EuroNCAP Replaces 'Medals' with Safety Test Star-Rating System
05/08/2025 09:23 Share
EuroNCAP Replaces 'Medals' with Safety Test Star-Rating System
Commercial vehicles will be given a star-rating when they undergo safety testing by EuroNCAP going forward following a shake-up in the organisation’s award system.
EuroNCAP – or the European New Car Assessment Programme – is an independent organisation that tests safety performance of new vehicles.
It is regarded as the standard for safety testing in the motoring industry with the results of these simulations often cited by manufacturers when promoting their vehicles if they have achieved a good result.
However, whereas EuroNCAP uses simulated real-world accident scenarios through physical crash testing to assess passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles undergo different tests that prioritises safety features and their effectiveness at accident avoidance.
It means vans aren’t crash tested by EuroNCAP, because vans are considered more severe for opponent vehicles than cars when involved in crashes.
EuroNCAP claims a ‘large percentage’ of accidents involving vans is due to loss of control in head-on or rear-end crashes, so chooses to focus on ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems) technology to prevent or mitigate the consequences of incidents involving opponent vehicles.
Until recently, EuroNCAP differentiated commercial vehicles from their passenger car counterparts in their results by awarding a ‘medal’ system – Platinum for the best performing models (80% or higher), followed by Gold (60-79%), Silver (40-59%), Bronze (20-39%), Not Recommended (Below 20%).
However, EuroNCAP has concluded that the well established five-star rating format as used by passenger vehicles is the more recognisable format to instil confidence in a consumer and has duly acted upon this.
As such, it will adopt this format going forward when it tests new vans coming onto market, while it has also gone ahead and adjusted the models that have already been tested in a new set of results.
For the most part there are only minor differences in the results. For instance, all models that had achieved a Platinum rating now get a maximum five-out-of-five stars.
Interestingly, a handful of models have been ‘upgraded’ per se from their previous Gold rating to a full five-stars. This includes the:
- Renault Kangoo Van
- Nissan Townstar
- Citroen Relay (Jumper)
- FIAT Ducato
- Peugeot Boxer
- Toyota Proace Max
- Vauxhall Movano
Each of these models had achieved 78% or higher in previous ADAS testing. The Iveco Daily and Maxus eDeliver 7 achieved 77% but are now awarded four stars.
It means – based on ADAS technology – a large portion of commercial vehicles testing come away with the full five-stars. In fact, out of 38 commercial vehicles tested, 21 have five-stars - these include all Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen vans.
It should be noted that pick-up trucks do undergo the same crash test scenarios as passenger vehicles and are not included in EuroNCAP commercial vehicle ratings.
EuroNCAP Commercial Van Safety Ratings (as of August 2025)
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