The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) has been conducting safety evaluations of new vehicles since 1997, awarding star ratings to help buyers determine which cars are the safest. Using the latest Euro NCAP data, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 safest cars available today in the UK.
The testing includes a variety of crash scenarios designed to simulate real-world accidents that could result in serious injury or fatalities for vehicle occupants. Recent testing has expanded to evaluate advanced safety technologies, focusing on their ability to prevent collisions from occurring entirely.
To determine the rankings in this list, all 10 vehicles have received the maximum five-star rating. Euro NCAP evaluates cars in four key categories: Adult Occupant protection, Child Occupant protection, Vulnerable Road User protection, and Safety Assist. The average scores from these categories were used to rank these cars.
It’s important to note that Euro NCAP updates its testing protocols annually, so this ranking only includes cars tested from the year 2023 onward.
1. Mercedes E-Class
- Adult Occupant Protection: 92%
- Child Occupant Protection: 90%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 84%
- Safety Assist: 87%
- Average Score: 88.25%
The 2024 Mercedes E-Class achieved the highest score in the Euro NCAP crash tests, earning it the title of the safest car available for purchase. It scored impressively high for both adult and child occupant protection, ensuring a high degree of safety in the event of a crash.
The E-Class also comes equipped with a comprehensive suite of active safety technology as standard, which is vital for crash prevention. Features include lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking, and a reversing camera as standard equipment. Additionally, traffic jam assist is available as an option.
2. Volkswagen ID7
- Adult Occupant Protection: 95%
- Child Occupant Protection: 88%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 83%
- Safety Assist: 80%
- Average Score: 86.5%
The Volkswagen ID7 scored the highest in adult occupant protection among the vehicles on this list, reflecting an advanced crash structure and an effective suite of airbags. However, it fell short in the Safety Assist category, preventing it from clinching the top spot against the Mercedes E-Class.
All ID7 models come with autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control as standard. The primary issue was its occupant status monitoring system, which wasn’t as efficient at detecting driver attentiveness or identifying other vehicles at key junctions compared to the E-Class.
3. Smart #3
- Adult Occupant Protection: 90%
- Child Occupant Protection: 86%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 84%
- Safety Assist: 85%
- Average Score: 86.25%
The Smart #3, a compact electric SUV, ranks third with consistently strong performance across all safety categories. It scored particularly well in adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, and safety assist features.
Its lowest score came in the Vulnerable Road User Protection category. This was attributed to the design of the vehicle’s stiff windscreen pillars, which could potentially compromise the safety of a struck pedestrian or cyclist in the event of a collision. Nevertheless, the Smart #3 maintains a strong overall safety score.
4. Volkswagen Passat
- Adult Occupant Protection: 93%
- Child Occupant Protection: 87%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 82%
- Safety Assist: 80%
- Average Score: 85.5%
The Volkswagen Passat, in its latest iteration, scored exceptionally well during crash tests, particularly in adult and child occupant protection. Its performance during lateral impact scenarios stood out, proving its ability to protect occupants during side-on collisions.
The base engine option in the VW Passat lineup is a 148bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that features mild-hybrid technology. This combination improves overall efficiency while still offering ample power for everyday driving needs.
That said, we’d likely consider upgrading to one of Volkswagen’s two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options, specifically the cheaper of the two. Labeled as the 1.5 TSI eHybrid, this option increases power to 201bhp and features a significant 19.7kWh battery that provides an official electric-only range of up to 81 miles.
This range is comparable to that of the Skoda Superb Estate but outpaces the figures from competitors such as the BMW 330e Touring, Citroën C5 X PHEV, and Mercedes C300e Estate.
While its Safety Assist system was the weakest category, the Passat performed admirably overall. Features like autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assist proved effective, contributing to its strong safety credentials.
5. Skoda Superb
- Adult Occupant Protection: 93%
- Child Occupant Protection: 87%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 82%
- Safety Assist: 80%
- Average Score: 85.5%
The Skoda Superb achieves the same overall safety score as the Volkswagen Passat, which is no surprise given how similar these two models are beneath the surface. Euro NCAP has essentially used the Passat’s test results for the Superb because they share the same platform and engineering design.
This means the Skoda Superb is just as safe as the Volkswagen Passat. Occupants are well-protected in the event of a crash, and the safety assistance systems included in the Superb are equally effective at helping to prevent accidents.
6. Mercedes EQE SUV
- Adult Occupant Protection: 87%
- Child Occupant Protection: 90%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 80%
- Safety Assist: 85%
- Average Score: 85.5%
The Mercedes EQE SUV achieved its strongest performance in the child occupant protection category. One of the key features contributing to this high score is the system that automatically disables the front passenger airbag when a rear-facing child seat is placed in the front seat. This feature is an excellent addition to child safety, ensuring the risk of airbag-related injury is minimized.
The EQE SUV’s lowest score came in the vulnerable road users protection category, which isn’t surprising given the vehicle’s size and weight as a larger SUV. That said, it still performed well overall in protecting pedestrians and cyclists during a collision, with the base of the windscreen pillars being identified as a problem area.
7. BYD Dolphin
- Adult Occupant Protection: 89%
- Child Occupant Protection: 87%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 85%
- Safety Assist: 79%
- Average Score: 85%
The BYD Dolphin, a newcomer to the UK market, has performed well in Euro NCAP safety testing with impressive results for its overall protection. Notably, the Dolphin excelled in the rear impact test and lateral impact test, earning a commendable 89% for adult occupant protection.
The weakest category for the Dolphin was safety assist, primarily due to its occupant status monitoring system. While the system is effective at identifying driver drowsiness, it does not monitor attention in real-time, leading to a few points being lost in this category. Despite this, the BYD Dolphin remains a strong contender as an affordable and safe electric hatchback option.
8. Lexus RZ
- Adult Occupant Protection: 87%
- Child Occupant Protection: 87%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 84%
- Safety Assist: 81%
- Average Score: 84.75%
The Lexus RZ performed exceptionally well in protecting both adults and children during crash testing, earning high scores for safety. It particularly excelled in the rear impact and frontal offset crash tests. Additionally, vulnerable road users are also well-protected in the event of a collision.
While the RZ received commendable scores overall, its safety assist score was the lowest of its results. Euro NCAP noted that the car’s driver monitoring system can detect “long distraction”—when the driver loses focus on the road for an extended period—but it does not account for behaviors like using a mobile phone while driving.
9. BMW 5 Series
- Adult Occupant Protection: 89%
- Child Occupant Protection: 85%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 86%
- Safety Assist: 78%
- Average Score: 84.5%
The BMW 5 Series also earned a five-star safety rating thanks to excellent performance in adult occupant protection. Furthermore, the car offers excellent protection for vulnerable road users, with its autonomous emergency braking system effectively detecting cyclists and pedestrians in potential collision scenarios.
The 2025 BMW 5-Series has shifted slightly away from the sporty sedan sharpness that characterized its predecessors, but it continues to be a strong choice in the mid-size luxury sedan segment due to its upscale interior and advanced technology. Positioned as a versatile option within BMW’s sedan lineup, the 5-Series sits comfortably between the compact 3-Series and the larger, more luxurious 7-Series.
Both front and rear seats are plush and well-cushioned, making the 5-Series an excellent choice for daily commutes and long road trips. The cabin boasts an array of digital displays on the dashboard, offering both the driver essential information and keeping passengers engaged throughout the ride.
Under the hood, the standard engine is a turbocharged four-cylinder, but buyers can opt for a more powerful upgrade with either a turbocharged inline-six or a plug-in hybrid powertrain capable of producing 483 horsepower. All-wheel drive is standard across the range except for the base model, giving drivers added confidence and traction across varying conditions.
The car’s safety assist score was slightly lower, primarily due to the system’s limitations. The occupant status monitoring system focuses on detecting driver drowsiness but does not monitor other distractions. Nevertheless, the 5 Series still scored well for autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist, which add additional layers of safety.
10. Toyota C-HR
- Adult Occupant Protection: 85%
- Child Occupant Protection: 86%
- Vulnerable Road Users Protection: 86%
- Safety Assist: 79%
- Average Score: 84%
Rounding out the list is the Toyota C-HR, a distinctive-looking SUV that performed consistently well across all categories, including adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, and vulnerable road users protection. In the event of a crash, the C-HR provides reliable protection for its occupants.
The safety assist category recorded a 79% score, which is largely attributed to the driver drowsiness detection system. This system detects fatigue but does not account for other distractions, such as using a mobile device. Despite this, the autonomous emergency braking system proved effective at preventing low-speed impacts, contributing to the C-HR’s overall solid safety performance.