Category: People

Euro NCAP has released the safety rating for the Audi Q6 e-tron, the Ford Explorer, the Jeep Avenger, the Renault Symbioz and Captur, the Subaru Crosstrek and Impreza, and the XPENG G6.

The Audi Q6 e-tron, Ford Explorer, XPENG G6, and Subaru Crosstrek and Impreza all achieved five-star safety ratings, while the Renault Symbioz and Captur achieved four stars.

Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General Euro NCAP, said: “Renault is a brand with a proud safety history and was one of the very first carmakers to be awarded with a five-star rating. The four-star rating of the Symbioz and the Captur is a sign that, although these cars made a solid impression, Renault no longer seems to be striving for the top spot. Audi, Ford, Subaru, and XPENG, on the other hand, are maintaining their high safety ambitions. Euro NCAP congratulates them for their five-star ratings and for continuing to set a standard for others to follow.”

However, the Jeep Avenger only received a three-star rating. Released in October 2022, the model was the brand’s first 100% electric vehicle. It received a host of industry accolades, but Euro NCAP testing has identified a number of safety issues. These include poor chest protection to a 10-year-old in the side impact crash test, a lack of a child presence detection system, and an ineffective audio forward collision warning. The Avenger also performed poorly in several crash avoidance tests with pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists.

Van Ratingen added: “These test results demonstrate a clear lack of ambition for a manufacturer that has shown much innovation in its car design and for a brand that is directly targeting the family segment. There is growing competition in the car industry, and Stellantis has had to take several steps to secure the future of its brands.”

CLEPA has called for greater regulation protecting access to repair data and parts for independent repairers.

It believes that as authorised dealerships gain greater dominance, independents are facing growing restrictions around access to vital information and spare parts.

It says this trend could reduce competition by limiting consumer choice and inflating repair bills for independent bodyshops.

This comes after a joint study with Berylls and FIGIEFA analysed the competitiveness of the European automotive aftermarket up to 2035, considered the impact of new vehicle technologies, cybersecurity requirements, and the shift towards software-defined vehicles.

It identified five key factors that will shape the future of the aftermarket: limited availability of certain car parts; the need for specific coding for replacement parts; challenges in accessing technical information for repairs; outdated interfaces for software updates in independent repair shops; and limited access to in-vehicle data.

It warns that without regulation, by 2035 these issues could be adding £35bn each year to repair bills across seven key EU markets.

CLEPA’s Senior Consultant for Market Affairs, Frank Schlehuber, said, “To ensure that consumers retain the freedom to choose their vehicle service providers, robust legislation that addresses cybersecurity, information access, and parts availability is essential. This will help ensure affordable mobility for EU citizens.”