19th July, 2022

We all want peace of mind knowing that we’re driving a safe and reliable vehicle. This is particularly important for the new, inexperienced drivers or parents looking to transport the children from A to B.

Here at One Call Insurance, we always have your safety and best interests at heart. So, we want to make you aware of the many resources that are available to help aid your decision when it comes to choosing your next set of wheels.

For example, the Euro NCAP (the European New Car Assessment Program) provide a star rating to determine the overall safety of different cars.

Their strict crash tests and technical requirements have become increasingly tougher, so older cars that once earned four or five stars often perform worse under revised criteria.

The impact tests simulate the most common kind of road traffic collisions on European roads and marks are awarded for adult-occupant protection, child-occupant protection, vulnerable-road-user protection, and safety assist.

The last category was added to reflect new safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking, electronic stability control, adaptive cruise and blind spot and lane assist systems.

The NCAP have teamed up with Thatcham Research to produce a list of the safest cars for 2022 (with safety scores):

Mercedes-EQ
(Adult occupant protection: 96%; Child occupant protection: 91%; Vulnerable road user protection: 76%; Safety Assist: 80%)

Nissan Qashqai
(Adult occupant protection: 91%; Child occupant protection: 91%; Vulnerable road user protection: 70%; Safety Assist: 95%)

Polestar 2
(Adult occupant protection: 92%; Child occupant protection: 89%; Vulnerable road user protection: 80%; Safety Assist: 86%)

Škoda Enyaq
(Adult occupant protection: 94%; Child occupant protection: 89%; Vulnerable road user protection: 71%; Safety Assist: 82%)

Toyota Yaris Cross
(Adult occupant protection: 86%; Child occupant protection: 84%; Vulnerable road user protection: 78%; Safety Assist: 81%)

At the end of every year, Euro NCAP names its Best in Class vehicles.

In 2021, there were six contended classes:

Safest electric and executive car: Mercedes EQS
Safest small car: Skoda Fabia
Safest small MPV: Toyota Yaris Cross
Safest small SUV: Nissan Qashqai
Safest large SUV: Skoda Enyaq iV
And here are the past overall winners of Euro NCAP’s safest car award:
2020: No winner
2019: Mercedes CLA
2018: Mercedes A-Class
2017: Volvo XC60

The five-star rating has forced manufacturers into really concentrating on safety features, with the result that a new car can’t really be considered class-leading anymore without a top recommendation from Euro NCAP.

You can check out their latest ratings here.

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* Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.