Euro NCAP just finished crash-testing seven recently released cars: the VW T-Cross, Mazda 3, Renault Clio, Toyota RAV4, Lexus UX, Toyota Corolla, and Audi e-tron.
Predictably enough, there were no big surprises, and all seven ended up earning five out of five maximum stars for safety. And now, with that out of the way, let us take a closer look at the exceptions.
The Audi e-tron experienced a major issue with its all-electric powertrain when tested in a lateral collision with a pole. The experts have detected a critical G-load in the driver’s chest area, meaning that a lateral collision in an actual traffic accident could lead to severe injury and even death.
The VW T-Cross did not perform too well in a frontal collision with a non-rigid obstacle. The driver’s crash dummy experienced severe overload in the left shin area, while a mannequin of a ten-year-old child had a similar effect in the neck area. Another issue was detected with the AEB (Automatic Emergency Brake) system, with the car failing to prevent a collision with a pedestrian moving at only 40 km/h (25 mph). Speaking of which: the Toyota RAV4, Renault Clio, and Mazda 3 have all failed the same test, too.
Finally, the Lexus UX perhaps warrants a separate mention. The car’s proactive safety systems were tested in wet weather, but, despite the challenging meteorological conditions, it has shown excellent overall results.
Photos: autoevolution.com