New, stricter star rating from Euro NCAP starting in 2026

Crash Test New Rules at Euro NCAP—Biggest Reform Since 2009

2025-11-28 By Holger Holzer/SP-X | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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Euro NCAP's star rating is becoming stricter and more meaningful. Pure touch operation on screens and retractable door handles can lead to downgrades.

Euro NCAP tightens its crash tests.(Image: Euro NCAP) — Euro NCAP tightens its crash tests.
(Image: Euro NCAP)

Five stars in the crash test will be significantly harder to achieve starting next year. Among other factors, manufacturers relying solely on touch controls for screens face a downgrade for their models. The consumer protection organization Euro NCAP is fundamentally changing its evaluation criteria at the beginning of 2026. According to its own statements, this represents the biggest reform since the introduction of the overall star rating in 2009.

In the future, safety will be assessed in four areas: safe driving, accident prevention, crash protection, and post-crash safety. Each category will be rated with up to 100 points, and certain minimum values in each area are required for the coveted five stars.

Test Assistance Systems in Real-World Use

The actual driving behavior and operation will play a key role in the future: assistance systems will no longer be tested solely on proving grounds but also in real road traffic. Systems that may prevent accidents but annoy the driver with constant warnings or intervene unpredictably are expected to score lower in the future. The operational logic will also be evaluated—including whether important functions remain accessible via physical buttons, thereby causing less distraction.

Euro NCAP is expanding the scenarios for accident prevention, including urban traffic with cyclists, pedestrians, and motorized two-wheelers. Systems that detect misuse, such as accidentally pressing the accelerator instead of the brake, will also be newly tested. In crash protection, a greater variety of body sizes and types will be included in the tests, ranging from children to smaller and larger adults. Additionally, pedestrian protection around the windshield area will be given greater emphasis.

New Tests for Crashed Electric Cars

Post-accident safety, particularly for electric cars, will gain significant importance: electric door handles must still function after an accident, high-voltage batteries must be safely deactivated, and the car should issue a warning in case of battery fire risks—even during charging after an accident. Emergency call systems should also reliably transmit the number of occupants to assist rescue teams. For car buyers, the star rating comparison is likely to become more meaningful from 2026 onwards—but it may also lead to older models without technical updates dropping in the rankings.

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