Euro NCAP: Hybrids rule?

Seven out of eight cars tested recently by Euro NCAP predictably scored a five-star rating for crash safety. Changes to the crash testing body's 2009 test parameters appear to have had little effect on the number of cars scoring the top rating -- despite the safety authority insisting that five-star cars must feature stability control as a pre-requisite.

The one car that failed to score five stars in the latest round of testing was the Citroen C3, a car that had been a four-star car prior to the introduction of the new testing regime anyway.

If there were one point of interest from this batch of crash tests, it was the strong result for the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius, both mass-market hybrid-drive vehicles.

Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, applauded the two hybrid-drive vehicles for their performance.

"The technology and know-how is out there for carmakers to deliver vehicles with better pedestrian protection," he said. "Honda and Toyota are giving us a glimpse of the cars of the future that consider the natural and social environment in its entirety."

Up against the Citroen, Kia Sorento, Renault Grand Scenic, Skoda Yeti, Subaru Legacy and the Volkswagen Polo, the two hybrids were in the same ballpark for adult safety, but clearly bettered most of the opposition in child and pedestrian safety. Only the Renault outscored the two hybrids in the Safety Assist section, with an outstanding result of 99 per cent.

With a 90 per cent score in adult crash protection for the Insight and 88 per cent for the Prius, the two hybrids were marginally behind the Skoda (92) and Renault (91). The Insight drew level with the Polo -- also attaining 90 per cent. Both hybrids improved on the Kia (87), the Subaru (79) and the Citroen (83).

In child safety, the results in descending order were Polo (86), Sorento (84), Prius (82), Yeti (78), Grand Scenic (76), Insight and C3 (both 74) and Legacy (73).

For pedestrian safety, the Insight topped the ladder, on 76 per cent, followed in order by Prius (68), Legacy (58), Yeti (46), Sorento (44), Grand Scenic (42), Polo (41) and C3 (33).

The breakdown of Safety Assist scores starts with the Grand Scenic (99), Insight and Prius (86), Sorento, Yeti, Legacy and Polo (all 71) and C3 (40).

While the Honda is a new model, the Prius tested is the replacement for the second-generation model, which was also deemed to be a five-star car -- although that car was tested according to the pre-2009 test parameters.

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