Euro NCAP's Best In Class Cars Of 2015

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), the European Union backed car safety performance assessment programme has come up with its list of best in class cars of 2015 out of over 40 different models launched in the European market last year. The Volvo XC90 has won the 2015 Best in Class award for both large off-road and overall performance categories in 2015 EUNCAP ratings, scoring 100 percent in the Safety Assist category, and a terrific 97 percent in adult occupant protection.

Each year, Euro NCAP publishes a list of cars that have performed the best in their respective categories, based on a variety of crash tests, including front, side and pole impacts, and impacts with pedestrians. To achieve a ‘Best in Class’ award from Euro NCAP, cars from each category are assessed against a weighted sum of the scores in each of the following four key areas of assessment:

• Adult Occupant
• Child Occupant
• Pedestrian and Safety assist.

The weighted sum is used as the basis for comparison of the cars with similar mass and structure.

Volvo XC90 achieves 97% adult accupant protection and scores maximum in its safety assist techs

The best performing large off-roader, and the car with the best overall performance of 2015, was Volvo’s XC90. The car achieved an outstanding 97 percent for adult occupant protection and a maximum 100 percent for its safety assist technologies. The Swedish automaker has once again proved its continuing leadership in the field of both active and passive safety systems.

Also Read: Volvo Bets 2015 XC90 As The Safest SUV Ever Made

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is the best small off-roader of 2015. In the large family category, Jaguar XE and the Toyota Avensis have performed equally well. The Jaguar, however, takes top honours in this category as all of its safety equipment is standard. The Toyota has some driver assistance technologies as an option.

Honda Jazz has top the supermini category in overall safety

The best performing small family car was the Infiniti Q30, with strong performance in all areas of assessment. In 2015, two superminis have given the same overall safety performance. The Honda Jazz and the Suzuki Vitara were neck and neck overall, one car edging the other in one or other part of the assessment.

However, the Jazz is Euro NCAP’s Best in Class, thanks to Honda’s fitment strategy for advanced safety systems. All grades of Jazz are fitted with Honda’s City-Brake Active System (CTBA) as standard. The mid and upper grades of the Jazz range features Advanced Driver Assist System, a comprehensive suite of active-safety technologies including Forward Collision Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition System, Intelligent Speed Limiter, Lane Departure Warning and High-beam Support System. It is to be noted that Honda India does not offer any of these features in the Indian-spec Honda Jazz. 

The VW Touran was the best performing small MPV; The Ford Galaxy/S-MAX just beat the Renault Espace for top place in the large MPV category. Finally, last year Euro NCAP has paid special attention to the roadsters, a category of relatively expensive cars but for which the importance of safety is often downplayed by car manufacturers. None of the tested roadsters could achieve 5 stars, lacking new avoidance technology in particular. Nevertheless, with 4 stars, the Mazda MX-5 is the best in its category.

Mazda MX-5 :The importance of safety in roadsters are often downplayed by car makers

Euro NCAP rewards and recognizes automakers who offer new safety technologies which demonstrate a scientifically proven safety benefit for consumers and society. By rewarding new technologies, it provides an incentive to manufacturers to accelerate the standard fitment of important safety equipment across their model ranges. 

Also Read: NCAPs Strip Indian Cars To Their Actual Standards; Maruti Swift & Datsun GO This Time

Photos Credit: AutoEvolution, Euro NCAP