Nine of 10 Models Get Top Rating in NCAP Crash Tests

The latest European New Car Assessment Program crash-test results see nine models earning top 5-star ratings, but the agency says not every auto maker is ready for tougher requirements in 2012.

The 5-star awards go to the Audi A6, BMW X3, Chevrolet Aveo and Orlando, Citroen DS5, Hyundai i40, Opel Ampera and Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet and Jetta.

BMW X3 safety system sends automatic crash alert.

Brussels-based Euro NCAP is composed of seven European governments as well as motoring and consumer organizations in each country.

Of the 10 models in the latest tests, only the Kia Picanto received an overall rating of four stars.

“Surprisingly, the new Picanto is not fitted with electronic stability control as standard across the model range,” Euro NCAP Secretary-General Michiel van Ratingen says in a statement.

“Proven safety benefits of ESC resulted in new legislation requiring the technology to be fitted as standard on all new models in Europe as of next year. In 2011, consumers should expect this critical safety equipment to be part of any offering, regardless of car size or price.”

Euro NCAP says the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera achieves an overall rating of five stars after the range-extending EV earns maximum points in the side-pole test, thanks to a well-optimized balance of structure, interior and restraint system.

The Chevrolet Aveo small car and Orlando cross/utility vehicle receive five stars, with NCAP saying they show good whiplash and adult occupant-protection scores.

Euro NCAP says it recognizes the major efforts made by Chevrolet since 2006, when the previous Aveo made headlines with a poor 2-star adult-occupant rating.

High scores for child-occupant protection go to the Hyundai i40 and VW’s Jetta and Golf Cabriolet, each with 86%.

Van Ratingen says Euro NCAP evaluates child safety for each model tested and encourages auto makers to provide equally good protection for adults and children.

“We consider child protection as a very important part of the overall star rating and have plans to step up our requirements even more in the coming years,” he says.

While many cars maintain impressive scores for adult- and child-occupant protection, NCAP says pedestrian-protection scores generally are still lagging.

The Opel Ampera, Audi A6 and Citroen DS5 narrowly meet the agency’s 2011 standards for a 5-star pedestrian rating, but none would meet the tougher 5-star requirement taking effect in 2012.

It says a few car makers already have stepped up, citing higher pedestrian scores given the recently tested Ford Focus, and hopes others will follow suit soon.

Van Ratingen says Euro NCAP is encouraged to see advanced safety systems being offered on more and more models.

The top-rated DS5, Citroen’s premium sub-brand, has the Citroen Localized Emergency Call, a PSA Peugeot Citroen technology. Another 5-star winner is the new, midsize BMW X3 SUV equipped with Advanced eCall, a system that automatically notifies emergency services and provides critical details of the crash event.

Vauxhall/Opel says the Ampera is the first EV from a European auto maker suitable for everyday use to achieve a 5-star result.

It says in a statement the Ampera exceeded the maximum points needed to achieve the top rating in all categories including occupant protection, child safety, pedestrian protection and safety assist.

The 5-door sedan also posted top results in the side-barrier test, thanks to its combination of solid-core body structure, rigid passenger cell and efficient restraint systems.

Vauxhall/Opel Chief Executive Officer Karl-Friedrich Stracke says the electrical safety of the Ampera EV also was checked after all the impact tests. The battery pack, made up of 288 cells in nine different modules, is located in the center of the vehicle, and the vehicle structure is built around it.

This means the battery pack is effectively protected from both front- and side-crash impacts and remains in place, he says. While post-crash electric safety aims for zero high-voltage current in an emergency, the high-voltage battery pack easily can be disconnected by responders.

Euro NCAP says it will present its advanced rating to the Mazda 3 at the Frankfurt auto show in September.

The award largely is based on the safety benefits of the Mazda Rear Vehicle Monitoring System, which warns the Mazda 3 driver when another vehicle is approaching and helps prevent common lane-change-related crashes involving two or more vehicles.