Top car crash ratings for Tesla, Skoda Fabia and Nissan Pulsar
* BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and Nissan Pulsar also get maximum score
* Renault Megane result upgraded
The new Skoda Fabia and Tesla Model S feature in the latest Euro NCAP car crash ratings, with both cars scoring five stars.
The Nissan Pulsar and the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer have also been tested, and also recorded the maximum overall score.
The Fabia recorded a good set of scores across the board, with the supermini recording particularly good results for the protection of the dummy representing an 18-month-old-sized child. It was also praised for its protection of the front occupants, with both driver and passenger equally well protected.
The Tesla Model S's five-star score comes largely thanks to its safety assist systems. Despite not offering an emergency braking system it still scored a decent 71% in this sector, while it was also praised for its performance in the side impact test. However, it was less successful in the side pole test, with only marginal protection offered for the chest.
Nissan's Pulsar was another car to be praised for its protection of the 18-month-old dummy, and for the fact that it provided similar levels of safety for front-seat occupants of different sizes, and those sat in differing positions.
The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer was also well rated in all major areas, despite some concern being expressed about the protection of the driver's lower legs. It did score maximum points in the side barrier impact test, though.
Even though it missed out on the full five-star rating, there was good news for the Renault Megane. When it was tested in June 2014, it managed only three stars, coming in for criticism regarding the level of safety assist technology it offered.
It failed because the system that told the driver whether all the seatbelts were fastened or not was not available in all languages. This has now been updated, and the Megane managed a four-star rating as a result.
The Suzuki Celerio city car, which is due to launch in the UK in early 2015, was the final car tested in this round of results. Its lack of curtain airbag on the base-model car, which will not be sold in the UK, meant that it did not take part in the side-pole test, so scored zero in that category. It was also marked down for its limited number of safety systems - it only offers stability control as standard - so it only manages a three-star rating overall.
