Euro NCAP has released fresh safety ratings for four new vehicles, including BMW’s latest 1 Series hatchback and 3 Series sedan.

Both of the BMW-branded models scored maximum five-star ratings after their crash-test evaluations, while the latest Jeep Cherokee and the new Peugeot 208 had to settle for four stars apiece.

While the (now front-driven) third-generation 1 Series scored highly, Euro NCAP said its tally for adult occupant protection would have been higher “were it not for its front seat narrowly missing a ‘good’ rating for whiplash protection”.

The seventh-generation 3 Series, meanwhile, achieved what the safety authority described as the “best safety performance of any large family car” tested under the new, more stringent protocols.

“It’s good to see the premium brands, from Germany and elsewhere, maintaining the very high standards they have set for themselves and continuing to achieve five-star ratings,” said Euro NCAP secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen.

“I’m sure that BMW’s customers can be confident that the company will continue to strive for the highest standards of safety, even as our protocols get tougher and tougher,” he added.

The Peugeot 208, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on a five-star rating, meeting the requirements in all areas “except the protection of vulnerable road users”. The Jeep Cherokee managed what Euro NCAP described as “good but unexceptional performance across the board”.

Watch the crash tests of the 1 Series and 3 Series below, and head over the Euro NCAP’s YouTube channel to see the others…

Original article from Car