26 Aug 09 13:41
Safety and environmental concerns need not be mutually exclusive, according to new Euro NCAP crash tests on the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight.
The leading petrol-electric hybrids in the UK were commended by Euro NCAP for their impressive five-star pedestrian safety scores, and that they already meet the organisation's stringent 2012 safety targets.
Last year barely 25% of the cars tested achieved more than two stars for pedestrian protection but Euro NCAP believes the tide is quickly turning.
Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP's Secretary General, said: 'The technology and know-how is out there for carmakers to deliver vehicles with better pedestrian protection. Honda and Toyota are giving us a glimpse of the cars of the future that consider the natural and social environment in its entirety.'
The Prius and the Insight were among a batch of eight cars tested by NCAP.
Seven cars received Euro NCAP's maximum five star award, while one car, the Citroen C3, received a four star result.
Euro NCAP's top scorers with five star results are the Honda Insight, Kia Sorento, Renault Grand Scenic, Skoda Yeti, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Prius 3 and the Volkswagen Polo.
The Citroen C3 missed on a five-star result because it does not feature Electronic Stability Control as standard. However, the C3, and Renault's Grand Scenic, were rewarded during the Safety Assist Assessment for their new driver controlled speed limitation system which is standard on some variants and as an option on others. This system helps the driver to maintain the safest speed according to the driving environment.
Some manufacturers have responded quickly to Euro NCAP's call for better whiplash protection. The Honda Insight, the Kia Sorento and the Skoda Yeti all have seats and head restraints that offer good whiplash protection. In contrast, the whiplash protection offered by the Citroen C3 was found to be poor.
