Euro NCAP’s tougher 2026 safety regime has delivered a telling first result: BMW, one of Europe’s historic marques, and Zeekr, one of China’s most ambitious EV newcomers, have both secured five-star ratings.
The BMW iX3 and Zeekr 7GT arrive from very different brand worlds, but their shared success under the new protocols shows how quickly the competitive ground is shifting, with established premium manufacturers and fast-rising Chinese challengers now being judged against the same demanding standards for crash protection, driver assistance and post-crash EV safety.
New safety benchmark
The organisation said the new framework is designed to assess the full safety journey, from how well a vehicle supports the driver to how effectively it can assist emergency responders after a collision.
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive scored 73% for safe driving, 83% for crash avoidance, 86% for crash protection and 95% for post crash safety.
Euro NCAP praised the iX3 for retaining dedicated physical controls for indicators, hazard lights, horn, headlights and gear selection, while its driver monitoring system was effective at detecting fatigue and impairment.
Its autonomous emergency braking also exceeded the new Euro NCAP requirements, with strong performance in vehicle-to-vehicle, junction-turning and motorcycle collision scenarios.
The iX3 secured maximum points in all side-impact evaluations, supported by a standard centre airbag designed to prevent occupants striking each other in a collision.
The electric SUV also scored strongly for post-crash safety, including reliable eCall performance, high-voltage battery isolation and door handles that remained operable after impact.
Zeekr matches BMW
The Zeekr 7GT Privilege AWD scored 79% for safe driving, 89% for crash avoidance, 93% forcrash protection and 95% for post crash safety.
Euro NCAP said the large electric family car showed strong software intelligence and structural crashworthiness.
Its driver monitoring system scored maximum marks for detecting acute visual distraction, fatigue and drowsiness. It also includes sensors that can detect incorrect lap-only seatbelt use and child presence detection to alert bystanders if a child is left in the vehicle.
The 7GT lost points however because many functions, including driving settings and climate control, are operated through a central touchscreen rather than physical switches and buttons.
However, its crash avoidance performance was strong, with autonomous emergency braking performing well across frontal, reversing and intersection crossing scenarios. Its dooring prevention system also warned occupants against opening doors into approaching cyclists.
Euro NCAP said the 7GT delivered robust crash protection, including maximum points across side mobile barrier, side pole and far-side occupant impact tests.
Its post-crash systems included automatic high-voltage power isolation, automatic door unlocking and manual door handles that remained usable after impact.
Dr Aled Williams, programme director at Euro NCAP, said: “Automotive safety has evolved a great deal since Euro NCAP published its first test results in early 1997, and our organisation is proud to have played a part in striving for safer vehicles and roads. We believe Euro NCAP’s latest testing protocols will play a key role in that journey toward safer cars.”
The results give retailers an early indication of how safety messaging is likely to evolve as more new electric and software-defined vehicles reach showrooms.
Ensure you always receive AM insights. Make us a preferred source of news on Google