Alfa Romeo, BMW secure solid safety score

Euro NCAP has released results from its latest round of crash testing with three new models -- the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, BMW 5 Series, and Mazda CX-7 -- all tested in accordance with new, more stringent assessment criteria.

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta (pictured), which is set to arrive in Australia at the end of this year, scored a maximum possible five-star safety rating, a class-leading result for the compact hatch. Tallying an impressive 87 out of 100 points, the Giulietta topped the previous category winner, Volkswagen's Golf, featuring a generous level of intuitive active safety equipment including stability control with hill hold and traction control, assisted anti-lock braking and a dynamic steering torque system.

Alfa Romeo's new compact architecture, used for the first time on the Giulietta, underwent thousands of hours of virtual simulations in its development, resulting in a total of only four prototypes being required ahead of production, the quality of safety achieved through this virtual design process highlighted by the latest, impressive Euro NCAP result.

Joining the Giulietta in achieving a five-star safety rating, the all-new BMW 5 Series has also scored top marks in the latest round of Euro NCAP testing. The sixth-generation of the model series excelled in crash testing; becoming the first BMW model series to receive a 100 per cent pass for active and passive safety assistance equipment.

Integrated safety features -- including highly resilient bearer structures and generously sized, precisely defined deformation (crumple) zones -- allow the body to dissipate collision forces via multiple load paths in the floor assembly, side frame, front wall and roof to better protect occupants in a wider range of collisions.

The new BMW 5 Series, which is available locally this month, features a generous level of active and passive safety features including a lengthy list of electronic driver aids, full-length curtain airbags, three-point automatic seatbelts and active headrest for front seat passengers.

Last, but by no means least, the Mazda CX-7 scored a solid four-star result. The face-lifted model performed well in both adult and child occupant ratings (at 76 and 79 per cent respectively) with a very good result also achieved in the level of active safety equipment offered (71 per cent). Disappointingly, but perhaps not surprisingly given its larger stature, the CX-7 scored an average result in pedestrian impact protection (43 per cent).

Assessors say the Mazda CX-7 would have scored a higher result in adult occupant protection were knee airbags fitted, the lower part of the dashboard impacting with front seat occupants' knees and femurs in a frontal collision. Chest protection was also categorised as poor in the event of side and rear impacts.

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