How to read crash tests and most unsafe cars
When choosing a car, one of our primary criteria is safety. When it comes to safety, we first think about active and passive features (ABS, ESP, airbags, collision prevention systems, etc.), followed by the EuroNCAP rating of the model. Since most cars tested by EuroNCAP receive 4 or 5 stars and models scoring 3 stars or lower are rare, these results often become the subject of mockery on social media and are used as strong arguments against those cars.
If we take our safety seriously, we cannot afford to look at this issue superficially. We need to question and understand how EuroNCAP procedures and criteria have evolved over time, what specific category is responsible for a low score, how significant that category is to us, how much we can trust a 10-year-old test result today, and which models with perfect scores failed other notable safety tests. Let’s explore crash tests and the truths behind them together.
1. Driver Assistance Systems
EuroNCAP began evaluating active safety systems like emergency braking and adaptive cruise control in 2009, and these systems have become increasingly important in the criteria since then. Today, a car without these features as standard cannot achieve a perfect score.
Many users prefer to deactivate these systems immediately, feeling that they distract more than help. If you're one of those users, you need to assess the scores for these systems separately from the other three main EuroNCAP categories. For example, the current Dacia Duster scores 3 stars overall, but when broken down, it scores 4 stars for adult occupant safety and 5 stars for child occupant safety.Another example is the BYD Atto 3. In its initial 2022 test, this Chinese car scored 5 stars. However, at the time, EuroNCAP only assessed the presence of driver assistance systems, not their functionality. When retested in 2024, the adaptive cruise control was found to cause accidents, leading EuroNCAP to label the model "not recommended."
2. How Many Airbags?
The standard equipment of cars tested by EuroNCAP may differ from the versions sold in certain countries, rendering the test results partially invalid for those markets. A recent example is the Renault Clio. Although the tested model scored 5 stars, none of the Clio 5s sold in Turkey have curtain airbags. Two of EuroNCAP's six main tests assess side impacts, where curtain airbags are crucial. Therefore, a Clio 5 sold in Turkey could not achieve 5 stars in the same test.
3. Pedestrian Safety
Last week, a follower criticized me during a live broadcast for not adequately addressing safety when reviewing car listings, using the 4-star EuroNCAP-rated Citroën C5 AirCross as an example. At first glance, they were right; recommending a 4-star model while its competitors boast 5 stars seemed like a mistake. However, a closer look at the category-specific results reveals that it scored 5 stars in all categories except pedestrian safety, where it achieved 3 stars (58%). While pedestrian safety is undoubtedly important, for most of us, our own and our family’s safety takes priority over this factor when choosing a car.
4. Percentage-Score Relationship
You might have noticed I use stars instead of percentages when sharing category results. For instance, the C5 AirCross scored 87% for adult passengers, 86% for children, and 75% for driver assistance systems. However, I referred to all of these as "5 stars." This is because the thresholds for each star and the scoring criteria differ by category and even vary year by year. For example, a 70% score is currently enough for 5 stars in driver assistance, while adult safety requires at least 80%. You can find the latest scoring criteria on EuroNCAP's protocol page.
5. Evolving Criteria
As mentioned, EuroNCAP’s criteria change and become stricter almost every year. Before 2009, EuroNCAP primarily evaluated structural integrity, cage safety, and the number of standard airbags. Afterward, the protocols became increasingly complex, drastically altering the nature of the tests. A striking example is the Renault Zoe. Despite no significant changes to the model, it received 5 stars in 2013 but dropped to 0 stars in 2021 under the updated criteria.
6. I Have Airbags, But What If They Don't Deploy?
You’ve probably seen stories on social media about cars involved in severe crashes where airbags didn’t deploy or cases where minor impacts triggered all airbags. Factors like sensor placement play a significant role here. You cannot judge airbag deployment based on exterior damage alone. The primary concern is cabin (cage) safety. In most such cases, occupants walk away unharmed, which is the ultimate goal. However, there is significant variation in airbag deployment thresholds and criteria across brands and models, and no test currently measures this.
7. I Have Airbags, But What If They Deploy?
You may recall from one of our previous articles: If your second-hand car, with a model year later than 2000, has a Takata brand airbag, there is a strong possibility that it was a faulty production. If it was not replaced at an authorized service under the recall notices after 2013, its deployment poses a life-threatening risk as high as not deploying at all.
8. EuroNCAP vs. IIHS
In addition to EuroNCAP, other organizations like Latin NCAP and ANCAP conduct crash tests, but the most prominent alternative is IIHS in the United States. Since 1992, IIHS has conducted rigorous crash tests. Until recently, many cars scoring 5 stars in EuroNCAP failed specific IIHS tests, particularly the "small overlap" test, which evaluates impacts to approximately 25% of the driver-side front. The "moderate overlap" test, covering about half of the front area, is another challenging exam.
Examples of models with perfect EuroNCAP scores but poor IIHS results include:
- 2013 Honda Jazz (Fit): Small overlap
- 2018 Ford Kuga (Escape): Small overlap
- 2023 Jeep Renegade: Moderate overlap
- 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Moderate overlap
- 2023 Subaru Impreza: Side impact
- 2023 Subaru Crosstrek: Side impact, moderate overlap
IIHS has also tested driver assistance systems since 2013. Among the 2023 SUVs tested, only the Subaru Forester passed the crash prevention test, while models like the Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander received "poor" ratings.
9. Lowest-Scoring Cars
Finally, here are some of the lowest-rated models in EuroNCAP history since its founding in 1997:
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