New Hyundai i30

The new Hyundai i30 has just been awarded a five star safety rating by Euro NCAP and is one of the safest cars in the C-segment class. It received a class leading score of 90% in the child crash test (maximum points in both 18-month and 3-year old tests) and also 90% in the adult test (offering good head protection).

It also scored well in the Pedestrian test with maximum points for its bumper protection (of pedestrian’s legs) and with its Electronic Stability Program and front and rear seatbelt reminder system, it scored 86% in the “safety assist” category.

Euro NCAP crash test

Although Geely will not enter the UK market until the end of 2012, the Chinese manufactured Geely Emgrand EC7 has just undergone its Euro NCAP safety testing and has been awarded four stars. The other car models picking up four stars at the same time, were the Jaguar XF, Renault Fluence ZE, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Fiat Panda and MG6 so the Emgrand EC7 is in good company.

When the Emgrand EC7 arrives in the UK it will come with the choice of two body styles, four door saloons and five-door hatchbacks, with a choice of 1.5- or 1.8-litre petrol engines, with an automatic version for the 1.8-litre versions. The car will be priced competitively from around £10,000 and all models will come with  a five-year, 100,000 miles warranty.

Geely Auto UK is in the process of  recruiting its dealer network in readiness for sales to begin by the end of next year and the Euro NCAP results are a major step forward for the brand.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s Secretary General said,”These results mark a milestone for the Chinese automotive industry. It is a clear sign that Chinese car makers are building on recent experiences and rapidly investing in better vehicle safety. Even with the upcoming increased demands, five stars are expected to be within reach soon”.

New Ford Focus

The new Ford Focus has just been recognised by Euro NCAP as the first car to receive four Euro NCAP Advanced safety awards, as its Driver Alert and Forward Alert technologies are also recognised. This follows on from recent news that the new Ford Ranger is the first pick-up to achieve a five star Euro NCAP safety rating.

The Euro NCAP Advanced awards recognise car manufacturers that make new safety technologies available and Ford is only one of two car manufacturers to hold four of these awards.

Ford’s Driver Alert system is designed to combat driver fatigue using advanced camera technology and on-board sensors to evaluate a driver’s control of the vehicle. It monitors the vehicle’s position relative to lane markings and if any deviation is found, it sends out a warning signal. This feature is available on the new Focus, C-MAX, Grand C-MAX, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy.

The Forward Alert accident management system scans the road ahead using radar technology and if it detects slower or stationary traffic ahead and determines a collision is likely, it alerts the driver by an audible chime and flashes a warning signal in the instrument cluster. If you take no action (i.e. you fail to brake immediately) the system triggers another function called brake support. The Forward Alert system has three sensitivity settings and can be switched on or off. This feature is available on the new Focus as well as the Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy ranges and if you are interested, we have the latest Ford contract hire on all models on the site now.

Volkswagen up!

The new Volkswagen up! city car and the new Volkswagen Beetle have both been awarded five-star Euro NCAP ratings. The up! features Volkswagen’s innovative City Emergency Braking function which scans the road ahead at speeds less than 18mph and if it detects an impending collision, brakes the car if necessary (i.e. you haven’t braked).

Both vehicles also attained top results in occupant protection in all seat positions and also excellent child protection results for 18 month and three-year old children.

New Beetle

Both cars have an impressive level of safety equipment with vehicle dynamic control (ESP) and seatbelt reminders both praised. The full results for both cars can be viewed at the Euro NCAP website and the up! and the new Beetle now join the Golf, Golf Cabriolet, Jetta, Passat, Polo, Scirocco, Sharan and Tiguan in achieving top safety marks. Volkswagen contract hire is on the site now for the whole range.

SKODA Citigo

The new SKODA Citigo city car has just been awarded the maximum five star safety rating by Euro NCAP, with the Euro NCAP testers praising the car for its level of standard safety equipment. The SKODA Citigo is also the first city car to be awarded five stars by Euro NCAP, so this is a major coup for the brand.

The Citigo received praise for its safety assistance systems, passenger protection and was also highly rated in the whiplash test. Infant safety also scored well and in particular, the Citigo has head-throrax airbags and belt fastening reminders as standard across the range.

Together with the Volkswagen up! and SEAT Mii, the SKODA Citigo offers a low-speed, active emergency braking assistant called City Safe Drive. This technology operates automatically at speeds lower than 18mph and depending on the speed and level of traffic, can mitigate the affects of a crash or prevent it altogether.

Subaru XV crossover

The Subaru XV has just been awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) in its series of safety performance tests. The XV crossover joins the Subaru Impreza and Legacy/Outback in attaining the maximum five-stars and this accolade further demonstrates Subaru’s commitment to safety.

The Subaru has a symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system (with VDC-Vehicle Dynamics Control) as well as an impact energy relay structure with high densile steel, to not only protect the passengers but also to reduce weight throughout the vehicle. Other safety features include dual front and side airbags as a standard option, with driver’s knee, curtain and torso airbags, which helped the XV score maximum points for side safety in the Euro NCAP tests.

Hyundai Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster 1+2 sports coupe has been awarded the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP safety rating and scored exceptionally well in the adult occupant tests scoring 96%. The Veloster also did well in the child occupant tests scoring 89% and this is now the sixth consecutive Hyundai model to achieve the maximum five star safety rating.

The scores in the “adult occupant” and “child occupant” categories now puts the Veloster ahead of other models like the Volkswagen Scirocco, Vauxhall Astra GTC and Citroen DS4.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented,”The five-star rating for Veloster further demonstrates our commitment to the highest levels of safety for Hyundai customers. Veloster is attracting a new audience to the Hyundai brand, combining practicality and “fluidic” design in a 1+2 door package”.

All Hyundai models come with Hyundai’s Five Year Triple Care package which offers  a five-year unlimited warranty, five years’ roadside assistance and five years’ vehicle health checks.

All-new Ford Ranger

The all-new Ford Ranger has just been awarded five stars from Euro NCAP and is the first pick-up to receive this impressive safety rating. Euro NCAP is the largest and most respected independent authority on crash testing in Europe.

The new Ford Ranger pick-up scored 89 per cent overall, which is a pretty high score for any type of vehicle, and moreover the Ranger also scored the hughest rating ever, for any vehicle in the pedestrian protection category  scoring 81 per cent. The assessors at EuroNCAP described the Ranger’s results as “remarkable” with “impressive” scores in all areas.

The all-new Ford Ranger has a reinforced passenger cell that utilises high-strength steel throughout and this structure combined with the all-ladder frame, was optmised to manage the crash energy in a variety of simulated crashes and impacts. Side curtain airbags are standard on all Ranger cab styles and is designed to protect both rows of passengers in Double Cab or Super Cab models.

Other innovative safety features on the all-new Ford Ranger include Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Trailer Sway Control System, Hill Descent Control and Hill Launch Assist. The Ranger’s ESP system also includes “off-road” logic to recognise when the pick-up is being driven on rough roads, to ensure the best stability.

Vauxhall Ampera

The Vauxhall (Opel) Ampera electric vehicle has just been awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP, exceeding the maximum needed for the top rating in every test category. The car was also the first car to score maximum points in the side pole barrier impact test. In the side pole test the car is propelled sideways at 18mph into a rigid pole, which simulates a tree.

As well as the usual categories including occupant protection, child safety, pedestrian protection and safety assist, the five door saloon also had its electric system checked as well after all the impact tests. The battery pack in the Ampera is located in the centre of the vehicle and therefore has the vehicle structure built around it and is efficiently protected. The high voltage pack can also be easily disconnected in the event of an accident.

The Ampera’s specification is geared up for safety with ABS, Traction Control, EBD, Brake Assist and Electronic Stability Control plus it also has eight airbags, with roof mounted head-curtain airbags to help protects passengers in the case the car rolls over. There is also an ISOFIX child seat installation system for the rear seats and adjustable head restraints on the front seats as well, to protect against whiplash following a rear-end collision.

Hyundai i40 estate

Hyundai has just announced that their new i40 estate has just been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating and is the fifth successive Hyundai model to be awarded this maximum safety rating. This makes this new estate one of the most safest in its class. The i20 supermini, ix20 compact MPV, i30 hatchback and ix35 SUV are the other Hyundai car models to be awarded five stars.

The i40 received an overall score of 86% performing well in the “18-month old” and “3-year old” child categories. It scored 43% in the pedestrian category with the front bumper scoring maximum points for protection to the front occupants. In the “safety assist” category, the car scored 86% with its electronic stability program, speed limitation assistance and seatbelt reminder system contributing well.

The Hyundai i40′s passive safety systems exceeds Euro NCAP’s 2011 requirements and of course Hyundai also offers their comprehensive Five Year Triple Care Assurance making this model an ideal company car for a growing family. We have the latest Hyundai i40 contract hire prices on the site with rentals starting from as little as £215.77+VAT per month.