Nissan vans show their safety credentials

The Nissan Townstar and the Interstar have both been awarded the maximum five stars under the new system. Both vehicles are available with ICE or all-electric powertrains.

Meanwhile, the medium-sized Primastar achieved a strong four-star rating. All three vehicles have been re-assessed by Euro NCAP this year.

The star ratings replace the ‘medal’ grading method employed by Euro NCAP until recently, under which vans were allocated rankings such as bronze, silver and gold. Star ratings are already used in a wide variety of automotive settings, with a five-star rating indicating the peak of success.

The new Euro NCAP scoring system meant a step up for Townstar, which advanced from its former gold status – just below platinum and equivalent to four stars – to five-star billing.

There were a number of factors that helped Townstar advance to its new five-star status. The van won particular praise for its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system which detects other vehicles and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Euro NCAP noted: ‘‘Performance is excellent when approaching a stationary or slower-moving car, with collisions avoided in almost all test scenarios. The system performs equally well whether the target vehicle is straight in front of it or offset to one side.’’