Top safety scores for small cars

Small cars have been given top safety ratings in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results.

Out of the six cars tested - which include the new Kia Soul and Peugeot 3008 - five received the top score of five-stars.

The Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 and Audi Q5 were the other models to score the top marks in the tests. The Honda and Hyundai came out with the highest scores in pedestrian protection while the Kia Soul performed best in the whiplash testing.

However, the new Suzuki Alto received just three stars in the tests due to its poor performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistant technologies.

These ratings are the latest in the new system now used by Euro NCAP which includes whiplash testing and is marked from an overall score of adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist.