Which magazine blanket "Don't Buy" on three star car NCAP safety rating

[johncrossley]

Which? automatically labels three star cars as "Don't Buy", no matter how good they are in other respects. Is a three-star car really unsafe? Or is it acceptable to buy a three-star car if it is otherwise is the best fit for your requirements?

 

[2192]

Which? automatically labels three star NCAP cars as "Don't Buy", no matter how good they are in other respects. Is a three-star NCAP car really unsafe? Or is it acceptable to buy a three-star NCAP car if it is otherwise is the best fit for your requirements?

What's an NCAP? I've just got my February Which? What page are you on?

 

[Bertone]

The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme based in Leuven formed in 1996, with the first results released in February 1997.
Have a Google for more info.

 

[Darandio]

I don't think it's so much that 3 stars is unsafe, it's just that with the technology/knowledge available these days no car should be getting rated that low. Although if you are looking for a new car related to it's NCAP rating, stay away from a Dacia........

But at the same time they are now basing the rating much more on safety equipment such as radar, braking assist, lane warning etc, something cheaper cars don't always have and they are therefore rated down for it. None of those gadgets mean the car is any more unsafe to the occupant in an actual crash which was what most of the original ratings system was built around.

 

[johncrossley]

What's an NCAP? I've just got my February Which? What page are you on?

There is a whole separate magazine in the February edition dedicated to cars.

I don't think it's so much that 3 stars is unsafe, it's just that with the technology/knowledge available these days no car should be getting rated that low. Although if you are looking for a new car related to it's NCAP rating, stay away from a Dacia........

But at the same time they are now basing the rating much more on safety equipment such as radar, braking assist, lane warning etc, something cheaper cars don't always have and they are therefore rated down for it. None of those gadgets mean the car is any more unsafe to the occupant in an actual crash which was what most of the original ratings system was built around.

Yes, nearly half of the available city cars have automatically been classed by Which? as "Don't Buy" because of their NCAP star rating.

 

[birchesgreen]

My new car (Dacia) isn't listed though does have braking assist and radar so i assume that will help?

NCAP isn't something i am that bothered about though to be honest. I live for danger.

 

[edwin_m]

NCAP isn't something i am that bothered about though to be honest. I live for danger.

@Darandio points out above that many of the safety features in question are reducing the danger the vehicle might cause to other road users.

 

[A0]

There is a whole separate magazine in the February edition dedicated to cars.



Yes, nearly half of the available city cars have automatically been classed by Which? as "Don't Buy" because of their NCAP star rating.

That is, not for the first time, a complete and utter over-reaction by Which ?

As is pointed out here, Euro NCAP assess cars and awards their scores on the following basis

Euro NCAP - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

5 star safety: Overall excellent performance in crash protection and well equipped with comprehensive and robust crash avoidance technology

4 star safety: Overall good performance in crash protection and all round; additional crash avoidance technology may be present

3 star safety: At least average occupant protection but not always equipped with the latest crash avoidance features

2 star safety: Nominal crash protection but lacking crash avoidance technology

1 star safety: Marginal crash protection and little in the way of crash avoidance technology

0 star safety: Meeting type-approval standards so can legally be sold but lacking critical modern safety technology

And cars safety ratings can and do change as the Euro NCAP ratings have changed over time.

So, for example, the Citroen C1 in 2014 got a 4 star rating https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_C1#Safety_2 yet would be unlikely to secure such a rating now.

 

[D365]

I don't think it's so much that 3 stars is unsafe, it's just that with the technology/knowledge available these days no car should be getting rated that low. Although if you are looking for a new car related to its NCAP rating, stay away from a Dacia........

A discussion that I’ve seen in another thread is reckoning that cheap cars like Dacia took the market away from Ford’s Fiesta. Not a lot of choice for somebody like me who just wants A.N. car

 

[DustyBin]

A discussion that I’ve seen in another thread is reckoning that cheap cars like Dacia took the market away from Ford’s Fiesta. Not a lot of choice for somebody like me who just wants A.N. car

The Fiesta was being squeezed by cheap cars such as Dacias, but also by the trend towards small crossover/SUV type cars (which I hate!). Indeed the Puma is seen by Ford as its replacement. What some people may not realise is that the Fiesta had become increasingly tech-laden, well appointed and expensive by the end; it was no longer a truly cheap small car.

 

[D365]

The Fiesta was being squeezed by cheap cars such as Dacias, but also by the trend towards small crossover/SUV type cars (which I hate!). Indeed the Puma is seen by Ford as its replacement. What some people may not realise is that the Fiesta had become increasingly tech-laden, well appointed and expensive by the end; it was no longer a truly cheap small car.

Echo your comments entirely, but I won’t say any more as that would be for a different thread!

 

[Spartacus]

NCAP lost it's legitimacy with me when they changed to automatically giving a car where modern electronic safety aids, such as braking assist, weren't an option a 0 star rating, that despite the fact they may only have been an option not taken up by the majority of purchasers. It led to some previously 5 star models becoming 0 star ones which seems to me to have been going totally over the top. Meanwhile some cars, like the Fiesta (off topic, grown too large, it's now the size of the original Focus), continued to get 5 star ratings despite lacking other basic systems, like being able to turn off the passenger airbag, because that's not assessed.

 

[Noddy]

NCAP lost it's legitimacy with me when they changed to automatically giving a car where modern electronic safety aids, such as braking assist, weren't an option a 0 star rating, that despite the fact they may only have been an option not taken up by the majority of purchasers. It led to some previously 5 star models becoming 0 star ones which seems to me to have been going totally over the top. Meanwhile some cars, like the Fiesta (off topic, grown too large, it's now the size of the original Focus), continued to get 5 star ratings despite lacking other basic systems, like being able to turn off the passenger airbag, because that's not assessed.

I’ve owned four Fiesta’s and on every one you’ve been able to turn off the airbag. You have to be able to do it if you have a rear facing baby seat.

 

[birchesgreen]

I’ve owned four Fiesta’s and on every one you’ve been able to turn off the airbag. You have to be able to do it if you have a rear facing baby seat.

Not on the 06 one i had (Mk 5.5 i believe), though i never had a baby seat so it wasn't an issue!

 

[Spartacus]

Not on the 06 one i had (Mk 5.5 i believe), though i never had a baby seat so it wasn't an issue!

I think that's the one my Mum had until recently too. I think there was a hole marked for it, but it was only fitted as an option!

 

[DustyBin]

Not on the 06 one i had (Mk 5.5 i believe), though i never had a baby seat so it wasn't an issue!

We’re almost into “is an HST a DEMU?” territory here, but it will have been a MK6. The MK5 was what could be seen as the MK4 facelift.

 

[birchesgreen]

We’re almost into “is an HST a DEMU?” territory here, but it will have been a MK6. The MK5 was what could be seen as the MK4 facelift.

Yes though i think the version numbers differ between territories for some reason.

 

[DustyBin]

Yes though i think the version numbers differ between territories for some reason.

Yes that’s the problem. Plus the MK6 is generally accepted everywhere as being the 5th generation!

 

[A0]

A discussion that I’ve seen in another thread is reckoning that cheap cars like Dacia took the market away from Ford’s Fiesta. Not a lot of choice for somebody like me who just wants A.N. car

Not sure that's the case - the biggest thing which has killed the Fiesta is the widespread use of PCPs which mean people are looking at the monthly payment and, as many people are badge snobs, they reckon getting an Audi A1, VW Polo or Mercedes A class for the same or less is a bit of one-upmanship on the neighbours.

For cash buyers, I suspect that Hyundai and Kia have probably done more damage to Fiesta sales. Both tend to be more competitively priced, their cars have an excellent reputation for reliability and are underpinned by a longer warranty - 5 years for Hyundai, 7 for Kia.

If you're a private cash buyer wanting a small hatch, you can buy a Fiesta with a list price of £19k with a 3 year warranty, a Hyundai i20 for £ 18k with a 5 year warranty or a Kia Rio with a price of £ 15k and a 7 year warranty, where are you going to put your cash ?

 

[Noddy]

I think that's the one my Mum had until recently too. I think there was a hole marked for it, but it was only fitted as an option!

Doing some research on older (early turn of the century) models such as this it appears it was a dealer (rather than factory) fitted option, which meant you could get it changed retrospectively at any time.