Safest cars for sale in the UK 2025/2026
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, Euro NCAP puts every model it tests through a rigorous regime in order to truly determine the safest cars 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 that conducts various tests on new cars 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. You can read our in-depth guide to Euro NCAP safety testing here...
Our top 10 list is based on the cars which have a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, along with the highest adult occupant category scores. There are plenty of other cars which have the full five stars but slightly lower adult occupant scores, so you can also find these in the tables at the bottom of this page.
Volkswagen ID.7
- Prices from £51,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2023)
- Adult occupant score: 95%
- Child occupant score: 88%
- Vulnerable road users score: 83%
- Safety assist score: 80%
Our expert road testers are in agreement that the Volkswagen ID.7 is the brand’s best all-round EV to date. Not only does this electric executive car offer space for families and up to 437 miles of range on the WLTP combined cycle, but it’s also by far one of the safest cars you can currently buy. We admit this isn’t a cheap car, but it certainly appears that you really do get what you pay for.
Skoda Superb
- Prices from £35,900
- 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 hugely practical and suitable for family car duties thanks to its spacious cabin and up to 645 litres of boot space. If you want maximum stretching room there’s also the option of Skoda Superb Estate, and this just so happens to be our 2025 Estate Car of the Year.
Volkswagen Passat
- Prices from £40,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 93%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 82%
- Safety assist score: 80%
The latest Volkswagen Passat is closely related to the Skoda Superb, and both cars share the exact same safety scores. However, unlike its Czech counterpart, the VW is only available as an estate car. This is by no means 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, and this will easily help to drive down costs and emissions.
Latest Volkswagen Passat deals
Audi A6 e-tron
- Prices from £63,300
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2025)
- Adult occupant score: 92%
- Child occupant score: 91%
- Vulnerable road users score: 75%
- Safety assist score: 80%
It took quite a while for Audi to enter the electric executive car world, but it appears that taking its time was the right move. The Audi A6 e-tron feels as high-quality as we’ve come to expect from the brand, and a maximum claimed range of 463 miles makes this one of the longest-range electric cars on sale. It’s literally a winning combination as we named the A6 e-tron our 2025 Large Company Car of the Year.
Mercedes E-Class
- Prices from £56,600
- 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. It’ll also cover plenty of miles in a very refined manner. Perhaps the best news, though, is that long journeys shouldn’t cost a fortune as even the entry-level petrol variant officially returns over 40mpg.
Mazda CX-80
- Prices from £50,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 92%
- Child occupant score: 88%
- Vulnerable road users score: 84%
- Safety assist score: 79%
There is a lot to like about the seven-seat Mazda CX-80, with the most obvious being a huge amount of space inside. All occupants are well looked after because the Mazda scored highly for adult and child occupancy safety, and the CX-80 looks after other road users, too. Premium looks and feel don’t come with an excessive price tag, while the plug-in hybrid petrol or diesel engines offer low running costs.
Maxus Mifa 7
- Prices from £48,000
- 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.
Polestar 4
- Prices from £60,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2025)
- Adult occupant score: 92%
- Child occupant score: 85%
- Vulnerable road users score: 81%
- Safety assist score: 79%
If you decide to buy a Polestar 4 you will literally never look back as this car doesn’t have a rear window. While this is a highly unusual and somewhat controversial approach to car design, a lack of glass hasn’t negatively impacted the 4’s safety. Of course, you can still see whatever’s lurking behind you as there’s a rear-view camera in place of a mirror. There’s plenty of other great tech inside, too, including a Google-based infotainment system which we found very easy and slick to use during testing.
Audi Q6 e-tron
- Prices from £61,200
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2025)
- 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 of the current electric SUV crop. Watch out, though, as some of the driver-assistance systems can be a bit overeager at times.
Audi Q4 e-tron
- Prices from £47,300
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2025)
- Adult occupant score: 91%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 79%
- Safety assist score: 73%
While the new-look Tesla Model Y is getting plenty of attention in the electric SUV world, the Audi Q4 e-tron has stolen some of its thunder with a fresh 2025 five-star NCAP rating. Of course, the Audi has plenty more credentials that make it a serious competitor to the Model Y, including a well-designed, high-quality cabin, an enjoyable driving experience and decent real-world efficiency (we managed an average of 3.4 miles per kWh during testing).
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 2025
| Adult occupant | Child occupant | Vulnerable road users | Safety assist | |
| Audi A6 e-tron | 92% | 91% | 75% | 80% |
| Polestar 4 | 92% | 85% | 81% | 79% |
| Audi Q4 e-tron | 91% | 87% | 79% | 73% |
| Polestar 3 | 90% | 93% | 79% | 83% |
| MGS5 EV | 90% | 82% | 82% | 78% |
| Tesla Model 3 | 90% | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Omoda 9 | 90% | 85% | 81% | 80% |
| MG IM6 | 90% | 85% | 83% | 87% |
| MINI Cooper E | 89% | 87% | 77% | 79% |
| Cupra Terramar | 89% | 87% | 82% | 76% |
| Smart #5 | 88% | 93% | 84% | 92% |
| BYD Sealion 7 | 87% | 93% | 76% | 79% |
| Volkswagen Tayron | 87% | 85% | 83% | 80% |
| Geely EX5 | 86% | 87% | 83% | 83% |
| Audi Q5 | 85% | 86% | 79% | 77% |
| Volkswagen ID. Buzz | 84% | 85% | 70% | 73% |
| Hyundai Ioniq 9 | 84% | 87% | 77% | 83% |
| Kia EV3 | 83% | 84% | 78% | 78% |
| MINI Cooper | 83% | 82% | 81% | 77% |
| MINI Aceman | 83% | 87% | 77% | 79% |
| BYD Dolphin Surf | 82% | 86% | 76% | 77% |
| Jaecoo 7 PHEV | 81% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
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% |
| Mercedes E-Class | 92% | 90% | 84% | 87% |
| Mazda CX-80 | 92% | 88% | 84% | 79% |
| Maxus Mifa 7 | 92% | 87% | 81% | 75% |
| Audi Q6 e-tron | 91% | 92% | 81% | 80% |
| Mazda eTerron 9 | 91% | 85% | 84% | 83% |
| Porsche Macan Electric | 90% | 90% | 83% | 78% |
| 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% |
| Toyota C-HR | 85% | 86% | 86% | 79% |
| Honda CR-V (with safety pack) | 85% | 86% | 80% | 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 Seal U | 90% | 86% | 83% | 77% |
| BYD Dolphin | 89% | 87% | 85% | 79% |
| BYD Seal | 89% | 87% | 82% | 76% |
| BMW 5 Series | 89% | 85% | 86% | 78% |
| Mercedes EQE SUV | 87% | 90% | 80% | 85% |
| Lexus RZ | 87% | 87% | 84% | 81% |
| Kia EV9 | 84% | 88% | 76% | 83% |
