- Euro NCAP releases results for four new cars tested under 2026’s tougher protocols, with three Chinese cars AION UT, GEELY E2 and Leapmotor B05 all achieving a five-star rating.
- Europe’s CUPRA Raval receives 5 stars in an optional Safety Pack.
LEUVEN, BELGIUM – Under the latest 2026 assessment protocols, exhaustive on-road evaluation and extensive crash testing carried out by Euro NCAP, the safety performance results are now available for four new cars. The cars tested were a potentially European big seller the CUPRA Raval and some maybe unfamiliar Chinese names: the new AION UT, GEELY E2 and Leapmotor B05. These three vehicles were assessed against Euro NCAP’s latest protocols, together with the CUPRA Raval.
The optional Safety Pack offered by CUPRA Raval significantly increases the active technologies fitted to the car and enhances the car’s ability to respond to potential danger, especially in low-speed driving and at junctions hence the five-star rating. With impressive crash protection the Raval manages a four-star score with standard safety equipment. While providing the full suite of safety equipment as standard would be preferable, an optional safety pack keeps the vehicle affordable whilst making additional safety technologies available to consumers who choose them.
The names may be unfamiliar, but when it comes to safer driving, the latest brands from China are setting their sights high and are competing with Europe’s established marques. New cars continue to enter the European market delivering results comparable to well-known models from European, Korean and Japanese brands. These three new entries from Chinese brands have all achieved the maximum five-star rating.
Chinese models are increasingly popular with European consumers, accounting for seven per cent of all EU new car sales, and nearly 10 per cent in the UK, last year. Since 2021, in response to consumer trends, the number of Chinese cars assessed by Euro NCAP for safety has risen nearly ten-fold.
All these star ratings and detailed breakdown of each model’s performance are available on Euro NCAP’s website so consumers can research safety performance when buying their next car.
Automotive safety across Chinese vehicles has evolved dramatically since Euro NCAP tested its first Chinese-manufactured car, in 2010. There is still some way to go, but today’s results clearly demonstrate that Chinese carmakers are still working hard to match the high standards expected by European consumers. It would be preferable for European brand CUPRA to offer active technologies as standard, but a safety pack is a compromise. By actively embracing Euro NCAP’s rigorous targets particularly this year, carmakers are showing they want to deliver safer vehicles for everyone on Europe's roads. Euro NCAP continues to offer even more insights on the safety performance of new cars. Consumers should remember however that an important part of the safety journey is the drive – don’t forget to try before you buy!Dr. Aled Williams, Programme Director Euro NCAP
- CUPRA Raval – 4 Stars (5 stars with Safety Pack)
Safe Driving: 58% (72% with Safety Pack). Crash Avoidance: 66% (77% with Safety Pack). Crash Protection: 91%. Post Crash Safety: 95%.
The CUPRA Raval is pitched as a sporty electric supermini that competes with cars including the Kia EV2 and Renault 5. Here, it is evaluated with its standard safety equipment, and with CUPRA’s optional Safety Pack. It delivers solid results across all four assessment categories, earning it a 4-star overall rating in standard specification, and a 5-star rating with the Safety Pack fitted.
In the cabin, the Raval scored high marks for its comfort and infotainment user interface, alongside robust seatbelt usage detection and driver monitoring. However, it lacks a child presence detection system to warn if a child has been left in the car. The Raval features reliable lane-departure prevention and strong vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking (AEB) protection. The car’s physical protection is impressive. It scored full points in side barrier impacts and full-width frontal rigid tests, supported by good performance from its centre airbag. Good Post-Crash Safety systems further impressed Euro NCAP’s experts.
- AION UT – 5 stars
Safe Driving: 66%. Crash Avoidance: 74%. Crash Protection: 91%. Post Crash Safety: 88%.
The AION UT is an electric family hatchback which competes with the likes of the Mini Aceman, Renault 4 and Volkswagen ID. Polo. This Chinese brand is still in its infancy, yet the new model achieves a five-star safety rating, showing good performances in all four stages of safety.
Our experts do point out that the UT relies too heavily on the centre screen for key driving controls. Infotainment scores better with the use of buttons and switches. It dropped points for its road-based speed limit recognition system, which achieved a 68 per cent accuracy rate, and the lack of a child presence detection system that issues a warning if a child has been left in the car.
The AION UT has all the latest crash avoidance systems – and, except for the frontal monitoring in relation to a car and motorcyclist crossing a junction, these systems perform well across all test scenarios. With a Crash Protection score of 91 per cent and good Post-Crash Safety performance, it proves to be a strong all-rounder.
- GEELY E2 – 5 stars
Safe Driving: 79%. Crash Avoidance: 72%. Crash Protection: 86%. Post Crash Safety: 95%.
One of China’s better-known brands, GEELY has scored a home hit with its E2 (also called EX2 in some markets) after it was the China’s best-selling car last year. During its assessment, the small electric hatchback demonstrated high-level protection across the board, earning a five-star Euro NCAP rating. Good use is made of physical controls for key driving controls commands and for the car’s infotainment system with a total score of 80%. Standard direct Child Presence Detection (CPD) earned the E2 extra marks.
However, the GEELY’s automatic emergency braking system (AEB) was inconsistent, performing well in certain scenarios yet dropping significant points in others. The E2 dropped considerable points after failing to adequately protect the driver’s legs in a front offset crash simulation, but otherwise its physical protection scores were good. Euro NCAP’s testers noted that the seatbelt for the 10-year-old child partially slipped off the shoulder.
- Leapmotor B05 – 5 Stars
Safe Driving: 66%. Crash Avoidance: 77%. Crash Protection: 92%. Post Crash Safety: 89%.
Taking on some of Europe’s best-known family hatchbacks, including the Renault Megane and Volkswagen Golf, the Leapmotor B05 is a relatively new electric Chinese car that scores well across all testing disciplines, particularly Crash Protection, to secure a five-star rating.
While it does have a Child Presence Detection system, the B05 lacks an adaptive restraint system for different occupant statures. It also does not recognise when the front seat passenger is seated in an unsafe position, (feet on the dashboard). Its controls for comfort and infotainment would benefit from greater use of physical switches, too.
The car’s AEB performance was exceptional in high-speed and junction scenarios, complemented by a near-perfect lane departure prevention system. In crash testing, the B05 scored maximum points in both side barrier and side pole impacts, with its centre airbag ensuring full protection against occupant head contact. Pelvis and femur protection for vulnerable road users scored 100%.
- Euro NCAP is also releasing additional results assessed under 2025 protocols including for the Kia K4 (4 stars/5 Stars with Safety Pack) first tested by ANCAP with additional testing updates carried out in Europe, and the Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabrio (5 stars) a variant of the coupe tested last year.
First tested by Australasian NCAP in 2025, the Kia K4’s ratings are, with some additional testing, also supported by Euro NCAP. A Volkswagen Golf competitor, the K4 produced consistently solid results, earning five stars when equipped with Kia’s optional Safety Pack, and four stars without.
- The Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabrio was tested in coupé format last year according to Euro NCAP’s 2025 protocols and the scores carry across to the CLE cabriolet variant. The four-seat soft-top also achieves a 5-star result, with further details available here.
Editor’s note
How Dual Ratings Work
- Base Rating: Reflects the safety performance and equipment fitted as standard on every version sold across Europe.
- Optional Rating: Shows the higher safety level achieved when a manufacturer’s optional safety pack is installed
- Eligibility Rules: To qualify for a dual rating, manufacturers must offer the safety pack as a standalone option and meet strict minimum fitment rates across the market. Over time, features once locked behind these packs must transition into standard equipment.