2022 was an exceptional year for new car safety, according to independent body Euro NCAP’s ratings. We reveal which cars achieved the very highest safety accolades in its testing last year.
Euro NCAP tested more than 65 cars in 2022, in what it called its ‘busiest-ever year’. Despite this, no cars scored fewer than four stars out of five, which is great news for car safety.
This includes exceptional scores for cars from Chinese newcomers, such as the Wey Coffee 01 and Ora Funky Cat, both of which achieved a perfect five stars.
However, there were some poor scorers to be wary of in Euro NCAP’s tests towards the tail end of 2021 – scroll further down to find out which models these are.
Looking for a car that's reliable and safe? Check out the best cars for 2023
Safest large car: Hyundai Ioniq 6 (£46,745**)
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is the overall top-performing car in Euro NCAP’s tests for 2022, alongside the Tesla Model Y, with both scoring a dominating 97% overall in its tests.
The large saloon also scored a near-perfect 97% for protecting adults in the car.
Impressively, the Ioniq 6 scores 90% for its safety assistance systems, meaning it does an excellent job preventing crashes happening at all.
We haven’t tested the Hyundai Ioniq 6 just yet, but in the meantime you can check out our Hyundai Ioniq 5 review
Safest mid-size car: Cupra Born (£36,475***)
The Cupra Born proves that you don't need a large car to be safe on the road.
It scores an exceptional 93% for protecting adults in the car, and in both its child-protection tests Euro NCAP gives its top ‘good’ rating for crash test performance based on 6 and 10 year old children.
Euro NCAP also reported that the Cupra Born's autonomous braking system detects pedestrians and cyclists effectively, while its other safety assistance systems also perform well.
The Cupra Born hasn’t been tested by our lab yet, but see if Cupra is a brand worth considering by checking out our Cupra car reviews
Safest small car: Volkswagen Polo (facelifted) (£18,218*)
The Volkswagen Polo may have originally launched in 2017, but after a facelift in 2022 this small car is right at the top of its game for safety.
It achieved strong scores of 94% for protecting adults and 80% for protecting children, with decent 70% scores for both its safety assistance systems and protecting vulnerable road users.
If you’re looking for a small car, this remains one of the very best you can count on for safety, according to Euro NCAP.
Find out if it’s an exceptional car in other areas too from our professional lab and road tests in our full Volkswagen Polo review.
Safest large SUV: Wey Coffee 01
We wouldn't be surprised if you’ve never heard of the Wey Coffee 01. The Chinese brand is launching the Coffee 01 in Germany this year (priced at €55,900/£49,000), with a UK introduction next on the list.
Its near-impeccable safety credentials could certainly make it worth waiting for, with scores of 91% and 87% for protecting adults and children in crashes, and 94% for its safety assistance systems.
If you’re keen on a new - and safe - large SUV that you can buy right now, the Lexus RX (£59,950**) is one of the top all-rounders for safety in Euro NCAP’s 2022 tests, scoring top marks in all four of Euro NCAP’s assessment areas.
The RX scores 90% and 87% for protecting adults and children, respectively, and 92% for its safety assistance systems. It also achieves 89% for protecting vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists – few cars score so highly in this area.
We’ll be testing the new Lexus RX soon – in the meantime, see if this Lexus range is something to shout about in our previous-gen Lexus RX review.
Safest mid-size SUV: Tesla Model Y (£54,990*)
The Tesla Model Y and Model S have certainly matched the brand’s hype from a safety perspective, with some of the very highest scores in Euro NCAP’s 2022 tests.
In fact, the Model Y comes joint-top of the entire 2022 NCAP safety table, with an astounding overall score of 97%.
In individual tests, it scores a near-flawless 97% for protecting adults in the car and 98% for its cutting-edge safety assistance systems.
Despite slightly lower scores of 87% for protecting children in the car and 82% for protecting vulnerable road users, it's still one of the safest cars on the road according to Euro NCAP’s tests.
But is the Tesla Model Y just as good in other areas, or are there issues to watch out for? Find our in our comprehensive Tesla Model Y review.
Safest small SUV: Smart #1
The brand new Smart #1 small SUV (pronounced ‘hashtag one’, in case you were wondering) will launch in the UK later this year - in France, it's currently priced at €39,950 (around £35,000).
While some small cars suffer in terms of safety, the same can't be said of the #1, with exceptional scores in Euro NCAP’s tests.
It scores 96% for protecting adults in the car, and delivers for children and its safety assistance systems too, with scores of 89% and 88% respectively.
We haven’t tested the Smart #1 yet, but are Smart cars all they’re cracked up to be? Find out by checking out our Smart car reviews.
Overall safest electric car: Tesla Model S (facelifted) (£79,980*)
The Cupra Born is an exceptionally safe electric car according to Euro NCAP, but the top-scoring electric car in its tests this year is in fact the Tesla Model S, which was facelifted in 2021.
Like the Tesla Model Y, it impressed Euro NCAP with its top-of-the-range safety assistance systems scoring 98%. It also achieved excellent scores of 94% and 91% for protecting adults and children in the car.
The Model S even scores a high 85% for protecting vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
Find out whether this car aces in all areas and if there’s anything you should bear in mind before buying in our extensive Tesla Model S review.
What cars should I avoid for safety?
2022 marked the last year of Euro NCAP’s current test programme, and fortunately no cars tested in 2022 scored badly. Euro NCAP’s testing programme will be made even more stringent from 2023 as safety technology continues to improve.
However, Euro NCAP did expose some duds in 2021, which should be avoided if safety is a priority (although these cars still are legally safe to drive):
- Renault Zoe – 0 stars (see our Renault Zoe news story for more)
- Dacia Jogger – 1 star (new car to the UK for 2022 - review coming soon)
- Dacia Sandero Stepway – 2 stars (see our Dacia Sandero Stepway review)
To see all the cars we've tested, head over to our new and used car reviews.
*New prices based on what people pay (including discounts), sourced from 500 franchised dealers across the UK each month.
**For cars we haven’t reviewed yet, these are the On-The-Road prices from the manufacturer’s website, correct at time of publishing.
***For the Cupra Born, this is the Manufacturer's Direct Price set by Cupra which you pay for the vehicle. The Manufacturer's Direct Price includes delivery to an authorised Cupra Agent, number plates, new vehicle registration free, the first year's Vehicle Excise Duty and VAT (20%).
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/revealed-the-safest-cars-tested-aBbiI1V8gvTv