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Euro NCAP has introduced a new overall car safety rating.
Previously, the organisation that assesses the safety of new cars made three separate ratings for each vehicle tested.
Euro NCAP will now publish a new overall rating for every vehicle that will cover Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Pedestrian Protection and a new area of assessment called Safety Assist.
Over the next three years, NCAP plans to introduce stricter requirements that increase the emphasis on all-round safety performance, demanding higher levels of achievement in each area.
Of the six cars tested under the new system so far, four achieved Euro NCAP’s maximum award of five stars.
These vehicles were the Mazda 6, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Avensis and Toyota iQ.
Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP said: “We acknowledge that this new rating scheme is more challenging in some areas, but it does offer lead time to manufacturers in others.
“We need to raise the bar, but consider the current environment and give carmakers the opportunity to implement the best safety features into their vehicles.
“These manufacturers have shown that they are meeting all of our early targets.”
The other cars tested were the Subaru Impreza and the Citroen C3 Picasso, both of which received four stars.