BYD Shark 6 and Audi Q7 secure top marks in safety assessments

Both vehicles received five-star ratings, while Euro NCAP’s updated approach also highlights the safety value of accessible physical controls.

Source: CAR Magazine South Africa2026-10-161 min read

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Euro NCAP’s latest safety assessments awarded five stars to the BYD Shark 6 and Audi Q7. The results also put a focus on dashboard design: the organisation’s updated testing approach rewards clearly accessible physical controls for essential tasks, as using touchscreen menus can distract drivers.

The Audi Q7 scored 90% in the driving-controls assessment, including 100% for essential primary functions and 80% for comfort and infotainment controls. Euro NCAP credited its well-positioned buttons and traditional stalks. The SUV also earned five stars for crash protection and driver assistance, with strong results in frontal, side and pole impacts. Its lane-departure system adjusts warnings according to how attentive the driver appears to be.

The Shark 6’s five-star result draws on Australasian NCAP data, supplemented by Euro NCAP frontal-offset and barrier-impact tests. The double-cab pickup demonstrated strong structural protection and effective driver-assistance technology, but received a post-test penalty after a side-curtain airbag did not deploy correctly. Other vehicles in the assessment included the Kia EV2, which earned five stars, and the Mazda2 Hybrid, which retained a four-star rating based on the Toyota Yaris. In the driving-controls category, BMW’s iX3 scored 100%, Geely’s E2 80% and Xpeng 20%.

This is an original summary compiled and translated from the source below, not a direct translation of it.

Source: CAR Magazine South Africa →How we compile the news →

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