The new Tiguan has today been awarded the top rating of five stars by the independent European consumer protection organisation Euro NCAP. The latest generation of the popular SUV passed the demanding NCAP safety tests with top marks, making the Tiguan one of Europe’s safest new cars.
The overall safety rating of five stars is aggregated from the new Tiguan’s results in four sub-sections: occupant protection for adults and children; pedestrian protection; and driver assistance systems. The new Tiguan passed the comprehensive Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) test series with outstanding results – not least thanks to its first-class package of safety features, including optimised vehicle body structure, a highly effective safety belt, seat and airbag combination and innovative driver assistance systems.
Since 1997, Euro NCAP has been regarded as one of the most important benchmarks for vehicle safety in Europe. This year, the conditions for the test were made even tougher. In the extensive testing of occupant safety for adults the new Tiguan achieved an outstanding 96 per cent of the maximum rating. In this process it was put through the following safety tests:
- Frontal crash into an aluminium barrier at 64km/h and 40 per cent overlap
- Frontal crash at 50 km/h into a rigid barrier with 100% overlap
- Side impact at 50 km/h into the vehicle side structure
- Side pole impact at 32 km/h
- Protection against whiplash in the event of arear-end collision
- Automatic emergency braking to avoid collisions with vehicles or pedestrians
An excellent result – 84 per cent of the possible points total – was also achieved by the new Tiguan for child safety. This year, new child crash test dummies were being used in the assessment for the first time. Thanks to the standard ISOFIX and Top Tether child seat anchors and safety belt tensioners on the second row of seats, children are very well protected in the event of any frontal or side impact.
In the pedestrian protection category the Tiguan scored a total rating of 72 per cent. Design details on the Tiguan that reduce the risk of injury to passers-by were, in particular, positively rated. These include the ‘active bonnet’, which in the event of a collision is designed to help reduce dangerous head injuries. The popular SUV is also equipped with an emergency braking system and – as a first in the Tiguan – with a pedestrian detection function.
In the area of safety assistance the Tiguan was able to impress, and score 69 per cent of the possible points, with its standard ESC, seatbelt fastening reminder function in the back, Front Assist emergency braking system and the Lane Assist function that helps drivers to stay in lane.
The new Tiguan comes with an extensive range of safety features. These include airbags for the driver and front-seat passenger (including front-seat passenger airbag deactivation and a knee airbag on the driver’s side) and a head airbag system for the front and rear passengers, including side airbags. There are also safety-optimised headrests which minimise the risk of whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision, and seatbelt alerts for every seat.
The new Tiguan also has systems such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with countersteer assistance, including ABS with brake assistant, the Post- Collision Braking System and a tyre pressure indicator.
The Pre-Crash proactive occupant protection system, which recognises critical situations with increased potential of an accident, tightens seatbelts being worn in the front and closes any open windows and/or sliding sunroof is also fitted as standard in many countries.
