The Skoda Kodiaq and Mini Countryman SUVs are the latest cars to be given five-star crash safety ratings by Euro NCAP.
The Nissan Micra also scored five stars with a safety pack that adds pedestrian automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keeping assistance - Nissan is keen to add that this pack is fitted as standard in the UK. Without that pack fitted - other European cars do not have the pack as standard - the Micra scored four stars.
The Suzuki Swift scored a four stars with the optional Radar Brake Support included, and three without. Euro NCAP docked a star for not offering a pedestrian AEB system.
The Kodiaq and Countryman both scored five stars with their standard safety equipment. The Kodiaq scored 92% for adult safety, 77% for child, 71% for pedestrian and 54% for assistance systems, while the Countryman scored 90%, 80%, 64% and 51% respectively.
Euro NCAP rated the Volvo XC90 as the safest car it had ever tested in 2015; it scored 97% for adult occupant, 87% for child occupant, 72% for pedestrian and 100% for safety assistance systems.
Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP, revealed the safety body's plans to further upgrade its testing procedure to better protect cyclists. He said: "Euro NCAP started rewarding AEB pedestrian systems last year and we have seen a rapid uptake of the technology. We hope to see as fast an adoption of AEB systems that detect cyclists when tests of those systems form part of the rating next year."
Read more:
Volkswagen vans given AEB as standard
Euro NCAP on the future of road safety
Zero-star Global NCAP crash rating for base spec Renault Duster in India
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