Thinking of getting a new car for the family in 2025? There’s lots to think about – and safety is right up there in the considerations.
It’s a New Year and a new start and, for some, that could mean a new (or used) car. Got a family to think about? You’ll need more than ever then, to consider safety when pondering your next change of wheels.
That’s because as well as style, economy, equipment – and the all-important history check – a family car needs to tick the safety boxes too. Of course, any car you get behind the wheel of should be safe, but when you have a back seat of little ones in tow, security for all occupants becomes probably the most important consideration of all.
Basic safety features
So, what do you need from your next car in terms of safety credentials? It’s widely accepted that a ‘safe’ car will have basic components for today’s fast-paced travel, all present and working well. That includes modern safety features such as brake assist, lane departure warning, front and rear airbags and collision avoidance systems.
Other features such as a seat-belt reminder, parking cameras, tyre pressure monitors and road sign recognition are all useful extra qualities a car might have, to make it safer for family use.
MotorCheck’s history check service looks at important safety-related elements of a car that include whether it has ever been written off, if it has had all its correct MOT tests, and how many manufacturer recalls there have been, along with its technical specifications, so that you can make an informed decision about your next potential purchase.
A ‘five-star’ crash test rating could also be a deciding factor for you, such as the one available from Euro NCAP.
What is Euro NCAP?
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a starred rating system that helps car buyers decide on the safest car for their needs. Five stars is the top rating while zero is at the bottom. Within each ‘star’ category, different features and elements are looked at to investigate the good and bad sides of safety for each model.
If you’re visiting MotorCheck’s website, you are probably considering a used car as your next purchase. And here we are looking at a range of family vehicles from the last few years that have produced a good, five-star rating from the experts at Euro NCAP.
There are lots of five star cars, of course, and no single test can ever cover the complexity of ‘real world’ driving, but here is a cross-section of some of MotorCheck’s top performers when it comes to staying safe on Britain’s roads.
10 of the safest family cars you can buy
Audi Q4 e-tron – the German giant builds quality vehicles that are made to last. And that includes a good array of safety features. It received an excellent rating for adult occupant protection with a very good score for child passengers. There’s lots of technology on-board including side airbags, lane assist and cruise control with speed limiter.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 93%
Child occupant – 89%
Hyundai Tucson – tested by Euro NCAP in 2021, the Hyundai received an excellent overall score for safety. Children fare slightly better than adults, but the interior space is a good place to be for all the family. The South Korean brand’s Tucson features emergency braking for other road users, speed limiters and traffic sign recognition.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 86%
Child occupant – 87%
Mercedes E-Class – another large German family car built to exacting standards, with excellent safety credentials. Both adults and their children in the car get above 90% in terms of all-round protection. Tested by Euro NCAP last year, the saloon has high-tech stuff like adaptive headlamps, road sign recognition and cyclist awareness.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 92%
Child occupant – 90%
MG4 EV – this electric family hatchback is packed with technology and much of it is safety based. Protection for both adult and child occupants is in the top fifth and it has the five-star overall score. There are six airbags, emergency braking and it can detect bicycles and pedestrians on the road. There’s lane and speed assistance too.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 83%
Child occupant – 80%
Nissan Juke – it’s a small SUV (sport utility vehicle) that’s big on safety. The Nissan has an array of equipment such as cruise control with speed limiter, automatic emergency braking and driver alertness monitor. It was tested five years ago but received an excellent adult occupant safety rating and a good score for children.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 94%
Child occupant – 85%
Porsche Macan – another small SUV and a potent one too, the sporty Porsche matches its performance with great safety results. Top tenth protection is offered for adult and child occupants and the fast German car includes car-to-car automatic emergency braking, cyclist recognition and lane assist in its safety armoury.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 90%
Child occupant – 90%
Skoda Octavia – the popular family hatchback has the mighty VW brand as its mothership, so safety is going to be high on the list of credentials. Front and rear seat occupants fare very well in the NCAP test, which was in 2022. Lots of airbags, including one for the driver’s knees, seatbelt reminder and emergency brakes all feature.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 89%
Child occupant – 84%
Tesla Model Y – the high end electric brand’s family hatchback is packed with technology. Tested in 2022 the big Tesla achieved an almost perfect safety rating for adult occupants and a very good score for child passengers. Curtain airbags come front and side, there’s tyre pressure monitoring plus cameras to help the driver.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 97%
Child occupant – 87%
Volkswagen Tiguan – it’s a brilliant family car, so Volkswagen’s Tiguan deserves top-end safety – and gets it. Adults and child occupants are well protected, according to last year’s NCAP test, with pedestrian detection while reversing, speed and lane assistance and a driver fatigue system all part of the car’s safety set-up.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 83%
Child occupant – 88%
Volvo XC40 – the Swedish car maker has a reputation for safety and its more recent vehicles are no exceptions. The XC40, tested by Euro NCAP in 2018, has a near-perfect adult occupants rating and a very good score for child passengers. It has brake assist, lane assist and seat belt pre-tensioners as part of its equipment list.
Euro NCAP star rating – 5
Adult occupant – 97%
Child occupant – 87%
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