2017 was Euro NCAP’s busiest-ever year with nearly seventy models assessed and Euro NCAP announces the year’s best performers. Volkswagen emerges with great credit with winners in three categories – the Polo in the supermini class, T-Roc in the small off-road category and the prestigious Arteon in the executive class - and Volvo reinforces its reputation for safety with this year’s best overall performer, the large off-road XC60. The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger. VW showed that a similar level of protection would be provided to occupants of different sizes and to those sat in different positions. In the full-width rigid barrier impact, protection was adequate for the chest of rear passenger but, otherwise, was good for all other critical body areas of the driver and rear passenger. In the side barrier test, good protection was provided to all critical body regions and the Arteon scored maximum points. In the more severe side pole impact, protection of the chest was rated as adequate and that of other body regions was good. Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated good protection against whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision. A geometric assessment of the rear seats indicated good whiplash protection there also. Tests of the Arteon's autonomous emergency braking system showed good performance at low speeds typical of city driving, with accidents avoided at all test speeds.
