault Twizy 80, the Tazzari ZERO and the Ligier IXO J LINE 4 Places

Their safety tests are different from other cars as they do not have to pass any of the rigorous crash tests to which cars are subjected. However,according to a recent report from the EURO NCAP, frontal and side impacts at 50km/h, revealed severe safety problems for all four cars.

The vehicles were scored primarily on data from crash dummies but penalties were also given for poor performance of the structure or restraints. The Ligier and the Tazzari had major failings of their restraint systems in the frontal test. In the Ligier, the upper connection of the driver’s seatbelt pulled out of the structure, leaving the dummy unrestrained and leading to a high risk of injury.

In the Tazzari, the driver seatbelt broke and the driver’s head hit the steering wheel with a force that indicated a high risk of serious or fatal injury. The structure of the Club Car virtually collapsed in the frontal impact. The Renault Twizy - the only vehicle of the four tested to have an airbag as standard - scored best but its stiff structure and restraint system resulted in some dangerously high dummy readings.



Read more here: Euro NCAP

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Seat Belts and the New Volvo coupe concept

An interesting titbit about the new Volvo coupe concept was on the Volvo Facebook page:

"Volvo invented the 3-point belt back in 1959. In our mission to make all car travel safer we gave the idea away, license free, to all manufacturers. It set the standard for safety and the inclusion of this special buckle in the Concept Coupe pays homage to our legacy."

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Crash test results of 4 new vehicles published by Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP recently released the crash test results for four new vehicles, namely the Nissan Evalia, the Dacia Sandero, the Renault CAPTUR and the Chevrolet Trax. Out of the three, the Nissan was the worst performing with just 3 stars. However the Renault CAPTUR and the Chevrolet Trax both achieved the overall five star rating.

More test results will be released on 26 June 2013.

For more details visit the Euro NCAP website. 

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Volvo V40 and 5 other car safety test results

Euro NCAP has just released the test results of six new models, namely, the Audi A3, Ford B-MAX, Isuzu D-Max, Kia Cee’d, Renault Clio and Volvo V40. Here are the results in brief:

Audi A3 1.4 'Attraction', LHD:
The new Audi receives five stars. Although the passenger airbag can be disabled with an optionally fitted switch to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position, there was no clear warning provided unlike in the other cars.

Ford B-MAX 1.5 diesel 'Trend', LHD: The mini MPV has received a commendable five stars. Instead of B-pillars, the car incorporates a structure into the doors to form a central post when the doors are shut. It also comes with the Active City Stop, an AEB system previously rewarded under Euro NCAP Advanced, which helps the driver achieve maximum braking effectiveness in an emergency situation.

Isuzu D-Max Crew Cab, 2.5 diesel, RHD: Received four star rating. This is an improvement on the previous model tested in 2008. The Isuzu received a score of 83% for adult occupant protection and improved protection for child occupants against a tougher 2012 regime. Though pedestrian safety has improved (51%) it still did not yet reach the 60% threshold required for five stars.

Kia Cee’d 1.4MPI LX, LHD:Receives 5 stars.

Renault Clio 1.0 base grade, LHD: Receives five stars.

Volvo V40: With five stars Volvo's new car is Euro NCAP’s all time top scorer in its segment.

It incorporates the World-first Pedestrian Airbag technology, fitted as standard on the entire V40 range. In case of a crash with a pedestrian, sensors detect the impact, release the bonnet and deploy the airbag in a split second.

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Best cars of 2011 - Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP has published the results for 53 new car models available in the European market, including the commercially available Electric Vehicles. The vehicles achieved a five star rating and showed good scores in each of Euro NCAP’s four areas of assessment.

The best cars in each category are listed below:

Small off-road 4×4 category: Audi Q3

Supermini category: Chevrolet Aveo

Small Family category: Ford Focus

Small MPV category: Mercedes B Class

Large Family category: Volvo V60

The Ford Ranger was the only pickup tested by Euro NCAP in 2011. It is the safest pickup yet tested by the organisation and scored highly in all areas of assessment, most notably in pedestrian protection.

As for electric cars, the Nissan LEAF was the first of its kind to achieve Euro NCAP 5 star overall rating.

Read the full report on the Euro NCAP site.

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Bad behaviour while driving is learnt from parents

According to a research by AXA car insurance, it was found that found that many young drivers will emulate the way their parents drive.

The study has found that young drivers who demonstrate bad behaviour while driving, such as hand gestures and swearing, and more dangerous cases including speeding and drink driving, have may actually have learnt these from their parents.

• 28% of those with parents who drink drive do so themselves.
• Young drivers with parents who drive aggressively are 50% more likely to swear, flash or beep aggressively at other drivers.
• Drivers whose parents have points on their licence or a ban are three times as likely to face the same penalties themselves.

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Euro NCAP starts testing electric vehicles

Euro NCAP has published the results of tests on seven new vehicles, including its first test of a fully electric car- the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The car received a credible four star rating.

The cars were tested in the same test conditions as the other cars in the programme. They paid special attention to post-crash battery integrity and the proper functioning of the battery cut-off switch that isolates the high-voltage battery in the event of a crash. The news release mentioned that no electrical or fire hazards were detected during the testing of the i-MiEV.



Regarding the test results of the other cars, the small off-road 4x4 Dacia Duster didn't do well with an overall rating of only 3 stars. In contrast, the Mitsubishi ASX and the Nissan Juke achieved the coveted 5 star overall rating. Furthermore, the small MPV Hyundai ix20, also received a 5 stars Euro NCAP rating.

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Euro NCAP's best performing cars of 2010

Euro NCAP recently announced the five best performing cars of 2010. These vehicles achieved a high overall score and attained the coveted five star rating.

The top achievers by category are:

• Executive category: BMW 5 Series
• Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
• Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
• Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
• Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

Last year, Euro NCAP crash tested twenty nine vehicles, 65% of which reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009. This decrease is attributed to the fact that the Euro NCAP’s criteria to reach a five stars are now tougher. 

The  poorest results of 2010 were the Citroen Nemo with three stars and by the Landwind CV9 which received only two stars.

Check out the full list of cars tested in 2010 on the Euro NCAP website.

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Medical professionals are the most accident prone in the UK

A recent press release by the online price comparison site, Confused.com, totally changed my perception of the motorist profiles I have had all my life. Apparently those in the medical profession appeared most frequently in the top ten (50%) car insurance claims in the past 12 months (18th October 2009 and 18th October 2010).

This is surprising because they are supposed to be most aware of all professions when it comes to accidents and injuries.

The results of the research showed that GPs are the most hazardous drivers in the UK with 33% of claims made by them. They were followed by psychologists (30%), district nurses (30%), hospital doctors (29%) and dentists (27%)making a claim.

In what seems to be bizarre findings, 20-20 vision doesn't help as well with opticians making up 27% of those claiming for an incident in the last 12 months. They were closely followed by law abiding policeman who made up 26% of the claimants.

It was not surprising that high earners such as solicitors and accountants are also the most likely to make a claim, contributing to 65% of the top 20.

The safest drivers were actually the low income earners with car valeters being the least likely to make a claim with only 8% putting in the paperwork in the last 12 months.

Here is the full list of the Top 20 occupations that have claimed in an accident:

1. Doctor GP
2. Psychologist
3. District Nurse
4. Hospital Doctor
5. Solicitor
6. Chartered Accountant
7. Head Teacher
8. Dentist
9. Personnel Officer
10. Chartered Surveyor
11. Quantity Surveyor
12. Optician
13. Systems Manager
14. Police Officer
15. Financial Advisor
16. Computer Services Manager
17. Accountant Chartered
18. Pharmacist
19. Probation Officer
20. Local Government Officer

Top 20 occupations least likely to be involved in an accident

1. Car Valeter
2. Labourer
3. Van / Lorry / Fork Lift Truck Driver
4. Farm Worker
5. Scaffolder / Roofer
6. Construction Worker
7. Decorator / Painter / Plasterer
8. Road Worker
9. Coach Driver
10. Security Guard
11. Builder
12. Groundsmen
13. Mechanic
14. Carpet Fitter
15. Warehouse Employee
16. Bar Staff
17. Cleaner
18. Bakery Worker
19. Double Glazing Fitter
20. Factory Worker

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Best safety innovations

Euro NCAP presented the first Euro NCAP Advanced rewards at a press conference held on October 1st 2010 at the Paris Motor Show. The technologies developed by car manufacturers were rewarded for offering scientifically proven safety benefits:

1. Audi Side Assist
2. BMW Assist Advanced eCall
3. Honda Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
4. Mercedes-Benz PRE-SAFE® and PRE-SAFE® Brake
5. Opel Eye
6. Peugeot Connect SOS and
7. Citroën Localized Emergency Call
8. Volkswagen Lane Assist
9. Volvo City Safety

According to the press release,other technologies will be assessed in the coming months and will be announced in 2011.

For more details, go to the NCAP’s website.

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Volvo PR failure

I cringe when I see this video. Was supposed to showcase Volvo's automatic stopping feature. However, as you can see, things didn't go as planned.

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BMW 5 series scores high in pedestrian safety

Euro NCAP today released the test results for three new cars: the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, BMW 5-series and the Mazda CX-7.

The BMW 5 series achieved a high 78% in pedestrian protection. The car has an active bonnet, so that when a pedestrian is struck, the bonnet is lifted from its position as a result, creating more space to absorb the energy that usually results in injury. The car also scored 100% in Safety Assist as the car has electronic stability control fitted as standard, seatbelt reminders in the front and rear, as well as a driver set speed limitation device.

One of the most common injuries in the event of a rear impact are whiplash injuries.

The BMW seat and head restraint was found to offer good protection. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta is equipped with a reactive seat and head restraint offering good protection as well. However, the Mazda CX -7 was found to offer poor protection against whiplash.



For detailed ESC performance data on all cars tested in 2009 go to the Euro NCAP website www.euroncap.com. Besides English, the Euro NCAP website is now available in Dutch and French as well.

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Euro NCAP tests gets tougher

Just read the latest Today, Euro NCAP crash test results for five new cars,viz., the Citroen Nemo, the Kia Venga, the Nissan Cube, the Seat Exeo and the Toyota Verso.

Only the Toyota Verso, receives Euro NCAP’s maximum five star rating.

This is due to the fact that Euro NCAP has raised the bar for carmakers to achieve five stars across three areas of safety protection:
Performance thresholds for Adult Occupant Protection - from 70% previously to 75%
Child Occupant Protection - 75% to 80%
Pedestrian Protection - from from 25% to 40%.

The Toyota Verso received good scores in all areas and an huge 69% in pedestrian protection.

Please visit the Euro NCAP site for more info

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Top five safest cars of 2009

According to a press release from Euro NCAP, the top five safest cars of 2009 are as follows:

The VW Golf VI frontal impact test

1. VW Golf VI
2. Honda Insight
3. Toyota Prius
4. Hyundai i20
5. Toyota Avensis
5. Volvo XC60
5. Opel/Vauxhall Astra

This is based on their maximum five star award and their overall scores and was out of a total of 33 car models that were tested last year.

The VW Golf performed impressively in all four categories tested, namely, occupant protection of adults, protection of children, pedestrian protection and supporting safety and driver assistance systems.

It is interesting that two fuel-efficient vehicles, namely, the Honda Insight Hybrid and Toyota Prius, were placed second and third respectively.

On the other hand the Suzuki Alto and the Toyota Urban Cruiser, received three stars, Euro NCAP’s poorest results.

Download the printable table of all cars tested and upgraded in 2009 here.

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