Safest cars for sale in the UK 2024/2025
These are the cars that have aced Euro NCAP’s safety testing
No matter which type of car you’re thinking of buying or what you’re planning to use it for, you’ll understandably want to keep yourself and any passengers as safe as possible. The good news is that as safety technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, the safest cars for sale in the UK now offer more advanced systems and protection than ever before.
Rather than simply taking car brands at their word about how well their models stand up to a crash, though, Euro NCAP puts them through highly rigorous testing in order to determine the very safest cars that you can buy. It’s the outcome of these expert tests that have resulted in our list of the safest cars you can buy in the UK.
How do Euro NCAP safety ratings work?
Euro NCAP is an independent safety testing organisation which conducts various tests on new cars in order to determine how they structurally withstand a severe impact, and how effectively their advanced safety systems operate.
Once the testing is complete, the scores are broken down into four key categories; adult occupant, child occupant, vulnerable road users and safety assist. These scores then contribute towards an overall safety rating which is measured using a star system (similar to our in-depth reviews).
It’s important to note, though, that Euro NCAP regularly updates its testing regime. In 2023, several new measures were introduced, including increased penalties for poor adult occupant protection performance, additional brain injury criteria, expanded post-crash technology testing and a vehicle submergence test. As a result of this increased stringency, tests carried out prior to 2023 are not directly comparable to those which have taken place since, so they have been omitted from this list.
There are a reassuring number of five-star cars on the current market, so our list of the five safest cars on sale in the UK takes the adult occupancy scores into account, as well as the star rating itself. You can read our in-depth guide to Euro NCAP safety testing here...
Skoda Superb
- Prices from £35,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 93%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 82%
- Safety assist score: 80%
The Skoda Superb offers a number of premium car touches, but at a slightly more humble starting price. Along with its upmarket feel, the Superb is still hugely practical and suitable for family car duties thanks to its spacious cabin and 645-litre boot. If you want maximum space, there’s always the option of the estate version, which just so happens to be our 2024 Estate Car of the Year.
Volkswagen Passat
- Prices from £38,500
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 93%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 82%
- Safety assist score: 80%
The latest Volkswagen Passat is closely related to the Skoda Superb, and both cars share the exact same safety scores. Unlike its Czech counterpart, though, the VW is only available as an estate car. This isn’t exactly a bad thing, though, as there’s acres of space inside. If you don’t mind losing a little bit of boot capacity, the plug-in hybrid model can return up to 77 miles of pure-electric range.
Maxus Mifa 7
- Prices from £49,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 92%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 81%
- Safety assist score: 75%
Although it started out as a van maker, Maxus is now starting to creep into other areas of the market, and the Mifa 7 is the brand’s second luxury MPV. This fully electric car can return up to 298 miles on the WLTP combined cycle, and the brand has been pretty generous with the standard kit, too. Along with electronic doors and a panoramic sunroof, the Mifa 7 comes with active safety tech including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and forward collision warning.
Mercedes E-Class
- Prices from £55,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 92%
- Child occupant score: 90%
- Vulnerable road users score: 84%
- Safety assist score: 87%
The latest Mercedes E-Class is the most tech-filled generation yet, and this includes a healthy list of active safety kit. Merc’s executive saloon hasn’t lost sight of its roots, though, as it’s still an exceptionally comfortable place to be, and it’ll cover plenty of miles in a very refined manner. Long journeys shouldn’t cost a fortune, either, as even the entry-level petrol variant officially returns over 40mpg.
Audi Q6 e-tron
- Prices from £61,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 91%
- Child occupant score: 92%
- Vulnerable road users score: 81%
- Safety assist score: 80%
Take a seat inside the Audi Q6 e-tron and its sheer size will provide some reassurance when it comes to safety, and that’s before its five-star rating is even taken into account. Naturally, all of this bulk means a fair helping of space inside, too, while the on-board technology is among the best in the competitive electric SUV class at the moment.
Five-star Euro NCAP cars
Here are all the cars that you can buy in the UK with a full five-star rating from Euro NCAP’s latest testing.
Safest cars tested in 2024
| Adult occupant | Child occupant | Vulnerable road users | Safety assist | |
| Skoda Superb | 93% | 87% | 82% | 80% |
| Volkswagen Passat | 93% | 87% | 82% | 80% |
| Maxus Mifa 7 | 92% | 87% | 81% | 75% |
| Mercedes E-Class | 92% | 90% | 84% | 87% |
| Audi Q6 e-tron | 91% | 92% | 81% | 80% |
| MG HS | 90% | 85% | 83% | 74% |
| Skoda Kodiaq | 89% | 83% | 82% | 78% |
| Ford Explorer | 89% | 86% | 80% | 72% |
| Ford Capri | 89% | 86% | 80% | 72% |
| Cupra Tavascan | 89% | 86% | 80% | 79% |
| Honda CR-V (with safety pack) | 85% | 86% | 80% | 79% |
| Toyota C-HR | 85% | 86% | 86% | 79% |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 83% | 88% | 84% | 78% |
| Subaru Impreza | 83% | 90% | 84% | 72% |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 83% | 90% | 85% | 72% |
Safest cars tested in 2023
| Adult occupant | Child occupant | Vulnerable road users | Safety assist | |
| Volkswagen ID.7 | 95% | 88% | 83% | 80% |
| Smart #3 | 90% | 86% | 84% | 85% |
| BYD Dolphin | 89% | 87% | 85% | 79% |
| Mercedes EQE SUV | 87% | 90% | 80% | 85% |
| Lexus RZ | 87% | 87% | 84% | 81% |
| BYD Seal | 89% | 87% | 82% | 76% |
| BYD Seal U | 90% | 86% | 83% | 77% |
| BMW 5 Series | 89% | 85% | 86% | 78% |
| Kia EV9 | 84% | 88% | 76% | 83% |
