Ever wondered what the Top 5 safest new cars on the market are? We have. That’s why we took a browse through Euro NCAP’s published results for cars crash-tested in 2017. Why there, you might ask. Well, who knows safety better than the guys who wear crispy white lab coats and crash cars (in the name of safety) for a living?
These days, five-star crash test ratings are a dime-a-dozen. So, how to find the safest new car on the market then? Well, we set a stringent list of requirements of course.
Firstly, each car must be available in South Africa, be it at the moment of writing this article, or in the near future. Secondly, each car should have been tested by the European New Car Assessment Programme during 2017 and should not have been fitted with optional safety enhancement packs.
While Euro NCAP rewards the various cars within their respective segments, the test standards remain the same. All vehicles are judged on how well they perform across four categories.
Adult Occupant Protection: How well a car can protect its adult occupants.
Child Occupant Protection: How well protected children are while strapped into a child seat.
Pedestrian Protection: How well a car protects ‘Vulnerable Road Users’ with whom it might collide. The potential risk of injuries is also considered.
Safety Assists: On-board safety-related systems are judged in this category, and includes everything from seat belt reminders to lane-keep assist.
Since the treasured five-star rating is nothing new, we decided to select only the best vehicles from the five-star club. Next, we did not merely judge cars on the individual Euro NCAP categories as listed above. Instead, we worked out the average overall safety results in the applicable categories.
TOP 5 SAFEST NEW CARS
5. MERCEDES-BENZ X-CLASS
With a starting price of nearly R650,000 and a catalogue-sized list of standard safety features, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to find the X-Class on this list. Then again, there’s that tank-like exterior that is wrapped in a veneer of sophistication.
Adult Occupant Protection: 90%
Child Occupant Protection: 87%
Pedestrian Protection: 80%
Safety Assist: 77%
Overall: 83.5%
4. SUBARU XV
The Subaru XV narrowly edged its way onto this list over its Impreza sibling. It also beats the Volkswagen Arteon by a whisker as the car that cushions the impact of a crash the best, based on the ratings for all parties involved in an accident. It is somewhat let down by its lack of modern safety systems, though it is also the most affordable car on this list.
Adult Occupant Protection: 94%
Child Occupant Protection: 89%
Pedestrian Protection: 84%
Safety Assist: 68%
Overall: 83.75%
3. VOLVO S90
A name synonymous with safety, there’s bound to be a Volvo on any list of safe cars. While this sedan scores admirably in both the adult protection and safety assist categories, it is somewhat let down by its sleek lines when it comes to pedestrian safety. The Volvo S90 shares an identical crash-test score with its adventure-loving sibling, the V90. However, since we only get a Cross Country version on local soil, it didn’t make the cut.
Adult Occupant Protection: 95%
Child Occupant Protection: 80%
Pedestrian Protection: 76%
Safety Assist: 93%
Overall: 86%
2. VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON
The recently launched Arteon isn’t just incredibly sleek, it is also remarkably safe. It features the best all-around ratings on this list, while also boasting the highest pedestrian rating. It is all mighty impressive, but it comes at a price since the volksie’s asking price starts at R599,900.
Adult Occupant Protection: 96%
Child Occupant Protection: 85%
Pedestrian Protection: 85%
Safety Assist: 82%
Overall: 87%
1. VOLVO XC60
The Volvo XC60, which recently arrived on local shores, is the safest overall new car you can buy. Surprised? We’re not, since it follows in the illustrious footsteps of its bigger XC90 sibling. While it offers excellent protection for all occupants, the XC60 also slightly leans off the wagon when it comes to cushioning the blow for pedestrians making it the safest of the top 5 safest.
Adult Occupant Protection: 98%
Child Occupant Protection: 87%
Pedestrian Protection: 76%
Safety Assist: 95%
Overall: 89%
