Crash test ratings - Honda FR-V

Honda FR-V
Overall 4/5 stars
Front impact 81%
Side impact 83%
Child protection 55% 3/5 stars
Pedestrian test 56% 3/4 stars


Honda’s FR-V only just missed out on a five-star score for occupant protection in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests, but its child protection was disappointing.

Testers praised the car’ strong body, which suffered minimal deformation during the tests, and the dual-stage frontal airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters, which helped to reduce the loads on the driver’s and front passenger’s chest and legs. However, the hard structures around the steering column and behind the dash meant both driver and passenger risked knee injuries.

The car performed reasonably well in the side-impact tests; the seat-mounted thorax airbags and head-protecting curtain helped prevent serious injuries. However, the car was penalised for having potentially high chest loads.

The FR-V’s permanent labels, written in five languages, warning against placing a child in a rear-facing restraint opposite an active airbag, impressed the testers. The labels also include an instruction to set the central front seat the most rearward position when a forward-facing child restraint is fitted.

However, the protection offered to the children themselves was below average. High loads were recorded on the younger child’ head in the frontal test and both children also experienced high chest loads.

Pedestrian protection on the FR-V was good. The bumper, along with the areas of the bonnet where both an adult and child pedestrian’s head might strike, was cushioned well. However, the bonnet’s leading edge offered only a limited amount of protection.