Safest cars of 2015 announced
European crash safety testing authority names its class winners tested last yearVolvo's XC90 is Euro NCAP's safest car in the large off-road category for 2015.
The Volvo is just one of a number of vehicles that ranked number one in their respective class for 2015, the European safety body has revealed. But the big Swedish SUV achieved a perfect score for safety assist and a nearly perfect (97 per cent) rating for adult occupant protection.
To arrive at its conclusions – and given the testing criteria becomes tougher each year – Euro NCAP calculates an overall score, based on the weighted results for Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian and Safety Assist. Each vehicle is judged only in comparison with its direct market rivals. Against the Volvo, only two rivals were tested during 2015 – the Audi Q7 and the Lexus RX.
Euro NCAP only announce winners from among vehicles tested during the past year because the testing parameters change each year. A five-star car in 2014 is not necessarily as safe as an official five-star car tested in 2015. The testing authority's increased focus on preventing crashes has resulted in cars like the Mazda MX-5 scoring lower, despite its highly commended secondary safety characteristics.
The Volvo achieved its 97 per cent rating for adult occupant protection, plus 87 per cent for child protection, 72 per cent for pedestrian protection and 100 per cent for safety assist. In contrast, the Audi bettered the Volvo for child safety (88 per cent), and the Lexus RX (79 per cent) placed ahead of the Volvo for pedestrian safety.
The results in full are as follows:
Large off-road
Volvo XC90
Adult: 97%
Child: 87%
Pedestrian: 72%
Safety Assist: 100%
Small off-road
Mercedes-Benz GLC
Adult: 95%
Child: 89%
Pedestrian: 82%
Safety Assist: 71%
Large family car
Jaguar XE
Adult: 92%
Child: 82%
Pedestrian: 81%
Safety Assist: 82%
Small family car
Infiniti Q30
Adult: 84%
Child: 86%
Pedestrian: 91%
Safety Assist: 81%
Supermini
Honda Jazz
Adult: 93%
Child: 85%
Pedestrian: 73%
Safety Assist: 71%
Large MPV
Ford Galaxy
Adult: 87%
Child: 87%
Pedestrian: 79%
Safety Assist: 71%
Small MPV
Volkswagen Touran
Adult: 88%
Child: 89%
Pedestrian: 71%
Safety Assist: 76%
Roadster Sport
Mazda MX-5
Adult: 84%
Child: 80%
Pedestrian: 93%
Safety Assist: 64%
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