The safest SUVs and crossovers on sale today
SUVs and crossovers are some of the most popular cars on sale in the UK, but which are the safest?...
Because of their size, high seating positions, good visibility and chunky off-road styling, SUVs are often judged to be among the safest cars on sale today, and it's true that most SUVs perform well under the current Euro NCAP safety tests.
Euro NCAP is the body which certifies cars as being safe to drive in Europe. The group uses a number of different testing methods - including fully crashing the car - to determine how the vehicle performs in the event of an accident. The tests also take into account pedestrian safety and safety equipment. The cars are then awarded a rating out of five, with five stars being the highest rating.
Safety is a big concern for car buyers, so to help you decide which SUV or crossover is right for you, we've rounded up this list of the cars which have received a five-star Euro NCAP rating in 2015 or 2016.
A car's absence from this list does not imply that it is unsafe, only that it was launched before 2015 or did not acheive a five-star rating. Indeed, some of our favourite SUVs, including our current small SUV of the year, the Nissan Qashqai, were launched before that date.
To find the full list of cars tested by Euro NCAP, check its website here.
It's worth noting that the cars listed below acheived these five-star ratings with only their standard safety equipment. We've also included What Car?'s own star rating, so you can see which SUV is best to buy.
The safest SUVs and crossovers on sale today:
Audi Q7 - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 5
BMW X1 - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 4
Honda HR-V - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 4
Hyundai Tucson - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 3
Kia Sportage - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 4
Lexus RX - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 3
Mercedes-Benz GLC - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 4
Renault Kadjar - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 4
Volvo XC90 - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 5
Suzuki Vitara - Euro NCAP rating: 5, What Car? rating: 4
