Cupra’s Tavascan and MG’s HS receive five-star ratings in latest Euro NCAP tests
The Ford Transit Courier van posted a ‘surprisingly mediocre safety performance’ in contrast.
The new Cupra Tavascan and MG HS have come out on top in a new batch of Euro NCAP safety tests while Ford’s latest Transit Courier van posted a ‘mediocre’ three stars.
The Tavascan, which arrives as Cupra’s latest model, was praised for its ‘good protection’ which was afforded to all occupants of the vehicle while its active bonnet helped to protect cyclists and motorcyclists in the event of an impact. Plus, Euro NCAP stated that the car’s lane keep assist would intervene in ‘some more crucial situations’, which helped the car to achieve a five-star safety rating overall.
MG’s new HS also finished the tests with a five-star score, helped by the car’s good protection for pedestrians and cyclists. Testers also said that the car’s automatic emergency braking system responded well ‘to a range of vulnerable road users’. Additional protection against ‘dooring’ – where a door is opened into the path of an approaching cyclist – was also highlighted as a plus point for the HS.
Ford’s Transit Courier van, however, didn’t fare as well. Poor results in a full-width barrier frontal impact protection test saw the Transit Courier handed a three-star safety rating. However, Euro NCAP has stated that Ford intends to rectify the issue prior to the updated version being re-assessed in 2025.
Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general Euro NCAP, said: “It may seem that Euro NCAP is setting a tough task for manufacturers, yet we work closely together with industry, encouraging changes in car design that ultimately save lives.
“As Euro NCAP upgrades its protocols to be more stringent, with new guidelines for safety technologies and in relation to vulnerable users, we are ensuring that as a consumer, you have the best safety equipment available as standard on your new car to make your journey as safe as it can possibly be. Euro NCAP’s 2026 protocols are now available for the industry to review, highlighting future safety innovations to be added to our testing programme.”
