Solid as a rock! That's the verdict on the new Range Rover in the Euro NCAP tests. Picking up four stars, it coped easily with the frontal collision, while the readings from the dummy in the side-on smash were among the best ever recorded. However, it wasn't all rosy for the big Brit – testers slammed it for having "dire pedestrian protection".
Honda's CR-V also scooped four stars but, unlike the Range Rover, it was praised for offering good external protection. This is thanks to a number of anti-injury measures built into the bonnet and front-end structures. The Honda fared well in the frontal impact, yet NCAP's team found the design of the facia could cause leg injuries in certain smashes. Also, the seatbelt was criticised for allowing the driver's head to hit the steering wheel before the airbag had fully inflated. And although the CR-V was found to provide good protection for young children, it lost points for not warning parents that the passenger airbag can't be turned off.
Jeep's new Cherokee scored three stars. It coped well in the front smash, but testers found that a bolster in the knee-impact area could cause severe injury. They also said there was a risk the clutch and brake pedals could detach in an impact and damage the driver's feet. However, the Jeep received high praise for good child protection, although it was slated for that offered to pedestrians.
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