Mazda CX-5 gets NCAP kudos

Euro NCAP - the European New Car Assessment Programme that independently assesses the safety of new cars on the market in Europe - has come out bursting with praise for the new Mazda CX-5.

In particular, Euro NCAP singled out Mazda's Smart City Brake Support system which is fitted as standard across the entire CX-5 line-up. This features Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) which operates at speeds up to 19mph and uses a laser sensor to detect a vehicle in front of the car. If the driver doesn't hit the brakes or slow down appropriately, the system automatically activates the brakes and reduces the engine output all at once. That helps to avoid collisions or mitigate the damage from rear-end collisions at low speeds, which are among the most common accidents.

So impressed were the good people of Euro NCAP by this system that they have called on all automakers to fit AEB as standard on all cars. As of 2014, Euro NCAP will include the technology in its crash test programme star rating as an additional incentive for manufacturers to get that box ticked and maximise their star rating. According to Euro NCAP, this technology can reduce accidents by up to 27%.

Prices for the 18-model CX-5 range start from £21,395. It is also equipped with SKYACTIV technology that includes overall vehicle weight reduction, better aerodynamics, chassis improvements and new manual and automatic gearboxes.


By Georgia Lewis

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