Key Takeaways
- Euro NCAP assesses vehicle safety through crash tests and evaluations of safety technology.
- It has four assessment areas that cover adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection, and safety assist.
- A five-star rating indicates strong performance under the applicable testing requirements, but ratings can vary by model version and testing protocol.
If you are comparing used cars, a Euro NCAP safety rating is one of the few pieces of information that lets you compare real-world protection across different makes, models, and model years. It is independent, standardised, and free to check
Before you decide to purchase a used vehicle, examining the Euro NCAP safety ratings is important to help you understand the vehicle’s safety aspects. This guide helps explain what Euro NCAP is, how its tests work, what the levels mean, and how to use the ratings sensibly when you are buying second-hand in the UK.
What Are Euro NCAP Safety Ratings?
Euro NCAP (the European New Car Assessment Programme) was established in 1996 as an independent crash protection rating organisation for new cars sold in Europe and the UK. It is a voluntary, not-for-profit assessment programme instead of a legal requirement, and it aims to give buyers a like-for-like way to compare how well cars protect people in a crash.
Every vehicle tested receives a rating from zero to five stars, based on crash protection, accident prevention technology and how easily occupants can be rescued after a collision.
In practice, that means a Euro NCAP safety rating is a summary of several different kinds of safety performance, not just how a car behaves in a smash. It is also why the organisation’s five-star rating helps consumers and businesses compare vehicles more easily and identify the safest car for their needs.
Brief History of Euro NCAP
Euro NCAP is based in Leuven, Belgium. It was formed in 1996, with the first results released in February 1997. Originally, this program was started by the Transport Research Laboratory for the UK Department for Transport, and was later backed by several European governments as well as the European Union–this program aimed to give car buyers a clearer picture of the vehicle before they decide to buy it.Â
At that time, existing vehicle crash-testing requirements only provided a limited view of vehicle safety. At that time, the standard frontal crash test was performed at 30 mph, which showed little guidance on how a car’s structure was built to protect occupants in other situations.Â
Increasing Maximum Ratings
The early test result was a big slap in the face because Rover 100 was awarded only one star, with serious problems including the steering wheel impacting the crash test dummy and excessive intrusion in the passenger compartment.
Soon after, the maximum rating was increased to five stars, and in 2001 the Renault Laguna became the first car to achieve the five-star safety rating. Since then, Euro NCAP has tested more than 1,800 new cars, published over 600 ratings and helped save upwards of 78,000 lives in Europe.
READ ALSO: How to Check if a Car Has Been in an Accident: All Methods
How Euro NCAP Tests Cars
Euro NCAP highlights more than just how a car performed in a crash. The testing process can take up to six months and covers crash protection, safety technology, and how easily occupants can be rescued after an accident.
Crash Test
Euro NCAP usually performs several types of crash tests to see how well a vehicle protects people in different situations.
Frontal Crash Test
The car hits a moving barrier at 50 km/h (31 mph); the front part of the vehicle is the one that makes contact with the moving barrier. This test is performed to examine how the car handles a head-on collision.
Full-width Frontal Test
To perform this test, the car will head to a rigid barrier at 50km/h with the full width of the front making contact. This checks how well the vehicle protects its occupants in a direct frontal impact.
Side Impact Test
A moving barrier strikes the side of the stationary car at 60 km/h (37 mph). The test measures how well the vehicle protects occupants when another vehicle hits it from the side.
Side Pole Test
The car is pushed sideways into a narrow rigid pole at 32 km/h (20 mph). This test is to simulate what happens if a car crashes into trees or roadside poles, where the force is concentrated in a small area.
Far-side Impact Test
This is done to examine the risk of injuries when occupants move sideways during a collision, especially when the impact comes from the opposite side. This test was done initially in 2020.
Whiplash Test
The test checks whether the seats and head restraints can help protect occupants’ heads and necks in a rear-end collision. The seat is moved forward rapidly at two different speeds to simulate the forces involved.
The Four Euro NCAP Safety Assessment Areas
The Euro NCAP groups the safety assessments into four main areas. Each receives a score that contributes to the vehicle’s overall ratings.
- Adult Occupant Protection: Measures how well the car protects the driver and adult passengers in a crash.
- Child Occupant Protection: Looks at protection for child passengers, including how well child restraint systems perform.
- Vulnerable Road User Protection: Assesses how the vehicle protects pedestrians and cyclists, including in situations where a collision may occur.
- Safety Assist: Evaluates safety features designed to help drivers avoid crashes or reduce their severity.
READ ALSO: What Optional Extras Are on My Car: Easy & Quick Ways
How Euro NCAP Tests Cars
Euro NCAP regularly updates the testing methods to follow the vehicle’s development technology and road safety. In 2010, the programme introduced Euro NCAP Advanced as a separate reward that recognises advanced safety ratings that went beyond the standard score ratings.Â
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Understanding the Star Ratings
Today’s Euro NCAP ratings range from zero to five stars, with zero being the lowest grade possible. The stars are a shorthand for the percentage scores underneath, which is why two five-star cars can still differ in individual areas.
A 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating is the benchmark most buyers look for, and it is a reasonable target when you are shopping for a newer used car. But the star is a summary, so it pays to look at the four percentage scores as well, particularly Safety Assist if you do a lot of motorway driving.
Is a 3-star rating bad?
Not necessarily. A three-star rating is an average result, but four- and five-star cars offer stronger safety performance. For a used buyer on a tight budget, a three-star car may still be a sensible choice if the individual scores are reasonable and the car suits your needs.
What is the Lowest Euro NCAP Rating?
The lowest possible rating is zero stars. This is rare and means a car performed poorly in Euro NCAP’s safety tests. The Renault Zoe is a useful illustration of how much ratings can change: it scored five stars when tested in 2013, but its updated version received a zero-star rating in 2021.
How to Check a Used Car's Euro NCAP Rating
Checking a car’s Euro NCAP helps you understand the detailed information about the vehicle safety ratings and ensure it fits with your needs, especially when you have children.
Check Euro NCAP Ratings with Smart Car Check
Smart Car Check includes Euro NCAP ratings in the vehicle history report, along with vehicle information like MOT and tax status, fuel consumption, and vehicle excise duty, which allows you to view more vehicle information alongside the car’s history and specifications.
What to Look for in a Euro NCAP Rating
When you check the Euro NCAP ratings, look beyond the star ratings and check the score for all kinds of passenger protection, like adult, child, vulnerable road user protection, and safety assist. If you need more details, search the Euro NCAP website using the car’s make, model, and version. Check the test date and vehicle specifications to make sure the rating applies to the car you’re considering.
What about older cars?
Older cars may also have been tested before certain technologies became part of the assessment. Electronic Stability Control was included in the vehicle rating from 2011, Automatic Emergency Braking was introduced into many cars from 2014, and AEB was extended to cyclists in 2018. If a used car predates those changes, its rating reflects the standards of its time.
Euro NCAP Ratings for Popular Used Cars
Ratings vary widely across the used market, and the top performers are not always the models you would expect. Looking at recent results gives you a sense of what a strong score looks like.
| Model | Notable result |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y | Highest overall score in 2025 testing, 362 out of 400. |
| Mercedes CLA | Highest Adult Occupant score (93%) and Vulnerable Road User score (93%) as of 2025. |
| Tesla Model 3 and Model Y | Highest Child Occupant score (93%) as of 2025. |
| BMW iX3 and Zeekr 7GT | Full five stars under the tougher tests introduced for 2026. |
Do Low Ratings Exist?
Low ratings do exist. The Renault Zoe received a zero-star rating in 2021 despite earning five stars in 2013, which shows why checking the test date matters as much as checking the star count.
Conclusion
Euro NCAP ratings are a useful starting point to understand a car’s safety performance; however, checking the safety ratings is the first step of the buying process. Checking crash test results, safety features, and vehicle age matters when buying a used car. Before you decide to purchase a used vehicle, check the car’s Euro NCAP rating alongside its vehicle history, mileage, and other key records. With Smart Car Check, you can review available safety ratings and vehicle history information in one report to help you make a more informed buying decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Euro NCAP
These are the questions buyers ask most often when they start comparing Euro NCAP safety ratings across shortlisted cars.
What is the difference between Euro NCAP and Global NCAP?
Euro NCAP tests cars mainly for the European market, while other regions have their own safety programmes, including Global NCAP, US NCAP and JNCAP. A car’s Euro NCAP score therefore tells you about its performance under European test criteria, which is the relevant benchmark for a UK buyer.
What is the dual rating system?
Since 2016, some cars have received two separate safety ratings: one for the standard vehicle and another for versions fitted with optional safety packs. For example, in 2024, lower-spec Premium trims of the Hyundai Santa Fe received a 4-star rating, while higher-spec models equipped with the Hyundai SmartSense safety pack achieved a 5-star rating. When buying used, check which trim and equipment the rating applies to.
How are ratings updated?
Ratings are tied to the date of testing and are valid for up to six years. Euro NCAP also periodically tightens its test protocols, which is why a car retested years later can score very differently from the original result. The Renault Zoe’s move from five stars in 2013 to zero stars in 2021 is the clearest recent example.
