Geely’s Emgrand EC7 and the MG6 both achieve 4 stars in Euro N-Cap

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Chinese car manufacturers are improving from the days when zero stars were the norm in European crash tests, however MG and Geely are changing the stereotypes of Chinese cars with new crash test results that put them on par with new Jaguars and Jeeps. MG obviously owes its crash test success to its UK design and engineering team that played a major part in the 6′s development, but Geely largely uses it own home grown talent to develop its new products which shows that progress is certainly being made.

Geely’s EC7 and the MG6 came on par with four other ‘Chinese quality’ vehicles such as the prestigous Jaguar XF, Jeep XJ, Renault Fluence, and Fiat Panda, the Panda lost a star this year owing to a lack of ESC being launched as standard on the car. So why didnt’ the EC7 get 5 stars in Europe like it did in China? The Eur0 N-CAP tests for pedestrian safety where as the C-NCAP (Chinese version) does not, and also tests at a lower speed in 2011 (this will change in 2012), under the Euro N-CAP rules the EC7 scored ‘marginal’ in pedestrian safety but scored well for child protection.

Euro N-CAP’s Secretary general Michiel van Ratingen summed up the situation quite well: ‘These results mark a milestone for the  Chinese automotive industry. It is a clear sign that Chinese car makers are building on recent experiences and rapidly investing in better vehicle safety. Even with the upcoming increased demands, five stars are expected to be within reach soon.’

Euro N-CAP 5 star performances are the standard in 2011, so Chinese manufacturers have some room to evolve just yet but remember just two and a half years ago Geely was pushing 0 star cars into Russia, the next two years are likely to show even bigger gains.