Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor, answers your questions.
From M Harris:
I read your recent piece on poor EuroNCAP crash test results for the Nissan Navara. Who are EuroNCAP and do they test all vehicles? Can I check the safety rating on my own car? Are they a reputable outfit, or a branch of a few car companies?
EuroNCAP is a very reputable operation, set up by the Transport Research Laboratory of the British Department of Transport in 1997. Other governments have since joined, including France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, along with many consumer groups. The European Commission is an observing member of its board.
As such, it's not a regulatory body, but a consumer test organisation. Legally, all cars must pass minimum EU standards to go on sale, but the EuroNCAP tests grade the cars based on safety levels beyond these. For example, it tests cars in a front impact crash at 64km/h rather than the EU minimum requirements of 56km/h.
The point is that it's an independent grading of new cars. The car firms can ignore the results and claim that they pass the minimum standards for market, but would you drive a car that performed poorly in these tests compared to its rivals?
Given the age of the organisation, it doesn't have every car on its list butand the tests have improved and expanded over the years, so older cars do nothave the extensive crash test information of current models.
It's also worth noting that EuroNCAP chooses the specification - including safety equipment - based on what's on sale in the biggest market for that model. They buy the cars there and that may well mean it is fitted with more airbags or safety features than we get on the standard model here. A five-star rating in EuroNCAP may not mean that your entry-level version is just as safe.
Within these limitations, it's the best independent system available at present, and is constantly improving. You should go to euroncap.com where you can search results based on the class or size of car, and also down to make and models.
From TOC:
In the road test of the Kia Picanto last week you stated that the automatic version is best avoided. You should have explained this sweeping statement. My wife has a 1.1 Picanto Automatic. We have both always driven automatics for years; since the 1960s. Mine was a BMW 320i Auto. We never had a moment's problem. To my mind a manual drive owes a lot to the age of the starting handle and the manual choke. Why get involved in this nerdy dialogue between the engine and the wheels?
My criticism was not sweeping on automatics: just on this particular auto version of the Picanto.
The reasons are simple: it's slower, more thirsty, has higher emissions and in general is not as flexible or responsive as the manual version.
If you have driven automatics since the 1960s, then you will well know the incredible performance lag of earlier versions. Modern automatics have improved, but those fitted to small cars are still not on a par with their manual counterparts. Small automatics are practical in town, but quickly lose their attraction out on the open road.
From WT:
Will Honda offer a hybrid version of the new Accord? I drive the Civic hybrid, but would like more legroom in the back.
There are no plans for a hybrid Accord at present. Instead, Honda will introduce a new five-door model for sale here next year, along with a production version of its CR-Z hybrid concept, a small three-door sports car. My advice would be to wait and see the new family hybrid car - due to be unveiled by the end of this year.
From L Grace:
In your reports from last week's Geneva Motor show, you showed a concept car on the front page. What was it?
It was the Morgan LifeCar, the latest concept from the small British carmaker. The purpose of this concept is to demonstrate the design opportunities on offer from zero emissions. However, it's not just a pie in the sky concept design. It also points to the more short-term design direction from Morgan." A five-star rating in EuroNCAP may not mean that your entry-level version is just as safe.