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SsangYong Korando, BMW Z4 score five-star Euro NCAP ratings

Euro NCAP has released its latest round of safety ratings this week, with several upcoming models bound for Australia scoring five-star ratings – including the SsangYong Korando and BMW Z4.


The Korando is the first model from SsangYong to get a five-star rating, with AEB as standard across the range in Europe. It managed 88 per cent for adult occupant protection and 85 per cent for children, while vulnerable road user and safety assist categories were rated at 68 per cent and 74 per cent respectively.

Another promising result was achieved by the BMW Z4 roadster, which scored an impressive 97 per cent for adult occupant protection and 87 per cent for child occupant protection.

Bavaria's drop-top sports car also posted a great 91 per cent score for vulnerable road users (thanks to its active bonnet), and 76 per cent for safety assist.

Given the BMW's result, we can expect the hard-topped Toyota Supra, which is essentially a twin-under-the-skin to the Z4, to achieve top marks against Euro NCAP protocol should it be tested.

Two new entry-level models from the Volkswagen Group also managed five-star ratings – the Audi A1 and Skoda Kamiq.

With 95 per cent and 96 per cent achieved in the adult occupant category for the Audi and Skoda respectively, both models were praised by the crash-testing firm for their strong performances.

The Kamiq also managed 85 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for vulnerable road users, and 76 per cent for safety assist. Meanwhile, the A1 also got 85 per cent for its protection of kids, 73 per cent for vulnerable road users, and 80 per cent for safety assist.

Rounding out the wave of new five-star vehicles is the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC, which posted scores of 96 per cent for adult protection, 90 per cent for child protection, 75 per cent for vulnerable road users, and 75 per cent for safety assist.

"The EQC is part of a growing trend towards battery electric vehicles and joins Jaguar’s I-Pace and Audi’s e-tron amongst the cars that Euro NCAP has tested, and Tesla’s Model X, which will be assessed later this year," Euro NCAP said in its media release.

As with the ANCAP scores issued earlier this week, the Mercedes-Benz CLA four-door coupe was lauded for its strong performance, scoring more than 90 per cent in three of the four areas of assessment.

The CLA managed 96 per cent for adult protection, 91 per cent for child protection, and 91 per cent for vulnerable road users. In the area of assistance systems, the slinky A-Class sibling scored 75 per cent.

"It’s great to see this continued commitment to improved safety," said Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP's secretary general.

"From these results, achieving 5 stars may look so easy, but to meet test and fitment requirements for technology are very demanding and always updated to incorporate the latest technology development and address priorities in road safety."

"Next year will see another step-change in our rating requirements but our experience shows that manufacturers will be keen to maintain the high standards they have achieved so far, and that European consumers will continue to be well served," he added.

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