As standard, the Suzuki Swift scores just 25% under the "safety assist" category of the crash tests, being marked down for its lack of autonomous emergency braking as standard, as well as any form of lane guidance system and speed assist.
If you opt for the radar brake support pack (price to be confirmed), this increases to 44%, giving the Swift an overall four out of five stars for safety. The independent organisation which carries out the crash tests says the optional autonomous braking system works well, while an optional driver-set speed limiter goes further to reduce the chance of a crash.
Technology aside, the Swift generally performs well, achieving 83% in the adult occupancy test as standard and 75% for child occupants. NCAP has awarded the Swift 69% in pedestrian safety tests.
The test results have been revealed at the same time as the Skoda Kodiaq SUV and Mini Countryman crossover, which have both been awarded five-star ratings. Meanwhile, the Nissan Micra has been given four stars as standard, rising to five stars if you choose an option pack featuring autonomous emergency braking and lane assistance.
"Euro NCAP started rewarding AEB [autonomous emergency braking] pedestrian systems last year and we have seen a rapid uptake of the technology," said Euro NCAP's secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen. "We hope to see as fast an adoption of AEB systems that detect cyclists when tests of those systems form part of the rating next year.
"For twenty years, Euro NCAP has been pushing manufacturers to fit new and better safety technologies: originally, such things as airbags and pre-tensioners and, nowadays, advanced driver assistance systems that will form the building blocks for the automated vehicles of tomorrow."
The crash test results follow recent three-star safety ratings for the Fiat Doblo, Fiat 500 and Ford Ka+.
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