After achieving a maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) crash tests last September, the compact Qoros 3 sedan has been confirmed by the safety organization as the best ‘Small Family' car of 2013. The Qoros 3 sedan is the first car developed in China to be awarded five stars by Euro NCAP. The first production car from Qoros, the new international car brand headquartered in China, scored highly in all four areas of the Euro NCAP tests and its overall score (88 percent) was the highest achieved by any vehicle tested during 2013 – placing it amongst the very safest cars ever tested by Euro NCAP. Volker Steinwascher, Vice Chairman of Qoros, said: “The Euro NCAP result demonstrates the high level of design, engineering and production quality that we have achieved with the Qoros 3 Sedan. Reaching these very challenging world-class standards – not just in safety, but in every attribute of the car – was an objective from the very beginning and it is very satisfying to gain recognition for our endeavors.” Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General, said: “The Qoros 3 Sedan has received the official 2013 best-in-class honor and is the best performer of all the Small Family cars subjected to Euro NCAP's crash tests in 2013. We congratulate Qoros for having achieved the highest safety record with the Qoros 3 Sedan, which becomes the first car developed in China to achieve the highest five stars at Euro NCAP's tough crash test program.” The Qoros 3 Sedan scored the best result for Adult Occupant protection (95 percent) in Euro NCAP's 2013 program. The passenger safety cell proved to be extremely robust in front-end, side impact and pole impact collisions – minimising exposure of passengers to collision forces by diverting impact loads along predefined paths to dissipate their effect. Equipped in the rear with ISOFIX child seat anchorages with top tether hooks, and a front passenger airbag disconnect switch, the Qoros 3 Sedan also scored maximum points for Child Occupant protection (87 percent) in the front and side crash tests, while proving compatible with all the Euro NCAP approved child seats. It also achieved an impressive result in Pedestrian protection (77 percent) thanks to a development program that included meticulous work with Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE). Qoros' expert safety team developed one of the best pedestrian protection systems ever assessed by Euro NCAP. The comprehensive suite of standard ‘passive' safety equipment (designed to keep occupants safe during an accident) fitted to the Qoros 3 Sedan includes front and side airbags, full length curtain airbags, three-point automatic seat belts on all seats and dual belt tensioners for front passengers. The front seat head restraints are designed to reduce whiplash injuries in a rear-end collision. The latest Euro NCAP test criteria includes an assessment of a vehicle's ‘active' Safety Assistance Systems (those designed to help prevent accidents) and here, the Qoros 3 Sedan also recorded an excellent result (81 percent). Standard equipment includes: ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), BA (Brake Assist) and ESP (Electronic Stability Program), plus seat belt reminders for all occupants and a driver-set speed limiting device. Euro NCAP is an independent consortium with eleven members made up of government representatives, automobile clubs and consumer protection organizations. The transport ministries of Sweden, France, the UK, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Catalonia and Germany are involved, alongside the FIA, the German Automobile Club (ADAC), International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT) organization, and the Thatcham Research Centre run by British motor insurers. It continually adapts its assessment protocols, challenging manufacturers to deliver ever safer vehicles. The 2013 assessment was the most challenging so far, with the Pedestrian protection procedures being even more comprehensive than 2012, along with tougher scoring criteria in the Safety Assistance Systems assessments. The four Euro NCAP test criteria are given different weighting when calculating the vehicle's overall score. Adult Occupant protection has a 50 percent weighting, Child Occupant and Pedestrian protection categories each have a 20 percent weighting, and Safety Assistance Systems has a 10 percent weighting. — SG
