Euro NCAP ratings explained: how safe is your car?

Euro NCAP helps buyers compare the safety of new cars. Here’s how its ratings work, what makes a five-star car, and what its latest safety test means for buyers.

If you’re shopping for a new car, you’ve probably come across a Euro NCAP safety rating. But what do those stars actually tell you, and should they influence your buying decision?

Since 1996, Euro NCAP has independently tested new cars to assess how well they protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians in a crash, as well as how effectively their latest safety technology performs. Its ratings are now widely regarded as the gold standard for vehicle safety across Europe.

In this guide, we’ll explain how Euro NCAP testing works, what the star ratings mean, what it takes for a car to earn the top five-star rating, and the latest tests the organisation has introduced.

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What are Euro NCAP ratings?

Euro NCAP ratings are safety scores that help you compare how well different cars protect their occupants and other road users. Every vehicle tested by Euro NCAP receives a rating from zero to five stars, based on its performance in areas including crash protection, accident prevention technology, and how easily occupants can be rescued after a collision.

A five-star rating represents the highest level of safety performance, while a zero-star rating means the car meets minimum legal requirements but lacks important modern safety features expected by today’s buyers.

How are Euro NCAP ratings calculated?

Euro NCAP ratings are calculated through a series of safety and functional tests designed to reflect real-world driving situations. Each vehicle is assessed on how well it protects its occupant, helps prevent crashes, and supports emergency response after an incident, as well as the safety tech fitted as standard.

Up to 2025, these assessments were based on four key areas:

1. Adult Occupant protection
2. Child Occupant protection
3. Vulnerable Road User protection
4. Safety Assist

Vehicles were awarded an overall rating from zero to five stars based on their performance across these categories, with the final score limited by the car’s weakest-performing area. This encouraged manufacturers to develop cars with strong all-round safety rather than focusing on one specific area.

Euro NCAP’s latest assessment programme, introduced in 2026, is now structured around four updated safety pillars:

1. Safe Driving: Assesses technologies and features that help drivers stay safer and support better decision-making on the road.
2. Crash Avoidance: Looks at systems that can warn drivers or intervene to help prevent or reduce the severity of collisions.
3. Crash Protection: Evaluates how well the vehicle’s structure, airbags, seatbelts and other safety features protect occupants, pedestrians and cyclists during a crash.
4. Post-Crash Safety: Examines how a vehicle helps emergency services respond after a collision, including rescue information and assistance systems.

The updated testing by Euro NCAP places greater emphasis on advanced driver assistance systems, crash prevention technology and post-collision support alongside traditional crash protection.

Only two cars have undergone these tougher safety tests, at the time of writing: the BMW iX3 and Zeekr 7GT. Both models scored the full five stars and “delivered outstanding performance” in crash avoidance, occupant protection, and post-crash safety, according to Euro NCAP.

What do Euro NCAP ratings mean?

Every car tested has a star rating out of five. The more stars the better.

• 5 stars: Offers excellent all-round safety, with strong crash protection, advanced technology to help avoid collisions, and features designed to protect occupants and other road users.
• 4 stars: A high level of safety, with good crash protection and usual safety tech, but not quite the all-round performance of a five-star car.
• 3 stars: A reasonable level of protection, but the car may lack some of the latest safety features or perform less strongly in certain areas.
• 2 stars: Some crash protection is offered, but the car has limited safety technology compared with higher-rated models.
• 1 star: Poor overall safety performance, with limited crash protection and few modern safety systems.
• 0 stars: The car meets minimum legal requirements but lacks many of the safety features expected from newer vehicles.

Euro NCAP ratings are designed to help buyers quickly compare the safety of different cars. However, a lower rating does not necessarily mean a car is unsafe – it means it offers less protection or fewer safety features than vehicles tested against the latest standards.

As Euro NCAP regularly updates its tests to reflect advances in vehicle tech – including the major changes introduced in 2026 – a five-star rating from several years ago does not guarantee the same result today.

For example, the Renault Zoe scored five stars when tested in 2013, but its updated version received a zero-star rating in 2021. This echoed tougher safety standards rather than the car suddenly becoming unsafe.

How do I find the Euro NCAP rating for a car?

The easiest way to find a Euro NCAP rating for a specific car is to use the official Euro NCAP website. Its database lets you search for vehicles by make and model and view their safety scores and star ratings.

Car manufacturers also often highlight Euro NCAP ratings in their marketing materials, especially when a model achieves a five-star rating. However, it’s worth checking the official database as ratings can depend on the exact specification tested, such as whether the car had standard equipment or an optional safety pack.

Our car reviews include a ‘Safety and security’ section covering a vehicle’s safety equipment and Euro NCAP rating where one is available too.

Latest Euro NCAP results (July 2026)

BMW iX3

Overall rating: 5/5
Safe driving: 73%
Crash avoidance: 83%
Crash protection: 86%
Post crash safety: 95%

Zeekr 7GT

Overall rating: 5/5
Safe driving: 79%
Crash avoidance: 89%
Crash protection: 93%
Post crash safety: 95%

Euro NCAP ratings FAQs

Is a 3 star Euro NCAP rating bad?

A three-star rating is an average result, but four- and five-star cars offer stronger safety performance. Ratings should be compared with cars tested in the same period, as Euro NCAP regularly updates its criteria.

What cars have the best Euro NCAP ratings?

Five-star cars have achieved the highest Euro NCAP rating available at the time of testing. You can search the Euro NCAP database to compare results. As of 2025, the Mercedes CLA has the highest Adult Occupant score of 93% and Vulnerable Road User score of 93%. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model 3 and Y have the highest Child Occupant score of 93%.

How long does a Euro NCAP rating last?

A Euro NCAP rating is valid for up to six years from the date of testing. Ratings can become outdated as Euro NCAP introduces tougher safety standards.

What is the dual Euro NCAP 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.

How are Euro NCAP ratings different from Global NCAP ratings?

Euro NCAP tests cars mainly for the European market, while other regions have their own safety programmes, including Global NCAP, US NCAP and JNCAP.

What is the lowest score on Euro NCAP?

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 was the last car to receive a zero-star Euro NCAP rating in 2021, despite earning five stars in 2013. This was due to several factors, including:

• Replacement of the original seat-mounted side airbags with less effective thorax-only airbags.
• Poor head and chest protection in side-impact tests, indicating a high risk of serious injury.
• Removal of key crash-avoidance features, including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Departure Warning.
• Inadequate adult and child occupant protection compared with modern safety standards.

What Euro NCAP rating is my car?

You can find your car’s rating by searching the official Euro NCAP database. Check the exact model, variant and test year, as results can vary.

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