The new Defender 110 has passed its first major crash test with flying colors, earning the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP tests.
The new Defender 110 has passed its first major crash test with flying colors, earning the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP tests.
This strikes to the core reason that the truck exists at all, replacing the iconic original: occupant and pedestrian safety. The Euro NCAP test reviews the impact of crashes on both occupants and those outside the vehicle in various situations. It also now considers how well semi-autonomous features like automatic braking and lane assistance work in various circumstances, and evaluates how children in car seats fare in crashes.
The Defender scored 85% on the adult and child occupant score, 79% for safety assist devices, and 71% for protecting vulnerable road users. All of these percentages are high enough to give it a five-star rating.
Crash safety -- both for the occupants of a Defender and those that the vehicle impacts -- are one of the primary reasons that the iconic original vehicle was replaced. The Euro NCAP testing video makes clear many of the advances that are expected, and even required, in the modern marketplace, from the airbags the original famously never had to the various automated braking systems that are starting to become legal requirements in many countries.
The Defender did particularly well in the side impact testing, gaining the maximum score here. It also scored relatively well in the "Vulnerable Road Users" test, which was another test the original Defender had major issues with. Although the leading edge of the hood scored poorly for pelvis protection, the rest of the front of the vehicle scored exceptionally well.
The full Euro NCAP review is here. The new Defender has not been tested in America yet, by either the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
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