Safest model choices of 2016
ROAD SAFETY
In 2016, crash test and vehicle safety organisation Euro NCAP tested 18 new passenger cars and four heavy quadricycles and recently announced some of the year’s highlights.
Three cars were awarded best in class: the Toyota Prius in the large family car category, the Hyundai Ioniq (not available in SA) in the small family car category and the Volkswagen Tiguan is the best small offroader of 2016.
Not all vehicles sold in SA receive the same level of safety specification as those tested in Europe. However, the Euro NCAP tests generally provide a good guideline of what the safest cars are and how models fare in the organisation’s tests.
It is always worth checking the website before buying a vehicle and then comparing the specification with that of the vehicle available in SA.
The inclusion in 2016 of tests for pedestrian-detecting autobrake systems drove a huge increase in fitment of this lifesaving technology, mostly as standard equipment but also as an option. The push to include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is a big advance for vehicle safety. Sadly, many cars in SA are not equipped with it.
PEDESTRIAN TECHNOLOGY
The Toyota Prius, winner in the large family car category, was the first car to undergo tests of its AEB pedestrian technology. Its safety pack, Toyota Safety Sense, performed well and managed to recognise and avoid or mitigate potential crashes with pedestrians.
While best in class is based only on cars with standard safety equipment, several car manufacturers took advantage of Euro NCAP’s new dual rating system in 2016. In addition to a star rating indicating the safety of a car with only standard safety equipment, a second rating demonstrates the benefits of optional safety equipment.
In general, an optional safety pack includes AEB, including pedestrian-detecting autobrake systems, and the scheme was used for superminis, small family cars and one pickup.
Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen says: “Some technologies are expensive and we recognised it may not be possible for manufacturers to include them as standard equipment across the range while keeping basic variants affordable for the target market.
“The dual rating scheme lets them phase in sales more gradually, keeping cars affordable and giving consumers the chance to take advantage of these important safety technologies. We are pleased to see such a broad uptake of pedestriandetecting AEB systems in 2016, as standard or as an option.”
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class performed well but was the only car tested in the executive car category so cannot be awarded best in class. In a year that underlined Euro NCAP’s influence, the E-Class was also noted for its exceptional performance in child occupant protection.
With an automatic passenger airbag disabling system and excellent dynamic test results, the organisation says that it is clear that Daimler has invested greatly in an area of assessment recently made more demanding by Euro NCAP.