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The European safety authority EuroNCAP has released results from a new round of crash tests involving seven new vehicles — two European models (the Cupra Tavascan and Audi A6) and five from Chinese manufacturers. All received the top rating of five stars, though some surprising issues were noted.
The Polestar 3 and BYD Seal U achieved a record-breaking 93% score for child occupant protection — the highest in nine years and the best ever under the latest, more stringent testing standards.
Polestar was praised for strong physical protection for children, a clear passenger airbag deactivation warning and a system that prevents the car from locking with a child inside. BYD scored slightly lower in other areas, resulting in a less impressive overall rating.
The Geely EX5, an electric SUV expected to arrive in Israel in the coming months, lost points due to the rear-seat child detection system performing poorly and the detachment of weld points on the front pillar during the crash.
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The tests highlighted the importance of EuroNCAP’s rigorous protocols, which examine every safety aspect in detail. However, despite increasingly strict standards, most vehicles still earn five stars — even when critical issues are flagged.
As consumers tend to focus only on the final rating and ignore the full report, the agency may need to reflect safety concerns more clearly in the final score.
The popular Jaecoo 7 showed a malfunction with the curtain airbag, which failed to deploy properly after getting caught on the rear pillar. Post-test inspection revealed a faulty clip installation. The Hongqi E-HS9, sold in Israel for three years, had a minor tear in the driver's airbag. Despite these faults, all three models still received five stars.
Also tested were the Cupra Tavascan and the new gasoline-powered Audi A6. Both received five stars with no major remarks.