Safety body Euro NCAP has named its safest vans on sale in 2022, by taking a look back at the 19 commercial vans crash tested in the last year.
Instead of using a star rating, Euro NCAP and UK safety organisation Thatcham Research have developed a medal system to show which vans have the best crash avoidance systems. The independent rating programme was introduced last year to address growing concerns about the lack of safety-critical equipment fitted to new vans, compared to what is routinely provided on new cars.
Per mile travelled, vans and LCVs are involved in more deaths of other road users than any other vehicle type. With UK van sales continuing to rise sharply, safety experts want manufacturers to do more to fit their vehicles with the latest collision-avoidance technology, which has been proven to protect other road users.
Scores for the van testing are based on the availability (not necessarily as standard equipment) of emergency braking, speed limiter, lane support, and seatbelt reminder systems, as well as the performance of active safety technology.
Finishing top of the pile by a considerable margin is the Fiat Ducato – the first van to achieve Euro NCAP’s top ‘platinum’ rating, with a score of 88%.
The Ducato, which was a ‘bronze’ rated van the year prior with a scors of just 28%, received a facelift in 2021 that included some welcome additions to its safety features, notably a very efficient emergency braking sensor system designed to protect pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a potential collision.
Matthew Avery, chief research strategy officer at Thatcham Research, said: “Fiat has completely raised the bar this year and we welcome the brand’s response to our calls for improved safety on vans. To jump 60% from one assessment to the next is very impressive and we congratulate the brand for achieving the world’s first Platinum rating.
“It is also good news that this Platinum rating has been achieved by a shared van platform within the Stellantis Group. The Ducato’s performance has the potential to benefit a huge chunk of the market because the Vauxhall Movano, Peugeot Boxer and Citroën Relay share the same production platform. We hope the Ducato’s features will be made available on these vans too.”
The Ford Transit and Transit Custom, the Volkswagen Transporter, and the Mercedes-Benz Vito make up the rest of the top five safest commercial vans, these models all receiving a ‘gold’ rating.
The worst performer was the Nissan Interstar (formerly called the NV400), which only scored 18% and was the only van given a ‘Not Recommended’ rating by Euro NCAP.
The ten safest commercial vans on sale in 2022
Euro NCAP also named the facelifted Renault Trafic as one of the most “markedly improved” vans tested in 2021, gaining a ‘silver medal’ position in the top ten thanks to its new lane keeping and emergency braking technology.
Overall, the safety body says that the test results it has published in 2021 shows that the safety of commercial vans is steadily improving, despite the fact that most safety equipment is still only available as optional extras.
“We are seeing promising signs that commercial vans are being upgraded with more advanced safety systems, closing the gap between passenger car and commercial vehicle segment”, explained Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen.
“In general, it looks as though manufacturers are starting to take the safety in this segment more seriously.”
This steady increase in new van safety is set to accelerate further in a few years’ time, when UK government legislation changes – requiring van manufacturers to fit basic avoidance systems as standard, already widely available on passenger cars.
