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Polestar shines in Euro NCAP crash tests

Tests highlight quality issues with Chinese market entrants.

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Safety body Euro NCAP has released the results of its latest set of crash tests and highlighted the Polestar 3 for its levels of child safety.

However while all six vehicles tested achieved five-star safety ratings, the tests also highlighted quality control issues amongst vehicles from new Chinese entrants to the UK market.

The Swedish electric vehicle (EV) was tested against five other SUVs, mostly from new Chinese brands. The four tests carried out, for protection of adult occupants, child occupants and vulnerable road users, plus the effectiveness of the car’s safety assist systems, saw all six achieve top-level five-star ratings.

The Polestar stood out, however, for its performance in the Child Occupant tests. Euro NCAP reported that in both the frontal offset crash test and side barrier crash test, the car was found to offer good protection of both the six and 10-year-old age dummies.

It also clearly displays the status of the front airbag when a rear-facing child seat is fitted to the front passenger seat and has a detection system that prevents the driver from locking the car if a child is left in the vehicle.

The new BYD Sealion 7 matched the Polestar 3’s impressive Child Occupant score of 93% but Euro NCAP added that it did not perform as robustly in the other tests, while still earning its five-star rating.

The Cupra Terramar, on sale in both petrol and plug-in hybrid form, also performed strongly, while Euro NCAP’s testing revealed issues with three new SUVs which according to the safety body provided a further reminded of the importance of impartial safety testing of new cars.

The Geely EX5 performed strongly in Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist tests but lost points in the Child Occupant test, as its ‘child presence detection’ system failed to meet Euro NCAP’s strict requirements on warning and intervention.

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The car also dropped points in the Adult Protection tests, after welds around the base of the A-pillar became detached. Geely showed that the structure did not incur significantly greater damage in a more severe test, but Euro NCAP’s experts applied a penalty to the score.

Following tests of the Hongqi E-HS9, another new electric SUV entrant from China, a penalty was added to its five-star rating when in post-test inspections, a small tear was found in the driver’s airbag.

Hongqi subsequently investigated the cause of the tear and stated that quality checking has been improved at the car’s assembly plant and at the airbag supplier.

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Finally the Jaecoo 7 also achieved a five-star rating but lost points after the frontal collision test, as the rear of the side curtain airbag got trapped in the C-pillar trim and did not deploy properly.

An investigation by Jaecoo revealed that one of the clips holding the airbag in place had not been properly installed during production and the company stated that production line quality has been improved as a result.

Commenting on the results Dr. Aled Williams, Programme Director at Euro NCAP, said that Polestar deserves recognition for setting a new standard in safety.

“The Polestar 3’s performance in the Child Occupant tests is tantalisingly close to a perfect score and shows how a commitment to the safety of all occupants can pay off in providing outstanding protection in the event of an accident,” Dr Williams added.

Euro NCAP Secretary General Dr. Michiel van Ratingen said that Chinese brands are developing and releasing new car models at a breakneck pace, with many scoring the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP’s safety assessment.

“However, issues discovered during the tests suggest potential production problems that should not be neglected if Chinese producers want to keep the safety standards that are prevalent in Europe,” he added.

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