The safest cars on sale in 2025 - the latest crash tests
20 new models have been tested so far in 2025 by Euro NCAP. We reveal how they fared and if they’ve made it into our top 10...
EuroNCAP has put 20 new cars through its rigorous crash and safety testing regime, with an impressive 14 gaining the highest possible rating of five stars.
All the models tested since 2023 have been subjected to the latest Euro NCAP test criteria. As well as front and side impact crash tests, it includes assessments of how well each model can detect and avoid collisions with motorcyclists and vulnerable road users when a car is turning right at a junction and when it’s crossing the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Systems which fall under the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) banner, plus night-time tests of active safety systems are now carried out as part of the tests.
There is also a requirement for cars to have a driver monitoring system to warn against drowsiness or inattention, and the latest requirement, introduced in July 2024, stipulates that they should have a speed assistance system that alerts the driver to the current speed limit and upcoming speed limit changes.
Out of the 20 models tested so far in 2025, just two scored high enough marks to be included in our top 10. Most impressively, the Tesla Model 3 is now the safest new car on the market thanks to its overall score of 359 out of 400.
The Model 3 was originally tested by Euro NCAP in 2019, scoring 350, however has received a substantial update since. Under the stricter new testing process, the Model 3 scored well in all areas of testing, but really excelled for assistance technology, gaining a score of 87% – a figure only the Voyah Courage, a Chinese SUV yet to launch in the UK, could match.
The Polestar 3 also made the top 10, ranking joint fifth place alongside the NIO ET5 and Smart #3. Polestar’s electric SUV scored particularly well for child occupant safety, gaining a score of 93%, which is the highest recorded by the safety organisation in the past nine years of testing.
The Geely EX 5, which is a new electric SUV from the parent company of Polestar and Volvo, also gained strong safety scores. It gained 339 points overall and was awarded 83% for its active safety systems – one of the highest scores in this area.
The Zeekr X small SUV is one of many new electric models arriving from China. It's based on the same underpinnings as the Volvo EX30, which is a good thing as it appears to have inherited Volvo's ability to build extremely safe vehicles. It provides excellent protection for those inside the car, and for other road users.
Another superbly safe all-rounder is the Volkswagen ID 7, which takes the fourth spot overall, scoring well across the board.
Other models that gained the coveted five-star rating include the Audi A6 e-tron, Audi Q5, BMW 5 Series, which includes the BMW i5 electric model, the BYD Dolphin, BYD Sealion 7, Curpa Terramar, Hongqi E-HS9, Jaecoo 7, Kia EV9, Lexus RZ and LBX, MG S5, Mini Cooper Electric, Mini Countryman, Porsche Macan Electric, Volkswagen Tayron and the Voyah Courage.
The models that scored less than five stars are the Alpine A290, Dacia Duster, Ford Tourneo Custom, Honda ZR-V, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Kona, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Avenger, Kia EV3, MG ZS, Peugeot 3008, Peugeot 5008, Renault 5, Renault Captur, Renault Symbioz, Suzuki Swift, Vauxhall Grandland, Vinfast VF8 (from Vietnam) and the Volkswagen Caravelle.
Here, we list the top 10 safest cars that are either on sale now, or arriving soon.
The top 10 safest cars
1. Tesla Model 3 – the safest new car on sale
Adult occupant protection 90% Child occupant protection 93% Pedestrian protection 89% Safety Assist 87%
Total Euro NCAP score 359/400
Despite many of its closest rivals being younger, the Tesla Model 3 remains one of the world’s best-selling electric cars. This is largely because it’s fun to drive, deceptively practical and – if you opt for the Long Range RWD version – offers an official range of 436 miles. Model 3 owners can also take advantage of Tesla’s network of Superchargers, offering a maximum charging speed of 250kW.
Another advantage is that the Tesla Model 3 is currently the safest car on the market, gaining an impressive score for its assistance technology. The Model 3’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system was particularly praised, scoring well in all scenarios tested. Tesla Intelligent Speed Assistance, fitted to the Model 3, also scored well; however, the driver monitoring system prevented the car from scoring higher.
The Tesla Model 3 also scored highly for vulnerable road users, thanks in part to its pop-up bonnet which raises when it detects that a pedestrian has been hit – reducing the impact of the collision. The ‘child presence detection’ system, which shares a warning to the driver if it spots that an infant is unattended inside the vehicle also helped it achieve a high child occupant score.
Nevertheless, there’s still some room for improvement, with Euro NCAP voicing concerns over the Model 3’s ‘Autopilot’ autonomous driving system. The organisation warned that some owners may believe that the feature offers more autonomy than it actually does, potentially resulting in accidents.
Read our in-depth Tesla Model 3 review
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2. Mercedes E-Class
Adult occupant protection 92% Child occupant protection 90% Pedestrian protection 84% Safety Assist 87%
Total Euro NCAP score 353/400
The Mercedes E-Class is an elegant, classy and well-equipped executive express. It’s offered with a range of petrol and diesel engines, and is one of the last new internal combustion-engined models Mercedes will launch before its range goes fully electric. If you want an electric alternative, check out the Mercedes EQE, which scores almost as well for safety.
The E-Class is the safest car of all those tested under the latest EuroNCAP test regime. As well as offering a high level of protection for adults and children travelling in the car, its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system is good at spotting and responding to potential collisions with pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. It was able to avoid impacts with other vehicles in almost all tests.
It also ticks all the boxes for the latest EuroNCAP tests, including the standard fitment of a warning system that alerts the driver to the presence of a cyclist driving along the side of the car, and another system that tells the driver if a child has been left in the car.
Read our in-depth Mercedes E-Class review
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3. Zeekr X
Adult occupant protection 91% Child occupant protection 90% Pedestrian protection 84% Safety Assist 83%
Total Euro NCAP score 348/400
The Zeekr X, a Chinese electric SUV due to go on sale in the UK in early 2026, gained full marks for the side impact crash test, offering good protection to all those seated inside the vehicle. In the front-end crash, it demonstrated that it would be moderately benign in a collision with another vehicle.
Protection for other road users is also good. The Zeekr X's autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system was able to prevent collisions with cyclists in all test scenarios, gaining the maximum possible points for this area of testing. It's also fitted with a system that prevents front seat occupants from opening a door onto a cyclist riding beside the car.
The Zeekr X comes as standard with a system that automatically applies the brakes after a collision to avoid a secondary impact, and it's designed so that the car doors can be opened and the electric windows can be used by occupants after the car has been submerged in water.
4. Volkswagen ID 7
Adult occupant protection 95% Child occupant protection 88% Pedestrian protection 83% Safety Assist 80%
Total Euro NCAP score 346/400
The ID 7 has one of the highest adult occupant protection scores under the latest EuroNCAP test regime. It gained full marks in the full-width frontal crash test, providing excellent protection for a wide range of people of different statures sitting in a number of positions in the vehicle.
It also excels in some of the newest tests aimed at protecting the most vulnerable road users. It has a pop-up bonnet that helps to reduce head injuries of pedestrians and cyclists should they be struck by the car, and its crash avoidance system is able to detect motorcyclists extremely well and avoid collisions with them.
The ID 7’s active driver assistance systems are effective yet unobtrusive. They are a significant improvement over previous versions of the group’s active driver safety systems, especially lane keeping assistance, which was considered too abrupt and intrusive by drivers.
Read our in-depth Volkswagen ID 7 review
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=5. NIO ET5
Adult occupant protection 96% Child occupant protection 85% Pedestrian protection 83% Safety Assist 81%
Total Euro NCAP score 345/400
The NIO ET5 is the Chinese car maker's answer to the Tesla Model 3. An electric executive saloon and estate, it is good to drive and well-appointed, and it’s made by a brand that’s starting to gain credibility in Europe. It's expected to go on sale in the UK later in 2025.
Its adult occupant protection is exemplary, and it’s also pretty good at protecting children onboard.
The AEB system responds to vulnerable road users, as well as to other vehicles. It worked well at spotting pedestrians and children in daylight, and motorcyclists in all conditions. The lane-keeping support system worked well, but was not too intrusive. The only shortcoming was with the system that detects cyclists pedalling alongside the car, which didn’t work that well.
=5. Polestar 3
Adult occupant protection 90% Child occupant protection 93% Pedestrian protection 79% Safety Assist 83%
Total Euro NCAP score 345/400
The Polestar 3 electric SUV gains the highest rating Euro NCAP rating seen in the past nine years for child occupant protection, making it the safest way to transport little ones. It scored the maximum possible points for protecting six and 11-year-old children in both the front and side impact crash tests, and the top possible score for the fitment of child car seats.
It's also extremely safe for adult occupants in the event of a collision, but it's not the most benign vehicle in a head-on crash with a smaller vehicle.
The Polestar 3 has an ‘active’ bonnet, which has sensors in it that detect when a pedestrian has been struck and lift the surface of the bonnet to provide more clearance from the hard structures beneath it. This worked well in reducing injuries to pedestrians and cyclists.
Read our full Polestar 3 review
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=5. Smart #3
Adult occupant protection 90% Child occupant protection 86% Pedestrian protection 84% Safety Assist 85%
Total Euro NCAP score 345/400
The Smart #3 is a longer, wider coupé version of the Smart #1 electric SUV that promises a slightly sportier drive and a sleeker roof line that doesn’t significantly compromise practicality.
It’s also exceptionally good at protecting those inside and outside of the car in the event of an accident. The AEB system reacts well to the presence of vulnerable road users, particularly cyclists and motorcyclists, and it’s also good at detecting other vehicles in the various test scenarios. There’s also a driver monitoring system that can spot various forms of inattention as well as fatigue.
Adult occupant protection 91% Child occupant protection 92% Pedestrian protection 81% Safety Assist 80%
Total Euro NCAP score 344/400
The Q6 e-tron is an electric SUV that slots above the Audi Q4 e-tron and below the Audi Q8 e-tron in Audi’s line-up. It was developed alongside the Porsche Macan Electric, but majors on comfort and long-distance cruising ability rather than the sporty handling of its sibling.
It provides a very good level of protection for adults of all sizes and children who are travelling in the car, but it’s not a very benign crash partner in an oncoming collision with another vehicle.
It also has a child presence detection system. Active safety is another strong point, with the AEB system able to detect other vehicles and automatically activate to prevent a crash in most test scenarios. The system’s response to cyclists was good, but only average when it came to pedestrians.
Read our in-depth Audi Q6 e-tron review
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=8. Zeekr 001
Adult occupant protection 89% Child occupant protection 88% Pedestrian protection 84% Safety Assist 83%
Total Euro NCAP score 344/400
The Zeekr 001, due to arrive on UK shores in early 2026, is a swoopy, pure electric estate car that aims to rival the Porsche Taycan. Although its EuroNCAP score is slightly behind the Zeekr X, it's still a very safe vehicle. As well as performing well in the frontal crash tests, it gained maximum points in the collision with a side barrier, providing good protection for all critical body parts of those inside the car.
Like the X, the 001 has a system that applies the brakes after an accident, and it enables those inside the car to get out if it enters water. It also comes with an alert system to tell parents if a child has accidentally been left in the car. Although it has a driver monitoring system, this only detects fatigue and not distraction, so it didn't gain full marks.
10. Mazda CX-80
Adult occupant protection 92% Child occupant protection 88% Pedestrian protection 84% Safety Assist 79%
Total Euro NCAP score 343/400
The Mazda CX-80 scores particularly well for both adult and child occupant protection, making it a safe place to be if you're unlucky enough to be involved in a collision. It scored the maximum possible points for protecting six and 11-year-old children in both the front and side impact crash tests.
In spite of its size, it's fairly benign to a smaller vehicle in a head-on crash. The front end has also been designed to minimise injuries to pedestrians and cyclists, should it have a collision with them. While its AEB system was good at detecting and avoiding collisions with pedestrians in front and behind the car, it wasn't adept at spotting motorcycle riders who are braking or when turning right at a junction. It's also fitted with a driver monitoring system to detect fatigue and a speed assistance system that alerts the driver to speed limits.
Read our full Mazda CX-80 review
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