Euro NCAP says it has never been more important for businesses to make an informed decision when choosing their next van, especially when it comes to safety, after launching a new simplified ratings system.
Euro NCAP’s testing of vans’ Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technologies began in 2021. Recognising the changing landscape of roads and rise in van numbers, the organisation launched commercial van ratings to help improve road safety as part of its Vision 2030 strategy.
From May 2025, Euro NCAP has started to use an easy-to-follow star ratings system, rather than the former medal system, when awarding new light commercial vehicles (LCVs).
The new star ratings for LCVs will continue to show businesses and tradespeople which models feature the most effective active safety systems, Euro NCAP says, adding that familiar safety five-star grading has already helped to dramatically improve the safety standards of passenger cars since its inception in 1997.
Now the same, easy-to-follow star rating will be applied to vans.
Whether a driver is delivering flowers or parcels, servicing heating systems, or heading to a building site, Euro NCAP says having ADAS is like having a full-time co-driver scanning the road and looking out for potential danger or changes to driving conditions.
Should the driver fail to react to danger, these ADAS technologies can help prevent an accident or mitigate its severity.
While commercial vans do not necessarily have a higher crash rate than other motor vehicles, crashes involving vans tend to be more severe for their opponent vehicles.
According to the European Commission, casualties comprise around 4% of total fatal or seriously injured vehicle occupant casualties. A large percentage of these are due to loss of control in head-on and rear-end crashes.
For 2025, Euro NCAP has re-awarded each van with a star rating following its assessment in 2024. These included some of Europe’s best-selling models from Citroën, FIAT, Ford, Iveco, LEVC, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot, Renault, and VW, as well as brands from China, including Farizon and Maxus.
Dr Aled Williams, programme director at Euro NCAP, said: “With the growing number of vans on Europe’s roads, and the disproportionately high mileage that they cover compared with passenger cars, it is important that Euro NCAP helps businesses choose the safest vans for their fleet and simultaneously encourages van makers to fit ADAS technologies as standard and ensure their effectiveness.
“More and more, authorities, shippers and freight handlers are using Euro NCAP’s five-star rating as a benchmark for their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies.
“By introducing Euro NCAP’s familiar and proven, easy-to-understand star ratings for light commercial vehicles, we are making it simpler for fleet operators and small business owners to make informed purchasing decisions and pick the safest vans for themselves or their colleagues, at a time when there is growing choice in the market.”
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