Remember when "Chinese car" and "safety" were two phrases that didn't exactly belong in the same sentence? Well, the European New Car Assessment Programme’s (NCAP) latest crash tests have a rather awkward update for you.
NCAP – a testing body that’s far stricter than the US’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – released its latest safety evaluation results this past week, and three new models from China achieved the maximum five-star safety rating under the new 2026 assessment protocols. This led the testing body to confirm that the three Chinese electric vehicles (EV) delivered results comparable to established European, Korean, and Japanese manufacturers.
The cars in question are GAC’s Aion UT, Geely E2 (named Xingyuan in China, EX2 in some markets), and Stellantis’ Leapmotor B05 (named Lafa 5 in China). Also tested was the Cupra Raval, which received only a four-star rating with its base safety features. Its score, however, was upped to five stars when fitted with an optional safety pack.
"Today’s results clearly demonstrate that Chinese carmakers are still working hard to match the high standards expected by European consumers," said Dr. Aled Williams, Programme Director at Euro NCAP. "By actively embracing Euro NCAP’s rigorous targets, particularly this year, carmakers are showing they want to deliver safer vehicles for everyone on Europe’s roads."
The Aion UT is an electric hatchback that competes with the likes of the Volkswagen ID.Polo, Renault 4, and Mini Aceman. A 60-kWh LFP battery powers the hatch, which is good for a 268-mile (431-km) WLTP range. That’s up there with the most rivals, including the new VW ID. Polo, the BYD Atto 2 and the Kia EV2.
Powering the thing is a front-wheel-drive, 201-hp motor that zips it from 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) in 7.3 seconds. It’s a brand that’s still in its early stages, with a European launch slated for later this year for an equivalent of sub-$40,000 pricing.
Next up was the Geely E2, which was the best-selling vehicle in China last year. This too showed excellent protection all around, receiving that coveted five-star rating.
It’s a 13.5-ft (4.1-m) urban EV offering a 35-kWh battery and a 114-hp electric motor, all for €19,490 (around US$23,000). Geely, of course, is the same company that owns Volvo, and the E2 has been a much-anticipated launch for a while now. It was recently snapped arriving at Belgian dealers before its upcoming launch.
The Leapmotor B05 takes on the Renault Megane and Volkswagen Golf, also beating them in every testing category, especially crash protection, where it achieved a rating of 92%. This one’s another hatchback, which is powered by a 213-hp rear-wheel-drive motor.
It comes with a 67.1-kWh battery pack offering a claimed range of 300 miles (482 km) on the WLTP cycle. It charges at 174 kW, allowing for a 10 to 80% top-up in around 24 minutes.
But it’s not like this is a new breakthrough for these Chinese manufacturers. For instance, Leapmotor already received 5-star ratings for its B10 and C10 models, as did Geely for the Starray and EX5. Chinese cars have certainly come a long way since the early days, when most new EVs basically tore apart in crash tests back in the day.
According to Euro NCAP, 7% of all new car sales in the EU and almost 10% in the UK are currently models that are made in China. The number of Chinese vehicles submitted for Euro NCAP safety testing has roughly tripled since 2021, indicating a determined attempt by these manufacturers to satisfy the safety requirements demanded by European consumers.
Source: Euro NCAP
