Euro NCAP tightens its tests for 2026, and three Chinese EVs deliver
Euro NCAP has assessed four new electric cars under its revised 2026 testing protocols. The results are interesting because they highlight two trends at once: Chinese manufacturers are visibly catching up in active and passive safety, while for European brands the question of what comes as standard and what requires an optional package is becoming increasingly important.
In the latest round, the Aion UT, Geely E2 and Leapmotor B05 each received the top rating of five stars. The Cupra Raval achieved four stars with its standard equipment, while the optional Safety Pack raises that to five stars.
What the Euro NCAP 2026 percentage scores mean
The stars represent the overall rating, which is based on four categories that focus even more closely on everyday risks in 2026: Safe Driving (driver assistance and ease of use), Crash Avoidance (accident prevention), Crash Protection (protection in a collision) and Post Crash Safety (safety after an accident, including rescue considerations).
For EVs in particular, topics such as driver monitoring, emergency braking at intersections and the detection of children inside the vehicle are becoming increasingly relevant. For buyers in the German-speaking DACH region—Germany, Austria and Switzerland—it is therefore worth looking beyond the star rating and asking which systems are included as standard.
Results at a glance
| Model | Stars | Safe Driving | Crash Avoidance | Crash Protection | Post Crash Safety | Notable points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cupra Raval (standard) | 4 | 58% | 66% | 91% | 95% | Very strong crash performance, but no child-presence detection |
| Cupra Raval (with Safety Pack) | 5 | 72% | 77% | 91% | 95% | More active safety through an optional package |
| Aion UT | 5 | 66% | 74% | 91% | 88% | Heavy reliance on the central display, no child-presence detection |
| Geely E2 | 5 | 79% | 72% | 86% | 95% | Physical buttons, child-presence detection, mixed AEB performance |
| Leapmotor B05 | 5 | 66% | 77% | 92% | 89% | Very strong AEB at higher speeds and intersections, top side-impact performance |
Cupra Raval: Excellent crash protection, but the assistance package makes the difference
The Cupra Raval delivers excellent occupant protection: 91% for Crash Protection and 95% for Post Crash Safety. Euro NCAP awarded full points in the side-barrier impact and the full-width frontal test, while the center airbag was also rated highly. The bottom line is that the vehicle’s basic structure is safe.
The difference between four and five stars mainly comes down to the assistance systems. With the optional Safety Pack, Safe Driving rises from 58% to 72%, while Crash Avoidance increases from 66% to 77%. According to the assessment, there is no system for detecting children left behind in the vehicle. On the positive side, the lane-keeping function, driver monitoring and autonomous emergency braking system all perform well.
Practical takeaway: Anyone aiming for the Raval’s top rating and more active safety should check very carefully which assistance functions are actually included in their market and with their chosen trim. For more background on how the Raval is positioned in the market, see our article on the model’s launch: Cupra Raval with a 37 kWh LFP battery and its order trend.
Aion UT: 5 stars, but controls and child detection remain in focus
The Aion UT earned five stars with 66% for Safe Driving, 74% for Crash Avoidance, 91% for Crash Protection and 88% for Post Crash Safety. Euro NCAP was particularly critical of the heavy reliance on the central screen for important driving functions. This is an issue that repeatedly comes up with other brands as well: touch-only controls may look modern, but they can be distracting in everyday use.
The absence of a system for detecting children left behind in the vehicle was also noted. The reported accuracy of the traffic-sign recognition system was 68%. The crash-avoidance systems performed well overall, with one limitation involving frontal monitoring in certain intersection scenarios.
Geely E2: Strong Safe Driving score, plus points for buttons and child detection
The Geely E2 earned five stars and stood out in the Safe Driving category: Its score of 79% was the best in this group. It also achieved 72% for Crash Avoidance, 86% for Crash Protection and 95% for Post Crash Safety.
Euro NCAP praised the physical controls for key driving and infotainment functions, as well as the standard direct child-presence detection system. The autonomous emergency braking system’s performance varies depending on the scenario, and points were also deducted for protection of the driver’s legs in an offset frontal crash. One notable result in the child-occupant test was that the seat belt partially slipped off the shoulder of the ten-year-old child dummy.
Leapmotor B05: Very strong emergency braking and side-impact performance
The Leapmotor B05 also earned five stars: 66% for Safe Driving, 77% for Crash Avoidance, 92% for Crash Protection and 89% for Post Crash Safety. Particular praise went to the autonomous emergency braking system’s very strong performance at higher speeds and at intersections—precisely the situations that often become critical in real-world driving.
The B05 also performed exceptionally well in side-impact tests, receiving the maximum score in both the side-barrier test and the side-pole impact. A child-presence detection system is included, although there is no adaptive restraint system for occupants of different sizes. According to the assessment, the vehicle also cannot detect an unsafe seating position for the front passenger, such as having their feet on the dashboard.
For context on Leapmotor’s position in the European market: The brand is already making an impact on 2026 registration figures, as shown in 2026 EV sales with Leapmotor on the rise.
Analysis: Five stars for Chinese models—and what that means for Europe
The results show that Chinese manufacturers can now deliver top-level Euro NCAP performance, while the standard equipment offered with European models increasingly determines their final star rating.
Euro NCAP itself emphasizes that the safety of Chinese vehicles has improved considerably since the first tests in the early 2010s. For buyers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, this is mainly good news: More competition often means that assistance and protection systems become more widely available, more quickly.
At the same time, a real-world check remains important. Five stars are a strong signal, but what ultimately matters is which functions you actually use in everyday driving and whether they are activated in your specific vehicle at no extra cost. For a broader look at how assistance systems relate to different EV platforms, our comparison 800 V vs. 400 V in an EV explains why the vehicle’s electrical architecture can also indirectly affect convenience and the range of available features.
