The NCAP safety rating is the industry-standard benchmark for testing the safety features of brand new cars entering the marketplace. This is the one, common standard that buyers can use to compare the level safety equipment provided by each manufacturer. Naturally, family buyers, in particular, are keen to ensure that their next vehicle comes loaded with the right kit to keep their precious cargo safe, so here are the 5 latest vehicles to be gifted a full 5 out of 5 stars for safety...
The Volkswagen Golf
First and foremost, the new Golf! The ‘Golf 8’ is now open for orders but Volkswagen has been keen to make sure their pride and joy flies through the safety tests before they send it to market. The new Golf boasts a refreshed exterior which is different enough to set itself apart from the Golf mark 7, but familiar enough to be immediately recognizable as a Golf. The Golf 8 scored well across all categories but the standout result was 95% for Adult Occupant protection.
The Nissan Juke
The Juke is back and it’s as… unique, as ever! The new model showcases the same silhouette we enjoyed with the previous model however the overly angular front end has been smoothed out and the interior has been pleasantly brought up to date to match the rest of the Nissan SUV lineup. The new Juke is already on sale from £17,395 and we can easily see the sales getting a further boost following this 5-star performance in the NCAP safety test. The Juke scored an impressive 94% in adult occupant protection and a strong 84% in child occupant protection.
Ford Puma
The Puma is back and it is absolutely nothing like the old one we experienced in the late ’90s and early ’00s. This time it’s a little SUV that’s purpose-built for supermarket dashes, school runs and family fun. Naturally, a solid score on NCAP safety tests is a big statement for the Puma which is targeted at family buyers. Happily, we can report that the Ford Puma scored a solid 84% for child occupant safety and 94% adult occupant safety… can’t complain about that! The Puma is on sale now from Ford and the Titanium model starts from a very reasonable £20,545 and comes loaded with equipment.
MG
Recently re-launched MG has had two top scorers in the NCAP safety tests this time around, their MG ZS EV and MG HS. Both models are small family SUVs with room for 5 and a big enough boot. Interestingly the former is an all-electric vehicle and the first of its kind from MG. Both cars scored top marks in the NCAP safety test, with both achieving over 90% for adult occupant protection and over 80% for child occupant protection. The ZS EV is on sale from a very reasonable £22,295 after the government grant, and HS is on sale from the similarly pleasing £17,995.
Audi Q8
And last but not least comes from Audi's flagship SUV, the Q8. While most of these cars are fresh into the showroom or not-yet in production, the Q8 has been on sale in the UK for almost 12 months now and they’re selling like hotcakes in the premium SUV market. The Q8 scored strongly across all categories with 93% in adult occupant protection, 87% in child occupant protection, 71% in the vulnerable road user category and 73% in the safety assist category. A very strong score, all-in-all. The Q8 is on sale now with prices starting from £66,710.
