Crash-Test Ratings
What a five-star rating means, how Global NCAP and Euro NCAP test differently, and how to read a safety rating when comparing new cars.
A crash-test rating condenses a series of controlled impacts into a star score, and it is the most objective safety information available to a buyer. In South Africa the ratings that matter most are those from Global NCAP, which tests cars built for markets like ours, and Euro NCAP, whose tests apply to models sold here in European specification. The two programmes use different protocols and their star ratings are not directly comparable, which is the single most important thing to know when reading them.
A rating measures how well a car protects the adults and children inside it in specific frontal and side impacts, how it treats pedestrians, and how much active safety equipment it carries. It does not measure durability, handling or how well the car avoids a crash in the first place. Used correctly, alongside the equipment list and a look at what the rating actually tested, it tells you a great deal about the car you are considering.
Crash-Test Ratings — questions
The questions people ask about crash-test ratings, answered plainly.
What does a five-star safety rating mean?
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It means the car achieved the highest band across the programme's test categories, which typically include adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and safety-assist systems. Each programme sets its own thresholds, so a five-star result from one body is not the same as five stars from another. Read the category scores, not only the headline stars.
Are Global NCAP and Euro NCAP ratings the same?
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No. Euro NCAP tests to a more demanding protocol with more scenarios and stricter requirements for driver-assistance systems, while Global NCAP focuses on the fundamentals of crash protection for cars sold in emerging markets, including South Africa. Both are credible; they simply measure against different standards, so compare cars within the same programme where possible.
Does a safety rating apply to every version of a model?
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Not always. Ratings are awarded to a specific specification, and manufacturers sometimes sell entry versions with fewer airbags or without stability control than the tested car. Check that the model you are pricing carries the same safety equipment as the version that earned the rating, especially on budget-oriented variants.
Why do some new cars in South Africa have no rating at all?
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Testing is expensive and neither programme can test every model, so some cars, particularly newer arrivals from smaller brands, have simply not been assessed yet. No rating is not the same as a poor rating. Where there is no result, rely on the airbag count, the presence of stability control and autonomous emergency braking, and any ratings from the car's home market.
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