Euro NCAP Officials Loving the Land Rover 2

Two new small off-roaders have just been evaluated by the European car safety authority, Euro NCAP, and the results are more than pleasing, if we are to believe the institution's officials. So far, the maximum score obtained by a vehicle in this category (small off-roader), when it came to adult occupant protection was of four stars. The first small off-roader tested in this category was the 2002 Honda CR-V, and since then, nine cars have gone through the Euro NCAP sleve.

Today, it came the turn of the Land Rover Freelander 2 model, which managed to obtain 5 stars in adult occupant protection, 4 stars in child protection and one star in pedestrian protection. Euro NCAP's Secretary General, Adrian Hobbs, is very surprised and excited about the 5 stars obtained by the Land Rover 2 in adult protection:

“I am delighted that Land Rover has made such an improvement to the level of protection offered to its occupants. It is perhaps surprising that, until now, no small off-roader has managed to achieve a five star rating. I am disappointed though that the company has not invested the same effort into improving the level of protection it offers to pedestrians. In this recent test, the Freelander 2 only achieved one star in pedestrian protection, just as it did in 2003. It concerns me that manufacturers are still not considering the dangers posed by their vehicles in relation to the outside environment.”

The other small off-roader evaluated by Euro NCAP was the Suzuki Grand Vitara, model which didn't do so bad either. In the adult occupant protection the Grand Vitara obtained 4 stars, in the child protection category the Suzuki small off-roader obtained 3 stars, the same score got in pedestrian protection. Overall, the Suzuki Grand Vitara got better scores than the Land Rover Freelander 2, and maybe Euro NCAP officials should be excited about this model.