Safety body Euro NCAP has put BYD’s UK range through its paces, also awarding favourable results to two of Mercedes’ latest models.
Top marks have been given to the all-electric BYD Dolphin hatchback and Seal saloon, both of which arrived on UK roads this year. Euro NCAP’s secretary general Dr Michiel van Ratingen comments that the Chinese brand has “hit the ground running, recognizing that European car-buyers will not compromise on safety.”
The compact Dolphin has been given a full five-star safety rating, with high scores for occupant crash protection and pedestrian and cyclist collision safety. The Seal received identical passenger crash safety scores, but a slightly lower pedestrian and cyclist protection score, presumably due to its larger weight and size.
This latest batch of tests also included the latest iteration of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class executive saloon, but Euro NCAP only tested the car’s automated driving tech, not its collision safety. The saloon was given the highest rating, denoted as ‘very good’, and was praised for its intuitive lane keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and blind spot monitoring, as well as its clear head-up display.
The larger electric Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, which uses the same assistance systems, was given an identical score.
Last but not least, Euro NCAP has also now crash tested the P7, an upmarket saloon from another Chinese brand, XPeng. Targeting Tesla Model 3 sales like the BYD Seal, the XPeng P7 has been awarded a full five-star safety rating and is already on sale in some Northern European countries. The saloon is yet to arrive in the UK though, with its arrival date still unconfirmed.
