Five-star winners included the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which was awarded a score of 86% for adult occupant protection, 84% for child occupant protection, 64% for pedestrian protection and 81% for safety assist. The carmaker added that the results showed the excellent level of protection of the under-floor battery pack and components of the high voltage electric system, which were unaffected by this crash test.

The new Mazda3 was also awarded a five-star rating and gained a figure of 93% for adult occupant safety, 86% for child occupant safety – both among the highest scores in Europe this year – along with 65% for pedestrian safety and 81% for safety assist. The result makes the Mazda3 the safest compact available across Europe to be tested by Euro NCAP thus far in 2013, according to the brand, and the fifth Mazda to gain the top Euro NCAP safety rating.

Also awarded a five-star rating was the Peugeot 308, with figures of 92% for adult occupant safety, 79% for child occupant, 64% for pedestrian and 81% for safety assist.

And Infiniti’s Q50 also gained the maximum stars and was awarded 86% for child occupant, 85% for child occupant, 67% for pedestrian and 81% for safety assist. The five-star award winners also included the Ford Tourneo Connect small MPV –  the first compact people mover to be awarded the maximum five-star safety rating – and the Maserati Ghibli.

The test line-up also saw the BMW i3, Nissan Note and Ford EcoSport tested, all of which received four stars. The BMW was awarded 86% for adult occupant, 81% for child occupant but 57% for pedestrian and 55% for safety assist. Euro NCAP added that the i3 offers an optional system that uses sign recognition to inform the driver of the speed limit, which can then be programmed into the speed limiter but the system is not expected to reach Euro NCAP's minimum fitment rate to qualify for assessment.

The Ford EcoSport also scored well for adult and child occupants, with figures of 93% and 77% respectively but was awarded 58% for pedestrian and 55% for safety assist.

Similarly, the Note gained 86% for adult occupants and 82% for child occupants but 58% for pedestrians and 70% for safety assist.

Other results saw four stars awarded to the Mercedes Citan Kombi under a reassessment and four stars for the VW T5 van in kombi bodystyle.