Green NCAP plays for cars’ environmental performance much the same role that Euro NCAP plays for vehicle safety. As with Euro NCAP, its final rating can reach a maximum of five stars.
To understand what lies behind the star-based rating, we recommend reading, or revisiting, the article covering the previous test round. It explains in detail the areas assessed to establish just how “green” the cars we drive really are.
Green NCAP tests 25 cars
For this round, Green NCAP assessed 25 vehicles, ranging from models powered solely by internal-combustion engines, whether petrol or diesel, to electric cars and plug-in hybrids. There was even a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in the line-up: the Hyundai Nexo.
The table below provides the detailed rating for every model; simply follow the relevant link:
| Model | Stars |
|---|---|
| Audi A3 Sportback 1.5 TSI (automatic) | 3 |
| BMW 118i (manual) | 2½ |
| BMW X1 sDrive18i (manual) | 2 |
| Citroën C3 1.2 PureTech (manual) | 3 |
| Dacia Sandero SCe 75 (second generation) | 2½ |
| FIAT Panda 1.2 | 2½ |
| Ford Kuga 2.0 EcoBlue (manual) | 2½ |
| Honda Civic 1.0 Turbo (manual) | 2½ |
| Hyundai NEXO | 5 |
| Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDI (third generation) (manual) | 1½ |
| Kia Niro PHEV | 3½ |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport D180 4×4 (automatic) | 1½ |
| Mazda CX-30 Skyactiv-X (manual) | 2½ |
| Mercedes-Benz A 180 d (automatic) | 2½ |
| MINI Cooper (automatic) | 2½ |
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV | 2 |
| Opel Corsa 1.2 Turbo (automatic) | 2½ |
| SEAT Leon Sportstourer 2.0 TDI (automatic) | 3 |
| Škoda Fabia 1.0 TSI (manual) | 3 |
| Škoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI (manual) | 3½ |
| Toyota Prius Plug-in | 4 |
| Toyota Yaris Hybrid | 3½ |
| Volvo XC60 B4 Diesel 4×4 (automatic) | 2 |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI (manual) | 3½ |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | 5 |
As expected, the only vehicles tested to achieve five stars were the two electric models: the battery-powered Volkswagen ID.3 and the hydrogen fuel-cell Hyundai Nexo. Despite earning the top rating, however, the Nexo could not match the ID.3 for energy efficiency.
“Not all plug-in hybrids are the same”
The plug-in hybrid results were those everyone was waiting to see. These models have been the focus of controversy in recent months over their actual consumption and emissions figures: after a small number were tested, their results proved far higher than those achieved in the WLTP cycle. Green NCAP therefore put three through its assessment: the Kia Niro, the Mitsubishi Outlander - usually Europe’s best-selling plug-in hybrid - and the PHEV version of the Toyota Prius.
Green NCAP’s findings mirror those seen among internal-combustion engines: no two plug-in hybrids are alike, so the results differ... considerably. The Toyota Prius Plug-in, for instance, earned an excellent four-star score, outperforming every other vehicle assessed apart from the electric and fuel-cell models.
The Kia Niro PHEV was not far behind the Prius with 3.5 stars, whereas the Mitsubishi Outlander’s performance was disappointing, earning only two stars. Several combustion-only models achieved better results than the electrified Outlander. This comes down to a combination of factors, from its limited electric range of 30 km to the efficiency and emissions of its internal-combustion engine.
Toyota Yaris Hybrid, diesel and petrol results
Among the remaining vehicles assessed, the non-plug-in Toyota Yaris Hybrid deserves particular mention for its three and a half stars. More surprising, perhaps, is that its rating was matched by two purely combustion-powered models: the Škoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI - with its much-maligned diesel engine - and the petrol-powered Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI.
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