Here is the paradox of the new Euro NCAP: a car can perform brilliantly in a crash and still miss out on the fifth star. That is exactly what happened to the Cupra Raval in the first September round under the tougher 2026 protocol. While three Chinese EVs — AION UT, Geely E2 and Leapmotor B05 — immediately earned the maximum five stars, the European Raval stopped at four in standard trim. And the crash tests themselves were not the problem.
For passive safety, the Raval looks almost exemplary: 91% for Crash Protection and 95% for Post-Crash Safety. It scored full marks in the side-barrier impact and the full-width frontal test. So where did the fifth star disappear? In the electronics. The model managed just 58% for Safe Driving and 66% for Crash Avoidance. Add the optional Safety Pack and those figures jump to 72% and 77% respectively. That is enough to turn the Raval from a four-star car into a five-star one.
The Chinese trio cleared the same bar without any extra package. The AION UT scored 91% for crash protection, the Geely E2 86%, and the Leapmotor B05 an impressive 92%. The latter was especially strong in side-impact tests, earning maximum points in both the barrier and pole impacts. Its collision-avoidance systems also performed well.
This is where Euro NCAP’s new protocol starts to show its teeth. From 2026, the organisation has significantly expanded its assessment of electronic assistants, real-road behaviour and systems designed to help after a crash. Against that backdrop, the Chinese brands’ result is especially telling: according to Euro NCAP, the number of Chinese cars tested since 2021 has risen almost tenfold. Now three more models from China have passed a much tougher test with the full five stars.
