Swedish SUV wins praise, while Citroen, Mitsubishi, Skoda and Volkswagen all achieve full five-star rating

Euro NCAP has announced that the Citroen C3 Aircross, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Skoda Karoq, Volkswagen Polo and T-Roc and Volvo’s latest XC60 have all achieved top marks in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests.

Singling out the Swedish SUV, the European crash safety body awarded the XC60 98 per cent for adult occupancy, 87 per cent for child protection, 76 per cent for pedestrian impact and 95 per cent for safety assistance systems – the highest scores ever recorded by Euro NCAP.

The XC60’s performance, declared Euro NCAP, makes the small Volvo SUV safer even than its larger sibling, the XC90 – the previous safest car money could buy.

According to Euro NCAP, the XC60’s better score could be attributed to its lighter kerbweight and even more advanced safety assistance technologies.