Eight new cars, including the Mercedes EQE and BYD Atto 3 electric vehicles, have scored top ratings in the latest batch of Euro NCAP tests.

The EQE went through rigorous impact protection and crash avoidance testing and a separate Assisted Driving Grading

The new Merc EQE, the electric E-Class equivalent and a rival to the Tesla Model S, scored particularly well, not only going through the standard impact protection and crash avoidance testing but also a separate Assisted Driving Grading for its optional Active Distance Assist Distronic tech. This system provides driving assistance on highways and was rated ‘very good’, achieving the best overall score in testing to date.

Euro NCAP’s secretary general Michiel van Ratingen said: “Fully autonomous driving is still some way away but the groundwork is being laid by robust, high-performing assisted-driving systems like this one from Mercedes. Congratulations to them on their ‘Very Good’ grading, and on getting their fourth five-star safety rating this year.”

Thatcham Research’s Matthew Avery added: “Mercedes is a brand that appears to be getting Assisted Driving right. Driver expectations are managed successfully thanks to appropriate naming conventions and marketing that clearly positions system function as ‘assisted’.

“The driver is encouraged to understand that it’s a team effort involving cooperative driving between motorist and machine, as opposed to becoming convinced that they can check-out completely.”

Chinese EV manufacturer and tech firm BYD, which has big plans for the UK, has also got off to a flying start with five stars for its Atto 3 crossover SUV. Its top rating follows those of the WEY Coffee and Ora Funky Cat and shows that Chinese OEMs are achieving great safety results.

Also achieving top safety ratings were Mazda’s new CX-60 mid-size crossover SUV, BMW’s new X1 and 2 Series Active Tourer and the latest SEAT Ibiza and Arona – said to be missing some of the latest safety equipment, notably centre airbags, but making up for it in other ways. The updated VW Golf also kept pace with newer rivals with a five-star rating, while two cars – the Citroën C5 X and the Mobilize Limo – were each awarded four stars. Euro NCAP said they were solid performers in general but did not stand out due to the omission of equipment or marginal performance in some of the active safety tests.

Finally, Nissan Juke’s hybrid variant was added to the 2019 result of the combustion-engined model.