The safest and least safe new cars revealed

SAFETY is always a top priority when thinking about buying a new car.

You would expect all newer models to have the best safety systems, but that’s not always the case.

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Thatcham Research and the Euro New Car Assessment Program have released a list of the UK’s safest new cars for 2021.

New models are selected and put through rigorous processes evaluate which includes crash tests against walls and power poles.

Each car is randomly selected from many companies and scored in 5 different categories.

First, they are rated out of five overall for safety before being rated for adult protection, child protection, vulnerable pedestrian protection, and safety assistance.

In 2021, Euro NCAP and Thatcham Research must test all-electric Mercedes EQs, the Polestar 2 of the Volvo subgroup and the familiar Nissan Qashqui, among many others.

Matthew Avery, director of research strategy at Thatcham Research, said: “It’s great to see automakers continue to prioritize safety, with all but four vehicles being tested by Euro NCAP this year. 2021 all achieved four or five star ratings.

“Most are up to the safety challenge and it’s encouraging to note that electric vehicles are also doing very well as a group.”

Here’s a breakdown of the cars that were at the top of their class and those that didn’t perform well.

The five safest new car models

Each of these five safest car models scored five out of five for safety ratings.

Mercedes EQS

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The Mercedes EQs impresses with its protection.

With a starting price of £99,995, it may not be a popular car on UK roads but it is one of the safest cars available.

The luxury electric vehicle is packed with technology to make it as safe as possible.

It has improved occupant protection and safety technology, proven to protect 96% of adults and 91% of children.

“This is an extremely safe vehicle that has achieved an impressive Euro NCAP test score,” said Matthew.

“As you would expect from Mercedes-Benz, EQS is an excellent safety service provider with an Adult Protection score of 96% and a Child Owner Protection score of 91%, the highest in those categories during testing.”

Nissan qashqai

The Nissan Qashqai has been one of the UK’s most popular cars for many years and continues to impress with its safety.

Its highest score is safety support, reaching 95%.

Some of its most popular features are auto-reverse braking, lane assist and of course, its pricing.

With a starting price of £24,955, this is one of the lowest priced cars on the list.

“It’s one of the best vehicles we’ve tested in terms of safety scores, and when you add in the price, coupled with the fact that it’s made in the UK, we feel it,” said Matthew. truly worthy of his place.”

Skoda Enyaq iV

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If you are looking for a cheaper electric option then the Skoda Enyaq iV might be for you.

With prices starting from £34,580, it’s a lot more affordable than the Mercedes EQs.

The SUV gave an impressive score, reaching 91% in the ability to protect adults and children.

“The VW Group has clearly not compromised safety during the transition to electric propulsion,” Matthew said.

Toyota Yaris Cross

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The Toyota Yaris Cross is a comprehensive safety product.

Another of the more affordable cars, the Yaris Cross starts at £24,140.

This car will be a hit for those who want a car with SUV styling but with a smaller scale.

“Other cars performed similarly well during testing but very little, if any, came close to the low price of the Yaris Cross,” says Matthew.

Polestar 2

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One of the more expensive options is the Polestar 2, which starts at £49,900.

The car is manufactured by Volvo under the Polestar sub-brand.

Polestar scored well in all categories, with a top score of 92% in adult protection.

It looks like a promising safety car for those looking to invest.

“As a new brand, Polestar should be applauded for keeping a high level of safety on the agenda,” says Matthew.

The least secure models

Of course, all models are safe on the road, but they ranked lowest in the test.

Renault Zoe

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Renault Zoe scored a low rating of 0/5 for its safety.

The main reason for this is that Renault removed an important piece of safety equipment.

In the new model, it no longer has seat-mounted airbags.

This is important because it protects the head of the occupant in the event of a side impact.

Overall, it doesn’t impress in terms of safety.

Dacian Spring

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With a starting cost as low as £14,500, the electric Dacia Spring can be affordable but not completely safe.

It has been rated 1/5 due to weak protection across many areas of crash testing.

With a score of 49% for adult protection, it doesn’t come close to the other cars on this list.

Dacia Sandero

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Dacia Sandero might have an adult protection of 70% and 72% for children but that is its only high, reaching a total of two out of five.

Safety technology installed in cars only protects against impacts with other cars, not helping pedestrians or cyclists.

The low cost of £7,995 as a starting point can be tempting but always keep safety in mind.

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