The safety agency rated the Mercedes-Benz CLA as the overall Best Performer with the Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Smart #5, Mini Cooper E, and Polestar 3 all being recognized as best in their respective segments.

2025 marked the busiest year of the Euro NCAP with more new cars tested than at any other time. Among these, however, the Mercedes-Benz CLA had the highest scores across all four assessment areas: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User, and Safety Assist. It was also awarded as the safest Small Family Car, continuing a trend started in 2019, when the previous-generation CLA was bestowed with the same honor.

The latest CLA impressed judges with a near-perfect performance in Adult Occupant protection and a class-leading score for Vulnerable Road User safety, thanks to its advanced active hood and refined AEB systems.

Meanwhile, the all-electric Mini Cooper E proves that small cars can deliver big safety. Despite its compact dimensions, it achieved high scores in structural crash testing, making it the safest choice in the supermini class of the models assessed by Euro NCAP in 2025.

The updated Tesla Model 3 remains a leader in safety. The electric family car achieved high scores across the board and particularly impressed in Child Occupant protection. Its Safety Assist score shows Tesla's continued improvement of driver assistance safety features.

It is the same with the Tesla Model Y. Reinforcing Tesla’s dual-category victory this year, the company’s best-selling Model Y proved the gold standard for small SUVs, specifically excelling in Child Occupant protection and Safety Assist tests.

A newcomer to the SUV segment, the Smart brand began making small cars without any compromise toward safety. The new, large Smart #5 impressed Euro NCAP’s experts with a robust five-star performance, proving that the brand's evolution into larger segments has not come at the cost of occupant protection.

Finally, the Polestar 3 outperformed rivals in the executive car class. Its structural integrity, impressive Child Occupant protection rating, and suite of next-generation driver assistance technologies secured its place as the safest executive vehicle of 2025.

To define the ‘Best in Class,’ a calculation is made of the weighted sum of the scores in the four areas of assessment: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User, and Safety Assist. Only vehicles with standard safety equipment are eligible for the award, and they must have achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating.