The new Mazda 3 has been given a full 5 stars from the industry standard Euro NCAP crash test, which were made more stringent in 2018. This is is the second model, after the Mazda 6, that the Japanese firm has received top-marks for since the more stringent rules came in place.
The new Mazda3 markets itself as a reliable, safe and sophisticated family hatchback, so occupant safety is paramount. Happily, we can tell you the new Mazda 3 scored an exceptional 98% in adult occupant safety. The onboard automatic braking system, which detects collisions and applies the brakes in low-speed incidents, managed to prevent every single obstacle from making an impact.
The Mazda 3 also returned a stellar 87% for child occupant safety, with full marks in all the dynamic tests including the frontal and lateral impacts. 81% was achieved in the ‘Vulnerable Road User’ test which measures safety in incidents involving pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Finally, the Mazda 3 also scored 73% in the safety assist category, which measures the level of safety kit and technology provided by the manufacturer. In the new Mazda 3, all of this tech is hosted in the suite of ‘i-Active Safety Sensors’.
With this high score, the Mazda 3 makes itself an extremely strong candidate for the Euro NCAP Small Family Car best in class category, alongside the new Clio V hatchback from Renault, which also scored 5 stars in recent safety tests.
The sleek, safe and stylish Mazda 3 is on sale now and prices start from £20,595 for the SE-L model, rising to £25,495 for the fully loaded GT Sport Tech model. The SE-L 122PS model is available for £249 per month at 4.1% APR.
Euro NCAP released ratings for 7 new and upcoming cars in 2019 including the new Lexus UX, Toyota RAV4, Corolla and the Renault Clio. There were one or two other high-performers worth mentioning. Firstly, the Audi e-tron. This all-electric Audi has quickly become one of the most desirable SUVs on the premium market. The e-tron blends signature Audi SUV design with incredibly forward-thinking sustainable technology. The e-tron is a zero-emission car and is loaded with safety tech which helped the Audi score a healthy 76% on the Safety Assist section of the NCAP testing.
The e-tron has countless selling points other than it’s particularly high safety rating. Buyers love that it will return up to 241 miles on a single charge and when you use a high powered charging station, the battery can go from 0 to 100% in just 50 minutes, making it one of the fastest charging EVs on the market. It’s no slouch either, and 0-60 mph can be had in under 6 seconds, which means it will leave most hot-hatches for dust.
The e-tron isn’t cheap though, it’s on sale now and comes from a starting price of £71,520.
Another interesting model that has been tried and tested by NCAP is the Volkswagen T-Cross. The Supermini-sized crossover, which shares a lot of its components with the Volkswagen Polo, passed with 5 stars. Most impressively was the adult occupant protection test, where the T-Cross scored a massive 97%. Family buyers will be happy to know that the T-Cross also scored a healthy 86% in the child occupant safety tests too, making it a pretty stellar choice for parents. Elsewhere, NCAP credited the T-Cross for maintaining all the safety benefits of the Volkswagen Polo while also improving in certain areas, such as with technology where the T-Cross comes with lane departure warnings as standard to prevent motorists straying across the white lines.
The Volkswagen T-Cross is available to order now from Volkswagen and prices start from £16,995 for the S model, rising to £23,555 for the top-spec R Line model.