New Volkswagen Golf one of 14 to top Ncap rankings
THE new Volkswagen Golf, which goes on sale in January, is one of 14 new cars to have been awarded a top five-star rating from European consumer protection outfit Euro Ncap.
And it also won the award for innovations in the area of integral safety, the Golf’s lane assist and front assist features as well as the new model’s multiple impact brake activation system being recognised as pioneering safety innovations.
Both the Range Rover and Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid also performed well, the latter scoring very closely to its conventionally-engined counterpart which was assessed last year – despite the hybrid powertrain adding nearly 350kg.
By contrast the Range Rover has shed some weight, tipping the scales at more than 200kg less than the car previously tested by Euro NCAP, and is due to be equipped with an improved head restraint to minimise whiplash risk.
Other cars fitted with advanced driver technologies are Mercedes-Benz’s entry-level car, the A-Class, and the Ford Fiesta.
The A-Class gets Collision Prevention Assist and Attention Assist as standard equipment, with PRE SAFE available as an option while the Fiesta is offered with MyKey, which lets parents help their children drive responsibly with the likes of limits on maximum speed and more insistent seatbelt reminders.
It means Ford is the first car manufacturer to achieve six Euro NCAP Advanced rewards for outstanding technological innovation thanks to MyKey, and SYNC with Emergency Assistance on the new B-MAX, Fiesta, C-MAX, Focus and Kuga.
Euro NCAP general secretary Dr Michiel van Ratingen said: “Ford has demonstrated its commitment to making advanced safety features available on a wide range of vehicles and thoroughly deserves all of its rewards.”
Five-star awards were also given to the FIAT 500L, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mitsubishi Outlander, Vauxhall Mokka, SEAT’s Leon and Toledo models, the Skoda Rapid and Subaru Forester.
In fact the only car not to hit the high five was the Dacia Lodgy, which is not due for UK sale, and was described as performing below average in all areas of safety.