New R5 Electric scores only 4 stars at Euro NCAP

Safety Institute Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) recently assessed 14 new cars on safety issues. Eleven of them got the highest 5-star ranking, and three of them only got four. One is the MG ZS Hybrid +, and two are from the same stable: the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric and its sporty nephew, the Alpine A290.

Mind you, 4 stars is not a bad score at all. However, as most manufacturers strive for 5 stars and most of them succeed, it’s always news when some cars don’t succeed. One also has to consider that the number of tests is increasing and getting tougher, making it more difficult for smaller and cheaper cars to comply in all fields.

Driver surveillance and vulnerable road users

The new Renault 5 and Alpine A290 are structurally the same cars and have the same safety equipment, so they share the same results. The Renault 5 E-Tech Electric Techno was the vehicle tested. It’s a safe car for its occupants, obtaining a good score of 80% for both adult and child occupants.

The comment of Euro NCAP in general: “Good global performance in general in avoiding and protecting against collisions but doesn’t match the highest standards in all key evaluation fields.”

One of the weaker points is the driver surveillance. The system detects a driver getting tired but not the one getting distracted. This last feature isn’t mandatory yet, but it will be as of the 7th of July, 2026.

The other matter of concern is the safety of vulnerable road users outside the car. The R5 got a global score of 76% in this field because of several minor glitches. The autonomous emergency braking for pedestrians worked well in daylight but was less efficient at night.

Cyclist detection when opening the doors is simply unavailable, costing precious points in the general judgment. Finally, the head of a pedestrian or a cyclist could be better protected when hitting the windscreen surroundings.

Overall, it becomes challenging for manufacturers of more affordable cars to foresee everything to score five stars. Like with the Dacia Duster (which scored only three stars), Renault has chosen to skip some driving aids in favor of other equipment or, more importantly, to keep the price as low as possible. It’s a tough choice.