The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) has just announced the best performing cars of 2010.
Toyota Verso emerged as the top achiever among the models tested by Euro NCAP in the small MPV segment.
Toyota Verso accomplished a high combined score in each of the four areas of Euro NCAP's assessment, delivering a five-star overall rating.
In March 2010, Verso scored 89% for adult occupancy, 75% for child occupancy, 69% for pedestrian impact and 86% for safety assistance.
New Euro NCAP regulations were introduced in February 2009.
This marked the start of a three-step programme, which will see the introduction of further, increasingly stringent crash testing rules.
Significantly improved pedestrian impact performance constitutes one major change in the three-step programme, with a five-star rating requiring a score of 25% in 2009, 40% in 2010 and 60% in 2012.
Achieving 69%, the Verso already fulfils the requirements of the challenging, 2012 test target.
With adult and child occupant categories also becoming increasingly strict in 2010 and 2012, vehicles now need to achieve excellent results in all four categories to merit a five-star rating.
In 2009, the iQ, Avensis and Prius all achieved the same maximum rating.
The Verso was one of the first vehicles to be awarded five stars under the revised, more demanding, 2010 Euro NCAP crash test programme.
Other Euro NCAP class winners included BMW 5 Series, Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Honda CR-Z and Kia Sportage.
