A selection of cars gain the five stars, with one each for 3 and 4 in the latest Euro NCAP tests.

• Retest of Ford Mustang shows safety improvement, secures Three Star Euro NCAP rating 
  
• “This underlines the power of the Euro NCAP consumer testing programme,” says Thatcham Research 
  
• SEAT Ibiza the standout of other vehicles tested, raises the bar in Supermini safety 
  
• A further four vehicles tested – Five Star ratings for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, VW Arteon and Hyundai i30, Four Stars for the Honda Civic

Following an unfavourable safety rating earlier this year, Ford has resubmitted its flagship Mustang sports car for testing, on this occasion earning a Three Star Euro NCAP rating. This follows the addition of standard-fit Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and a Lane Keeping Aid, while rapidly addressing a ‘bottoming-out[1]’ issue with the driver’s airbag.

“In just a few months, Ford has responded to improve on the initial low safety rating given to the Mustang,” comments Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research. “Our advice to buyers is to always opt for a Euro NCAP Five Star car, so a Three Star Euro NCAP rating is never a cause for celebration. 

However, Ford’s rapid addition of a suite of standard-fit safety tech and its prompt updates to improve the performance of the airbags and restraints is to be applauded and underlines the power of the Euro NCAP consumer testing programme as a force for positive action. We will continue to apply pressure on carmakers to ensure UK drivers have the safest possible cars.”

Take a SEAT

July’s standout vehicle was the SEAT Ibiza, which at £13,000 is a relatively affordable and well-reviewed Supermini. Avery comments, “SEAT has set a new benchmark in safety for the Supermini price point category. The Ibiza not only comes with standard-fit AEB but also Pedestrian AEB – which is proven to reduce vulnerable road user deaths.

“The new VW Polo will be built on the same platform as the Ibiza which bodes well and with major new Supermini launches expected later in 2017, the safety game is now on for carmakers in this category.”

Four other vehicles were tested by Euro NCAP this month, with all but one achieving a Five Star rating. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, VW Arteon and Hyundai i30 all received the maximum Five Stars. The Honda Civic was awarded a Four Star Euro NCAP rating, despite having standard-fit AEB. This was in part due to the head of the rear passenger dummy representing a 10 year old recording a hard impact through the curtain airbag

Warrenty Direct details the most reliable Eco cars in the second hand market today.

• Warranty Direct names economical used cars with proven reliability
• Ford Fiesta ECOnetic boasts winning dependability and economy

Research by Warranty Direct has highlighted the used cars aged three years or older which offer the best combination of reliability and economy, as motorists continue to look for ways to reduce the cost of car ownership.

Manufacturers are continually developing new technology which delivers better fuel consumption and lower emissions, but some more complex machines are still prone to going wrong, forcing owners to foot expensive repair bills.

Warranty Direct analysed its 50,000 live policies, using the Company’s unique Reliability Index (www.reliabilityindex.com) to measure overall reliability by combining rate of failure, average mileage, age and repair cost.

Ranking cars based on fuel economy in this instance, Warranty Direct used its Reliability Index to name the top ten reliable makes and models of three years or more, as well as the optimal engine and trim combination for the best return at the pumps.

Top ten rated eco cars

(A higher Reliability Index rating means the vehicle is less reliable and more expensive to run)

Make and model	Year	Most economical derivative	Combined MPG	VED band	Reliability Index Score*	Largest claim*
Ford Fiesta	(08 - )	1.6 TDCi (95bhp) Edge ECOnetic II	85	A	24	1,698.85
Smart Fortwo	(07 - )	CDI Pure 2d Auto	85	A	50	918.89
Skoda Fabia	(07 - )	1.2 TDI CR Greenline II	83	A	32	1,043.15
Peugeot 3008	(09 - )	2.0 e-HDi Allure Hybrid4	74	A	29	801.20
SEAT Ibiza	(06 - 09)	1.4 TDi Ecomotive	74	A	30	628.00
Volkswagen Polo	(05 - )	1.4 BlueMotion TDI (80ps)	74	A	50	2,615.23
Toyota Auris	(07 - )	1.8 VVTi Hybrid T Spirit 5d CVT Auto	70	A	39	1,509.56
Citroen C3 Picasso	(09 - )	1.6 Hdi 8v 90 VTR+	68	B	40	732.00
Toyota Yaris	(06 - )	1.4 D-4D TR	67	B	32	1,646.49
Nissan Note	(06 - )	1.5 (90bhp) dCi Visia	67	B	34	2,019.70

The results revealed that the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, with an impressive combined MPG figure of 85.6 had the best mix of fuel economy and reliability. The Smart Fortwo was able to match the Fiesta’s MPG figure and is unlikely to let its owners down, though it suffered marginally more mechanical faults than the Ford.

The SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia put in a strong showing for the Volkswagen Group with closely matched scores, though the Skoda nudged ahead of its stablemates owing to an MPG return of 83.1. However, the frugal SEAT is statistically more reliable.

David Gerrans, Managing Director at Warranty Direct commented: “the ‘eco’ derivatives of a used vehicle are often desirable, promising economical motoring for the cost-conscious buyer.

“However, savings on fuel and road tax can soon be countered with astronomical bills for mechanical or electrical failure. It is important to take these factors into account when selecting a car based on green credentials.”

And Europes most reliable car is...... WHAT !!!!!!!! REALLY !!!!!!!!!!

British and French brands produce Europe’s most reliable cars, according to the latest research by Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index.

With the 85^th Geneva Motor Show displaying the latest automotive technology closing its doors at the end of last week, Warranty Direct has revealed which are Europe’s most reliable models. The vehicles analysed were an average of five years old with mileages of around 50,000.

British brand, Vauxhall, topped the table with its diminutive Agila model the most reliable European-badged car on the road.

French manufacturers, Peugeot and Citroen completed the top three, with their similarly small 107 and C1 superminis.

Swedish, Spanish, German and Czech brands also won places in the top 10 reliability rankings with Volvo, SEAT, Volkswagen, Smart and Skoda.

Vauxhall’s Agila is most likely to incur issues with its axle and suspension, accounting for an average of 30% of its faults. The cooling and heating system is responsible for 44% of the Peugeot 107’s downtime; with fellow French carmaker Citroen finding most of the issues in its C1 derive from the electrics.

TEN MOST RELIABLE EUROPEAN CARS

Car	Rank	Warranty Direct Average Reliability Index	Most Common Faults (Average % of faults)
Vauxhall Agila	1	9	Axle & Suspension (30%)
Peugeot 107	2	18	Cooling & Heating System (43.75%)
Citroen C1	3	20	Electrical (44.44%)
Volvo S40	4	25	Axle & Suspension (33.33%)
Peugeot 3008	5	29	Electrical (40%)
SEAT Ibiza	6	30	Axle & Suspension (25%)
Volkswagen Lupo	7	30	Electrical (57.14%)
Skoda Fabia	8	32	Electrical (34.62%)
Citroen Berlingo Multispace	9	38	Electrical (45%)
Smart Fortwo	10	50	Engine (31.37%)

Volvo S40 drivers report more axle and suspension faults, with a third suffering complications. Warranty Direct’s data reveals Smart’s Fortwo most frequently faces engine issues, accounting for more than one in three of its breakdowns.

Warranty Direct managing director, David Gerrans, said: “It’s good to see a British manufacturer at the top of the table, especially at a time when Britain’s automotive industry is flying high. Our data also highlights that Swedish, Czech, Spanish and French carmakers are all more reliable than their often celebrated German counterparts, which will surprise some consumers, who may still assume that German cars are the most durable.”

At the other end of the scale, the Audi RS6 is Europe’s most unreliable vehicle, with data indicating it’ll break down at least once a year. Four out of the five most unreliable models are produced by German manufacturers.

FIVE LEAST RELIABLE CARS

Car	Rank	Warranty Direct Average Reliability Index	Most Common Faults (Average % of faults)
Audi RS6	1	1123	Axle & Suspension (34.43%)
BMW M5	2	766	Electrical (29.47%)
Porsche 911 (996)	3	652	Electrical (26.27%)
Bentley Continental GT	4	593	Electrical (31.73%)
Mercedes-Benz CL	5	582	Axle & Suspension (32.39%)

Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index score is calculated on a combination of vehicle criteria from a database of more than 50,000 live policies:

• Frequency of failure
• Cost of repair
• Duration of repairs
• Average age and mileage

The higher the Reliability Index score, the worse the car is – the lower the score, the better and the average RI number is 100.