The Mangualde MPV, Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo and Peugeot Rifter , produced by Groupe PSA, were put to the test in the latest Euro NCAP test round. In addition to the “Portuguese” models, the body that assesses the safety of cars sold in Europe also tested the Mercedes-Benz Class A, the Lexus ES, the Mazda 6 and even the Hyundai Nexo.
Tested against the new Euro NCAP assessment criteria, Citroën Berlingo, Opel Combo and Peugeot Rifter had to prove their worth in terms of passive and active safety. Thus, they emerged in safety tests equipped with the already common warnings for the use of seat belts, but also with the system of maintenance in the carriageway and emergency braking.
Active security needs to improve
Although they showed good overall strength in crash tests, the triplets got the four stars . This result can be explained, in part, by the functioning of active safety systems. For example, the emergency braking system has shown difficulties in detecting pedestrians at night or cyclists and has been shown not to be able to stop the car when it is traveling at higher speeds.How did the rest do?
If the models produced in Mangualde were awarded four stars, the other vehicles tested did better and all achieved five stars. Among these, the Hyundai Nexo stands out, which was the first Fuel Cell electric model to be tested by Euro NCAP.
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Mercedes-Benz Class A
The remaining models tested were the Lexus ES, Mazda 6 and Mercedes-Benz Class A, which revealed high levels of occupant protection. Also noteworthy is the high level and protection of pedestrians achieved by the Class A and by the Lexus ES, both with an evaluation in this parameter of around 90%.