Three of the latest new SUVs have all achieved a five-star safety rating from crash testing organisation Euro NCAP.
The Honda CR-V, SEAT Tarraco and Mercedes-Benz G-Class all gained the top rating with similar scores across the board.
It’s perhaps the retro-styled G-Class’ score that’s the most impressive – with its five-star rating coming after the similar-in-spirit Suzuki Jimny and Jeep Wrangler posted disappointing scores.
All three vehicles offer old-school off-road ability courtesy of separate chassis construction, but the Jimny’s three-star rating included a disappointing 52% score for pedestrian safety and just 50% in the Safety Assist category – ranking items such as the car’s autonomous emergency braking or lane-departure warning. The Wrangler, meanwhile, scored just a single star, with low ratings across all four categories.
However, Mercedes’ off-roader posted an impressive average of 80.75 across all four categories. Adult occupant protection was rated at 90%, child occupant at 83%, and pedestrian safety was 78%. The lowest score posted was in the Safety Assist category, at 72%.
Also tested were two other SUVs – the Honda CR-V and the SEAT Tarraco. The Honda posted scores of 93%, 83%, 70% and 76% in adult, child, pedestrian and safety assist respectively, while the Tarraco scored a near-perfect 97% in adult occupant protection, 84% for child, and 79% in both pedestrian and safety assist categories.
Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP secretary general, said: “Here we have three new vehicles, competing in the same segment and getting top safety ratings.
“That’s impressive enough, but the fact that all three off-roaders are equipped with pedestrian and cyclist AEB systems really demonstrates the power of consumer testing – not only to encourage better performance but also to promote new technologies as standard-fit across Europe.”
