Van safety performance is improving according to Euro NCAP.

Currently, 40% of the vans tested under their Euro NCAP Commercial Van ratings have received the top Platinum rating.

These models have performed substantially better than the EU General Safety Regulation (GSR2) that came into effect on 1 July 2024. 

The vans currently awarded a Platinum rating are Ford Transit Connect, Ford Transit Courier, Maxus eDeliver 5, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Nissan Interstar, Renault Master and the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo.

A total of 17 vans have been tested under the current regime, with all but one receiving either Platinum or Gold ratings. The only model to not meet that standard is the LEVC VN5.

Leading the way as the safest van according to the July 2024 Euro NCAP tests is the Ford Transit Courier with a total score of 93%. Second is the Mercedes-Benz Vito with 90%. Both models scored well thanks to their shared technologies in common with passenger cars. 

Vans have seen a significant improvement in the availability of ADAS as manufacturers comply with new legislation.

Euro NCAP’s Commercial Van ratings are designed to test the effectiveness and performance beyond the required GSR2 levels. 

“It is pleasing that vehicle manufacturers are responding to Euro NCAP’s tougher requirements and surpassing GSR2 standards, and we would urge fleet managers to consider Commercial Vans that have the Euro NCAP Platinum rating," said Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general Euro NCAP

"These are the vehicles which most significantly outperform GSR2 regulations and offer commercial fleets safer choices that prevent or mitigate the severity of crashes and protect company reputation and their drivers,” he added.

Euro NCAP began testing vans in December 2020, updating its testing protocols in 2023 with a greater emphasis on the fitment of ADAS technologies.

Euro NCAP will only test technologies that are available as standard from 2026.

You can see the data sheets for each of the tests here:

Ford Transit Connect EuroNCAP rating

Ford Transit Courier EuroNCAP rating

Maxus eDELIVER 5 EuroNCAP rating

Mercedes-Benz Vito EuroNCAP rating

Renault Master EuroNCAP rating

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo EuroNCAP rating

The Ford Transit Custom has been scored the highest level on the Euro NCAP test for medium vans with a Platinum safety rating.

The new Transit Custom scored a total of 96% receiving the highes level of "Good" in all areas tested.

In the Autonomous Emergency Braking AEB CAR-TO-CAR tests it scored a total of 27.6/30 pts, while in the AEB PEDESTRIAN category it scored 9.3/10. For the AEB CYCLIST tests the Custom scored 9.2/10.

But it was the other three areas of the test, Lane Support, Speed Assistance and Occuptant Status Monitoring where the Transit Custom really excelled scoring full marks of 20/20 for Lane Support and 15/15 for both the Speed Assistance and Occupant Status Monitoring tests.

Euro NCAP's report on the Platinum safety score for the Ford Transit Custom said:

The Transit Custom, Ford’s mid-size van first introduced in 2012, is tested here in second-generation form, available since 2023. It is equipped with a broad range of high-performing safety equipment, much of it as standard equipment, which it shares with its passenger-carrying stablemate, the Tourneo Custom. And it excels, scoring full or nearly full points in all of Euro NCAP’s tests, and emerges with a thoroughly well-deserved Platinum grading.

A more detailed report went on to praise the Autonomous Emergency Braking systems, explaining the technology behind the safety systems that include digital mapping to identify local speed limits.

The Ford Transit Custom joins the Ford Transit Courier as Ford's second Platinum scoring van in the Euro NCAP tests.

Euro NCAP's full comments for the safety assist perfomance test are below:

"The autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system uses radar-camera fusion technology to detect other vehicles and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Performance is good when approaching a stationary or slower-moving car, with collisions avoided at most test speeds, albeit with slight drop-off in performance of the forward-collision warning at the highest speeds. The system performs equally well whether the target vehicle is straight in front of it or offset to one side or the other, and there is good reaction in the scenarios where a vehicle turns across the path of the approaching van. With a pedestrian target, the system performs well in all scenarios, including those done in night-time conditions. The system reacts equally well in Euro NCAP’s cyclist scenarios, again scoring almost full points."

"The lane support system includes lane departure warning, which signals to the driver when the van is drifting out of lane, and emergency lane keeping, which intervenes more aggressively in certain critical situations to prevent the van from leaving the road. The system performed well in all tests, and includes blind spot monitoring to help the driver not to pull out in front of an overtaking vehicle."

"The Transit Custom uses a camera and digital mapping to identify the local speed limit and provides the information to the driver, allowing the limiter to be set accordingly. The limiter is able to maintain the set speed to within 5 km/h. A seatbelt reminder is standard for the driver and front passenger seat, and the Transit Custom recognises steering behaviour which is characteristic of fatigued driving, alerting the driver to the need for a break."

Euro NCAP - Commercial Van Safety 2024 report, 24 April 2024

The Fiat Ducato has been named as the top rated van in the latest round of Euro NCAP van safety ratings.

Based on an evaluation of crash avoidance systems and their performance, the Ducato was the clear winner achieving a platinum rating.

Euro NCAP drew attention to the poor level safety equipment in commercial vans last year where the Ducato received a Bronze rating. As the workhorse of choice for couriers and small businesses, vans spend a lot of time on the road where, because of their size and mass, they represent a larger hazard to smaller vehicles and vulnerable road users if involved in a collision.

New legislation will force van manufacturers to fit basic avoidance systems, already widely available on passenger cars, in a few years’ time but Euro NCAP’s commercial van ratings aim to encourage manufacturers to fit more advanced systems more quickly.

What are the Euro NCAP van safety ratings?

Euro NCAP revisited 19 of the best-selling vans in Europe with only one van assessed being rated as ‘Not Recommended’. This compares to five vans last year.

The Vauxhall Movano is now built on a new Stellantis platform and gets a bronze medal alongside the Renault Master. This was achieved thanks to small but notable improvements to its speed and lane assistance systems. Its twin, the Nissan Interstar (previously the Nissan NV400), also gets these improvements but lacks an Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system so is in the Not Recommended category.

The Ducato’s upgrade is thanks to a major safety make-over and now features an advanced sensor set, offering AEB pedestrian and AEB cyclist, and excels in these tests.

The Ducato’s 88% overall score sees it leapfrog the competition to become the first platinum-rated van but the other Stellantis vehicles which the Ducato shares its platform with – Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Relay and Vauxhall Movano – are rated lower. They don’t have the same equipment levels and are therefore only ranked as gold.

Euro NCAP tests vans with safety equipment which is standard or optional, so the assessments represent the best that can be expected of each vehicle. In terms of fitment, little has changed in the last twelve months and safety equipment is still offered mainly as an option.

See the updated Euro NCAP van safety ratings for the safest vans and worst vans in 2023.

Fiat Ducato Ford Transit Volkswagen Transporter Ford Transit Custom Mercedes-Benz Vito Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Nissan Primastar Renault Trafic Peugeot Expert Volkswagen Crafter Vauxhall Vivaro Iveco Daily Citroën Dispatch Toyota Proace Vauxhall Movano Peugeot Boxer Citroën Relay Renault Master Nissan Interstar

88% 68% 65% 63% 61% 52% 45% 45% 44% 44% 42% 41% 37% 37% 33% 33% 32% 29% 18%