Mazda 6 gets top Euro NCAP approval

The Mazda 6 has been acclaimed as one of Europe's safest cars after being among the first models to achieve the top five-star accolade in radically revised crash tests undertaken by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), the organisation that assesses the safety of new cars.

Euro NCAP published the results for the first six models to undergo its revised safety tests on February 18.

The Mazda 6 was one of four models to achieve the overall five-star rating covering adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist, which is the new area of assessment. The tests also take into account rear impact (whiplash) tests and the availability of electronic stability control (ESC).

The new testing scheme requires all safety equipment, including ESC, to be standard on 85 per cent of volume sales and at least optionally available on every variant.

ESC, which has been hailed by road safety campaigners as the most significant safety advance since the introduction of the seat belt, is standard on the new Mazda 6 line-up as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Traction Control System (TCS).

Also accelerating Mazda to the safety forefront is the availability of standard safety features throughout the Mazda 6 range, such as traction control with Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Emergency Brake Assist, front, side and full-length airbags.

Mazda's fleet and remarketing director Peter Allibon said: "Ensuring a car is 'fit for purpose' is a key requirement of a company's duty of care responsibility towards not only its at-work drivers, but other road users. Central to striving for reduced crash levels among at-work drivers is for managers in charge of public and private sector fleets to ensure they put only the very safest cars on choice lists.

"Safety-focused fleet decision-makers should therefore look for the new five-star Euro NCAP symbol which plays to the strength of the Mazda 6. Fleet investment in safety starts with employees driving 'safe' cars - and that means the Mazda 6."

The new Mazda 6's prices start from €25,050 for the 1.8-litre engine version (120 bhp and 160 g/km of CO2).

Adding further appeal is the all-new Mazda 6 2.0-litre 147 bhp engine, boasting CO2 emissions of only 166 g/km.