Nissan Townstar
Tested model: Renault Kangoo Van, Blue dCi 95, LHD
Applies to: 3rd generation, XFK, from 2021
The van tested was the Renaut Kangoo Van, which is a twin of the Townstar. The Townstar is available as a small people-carrying MPV and, as tested here, a small cargo panel van. The panel van shares a lot of safety equipment with the passenger version, and this helps it achieve Euro NCAP's second-highest rating. The autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system uses camera+radar fusion technology to detect other vehicles and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Performance is excellent when approaching a stationary or slower-moving car, with collisions avoided in almost all of Euro NCAP's test scenarios The system performs equally well whether the target vehicle is straight in front of it or offset to one side or the other, and there is good reaction in the scenarios where a vehicle turns across the path of the approaching van. With a pedestrian target, the system performs well in most scenarios, with no deterioration in night-time conditions, but has no detection of people to the rear or response when turning into the path of a pedestrian. The Townstar performs well in all scenarios involving a cyclist.
The lane support system includes lane departure warning, which signals to the driver when the van is drifting out of lane, and emergency lane keeping, which intervenes more aggressively in certain critical situations to prevent the van from leaving the road. The system performed well in all tests, and includes blind spot monitoring to help the driver not to pull out in front of an overtaking vehicle.
The Townstar uses a camera and digital mapping to identify the local speed limit and provides the information to the driver, allowing the limiter to be set accordingly. The limiter is able to maintain the set speed to within 5 km/h.
A seatbelt reminder is standard for the driver and front passenger seat. Unlike other similar vans, the Townstar does not have driver fatigue detection.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) has not been assessed as part of the current rating.