TESLA MODEL 3
Much has been written about Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assistance systems in recent years, but the American firm’s newest car, the Model 3, proves the benefits of such packages by achieving a deeply impressive 94% score when assessed by the experts at Euro NCAP. Not only that, the Model 3 has become the overall new benchmark for overall crash-test safety courtesy of its strong architecture and effective restraint systems. Both adults and children are well-protected in Tesla’s smallest electric car with ratings of 96% and 86%, respectively. Rivals have some catching-up to do.
Runners up
FORD RANGER
The Ranger was the first pickup to achieve a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating, with a 96% score for adult occupant protection and 86% rating for child occupant protection. In addition, you can specify a driver-assistance pack that addds Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), as well as lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition and automatically-dipping headlights. This brings new standards of crash-avoidance technology to the fast-growing pickup sector of the market.
HYUNDAI BLINDSPOT MONITORING
Rather than simply using a flashing orange light – and sometimes audible beeping – to warn of a vehicle in your blind spot, the Nexo goes one further with its blindspot package. With the fitment of rearward-facing cameras underneath the door mirrors, the projected image is displayed in the digital instrument binnacle as soon as you use the indicators. So, unlike the Audi E-Tron, you get to keep the door mirror here as well. The resolution could be sharper but at least there’s no delay in projecting the image.