1 Toyota Corolla Verso 1.8 VVT-I T Spirit

Safety means more than a strong crash rating from the world's leading safety testing organisation, Euro New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP). The Corolla Verso has one of the highest scores ever achieved in those tests - a full five safety stars - but one added feature has really captured the interest of other car makers, a telling sign an idea is truly worthwhile. Imagine you are at a hectic junction, turning right across a busy stream of traffic. Parked cars litter the side of the road you are turning into, so you inch forward, trying to get a glimpse of what might be hurtling towards you. Familiar? And incredibly dangerous. Toyota's cornering assist monitor is a camera mounted in the nose of the Corolla Verso to give you a head start on the turn. The Verso ticks all the other safety boxes, too: it has nine airbags, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist to ensure maximum braking effort is applied to all wheels in an emergency, and vehicle stability control to help prevent skids. On top of all that, the Corolla Verso is a fine, small MPV with a clever seven-seat arrangement - enough for all the family to travel in safety.

List price £18,795
Top speed 121mph
MPG (overall figure) 36.7
Length 4360mm
Width 2020mm
Height 1620mm
CO2 emissions 184g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 22%
Boot space 63/779 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 7
Engine size 1.8 litres

2 Renault Modus 1.2 Expression 5DR

Renault has made safety one of its biggest selling points in recent years, which is no surprise, given that seven of its cars have earned the coveted five-star rating from Euro NCAP. The Modus is the latest to do so, officially becoming the safest supermini at the same time (no other small car has managed a full five-star rating). As well as being a cleverly designed mini with as much interior space as it has charm, it also has two "intelligent" front airbags, airbags in the front doors and curtain airbags. The expected array of electronic control systems to help prevent skids are available and you can even specify headlights with addi tional lamps in them that illuminate corners as you drive around the bend.

List price £9,650
Top speed 101mph
MPG (overall figure) 47.1
Length 3792mm
Width 1960mm
Height 1589mm
CO2 emissions 145g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 15%
Boot space 198/1283 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 5
Engine size 1.2 litres

3 Citroen C4 1.6 16V SX

Although the C4 has yet to reach showrooms and dealerships in the UK (it was launched last week), the proposed list of onboard safety kit makes it worth mentioning in this round-up. Top of the list of safety gadgets is a driver's seat that vibrates if you wander out of your lane on the motorway - a rather novel wake-up call if you should happen to doze off at the wheel. Then there is the "floating" steering wheel ,in which the centre hub is fixed while the wheel rotates around it, and which enables a larger, more effective airbag to be deployed. Talking of airbags, there is even one to protect the driver's knees. Laminated side glass, which prevents windows from shattering and heads and arms flailing out of windows in an accident, should also make the options list, as will headlights that swivel to better illuminate corners. Plus, the NCAP has awarded the C4 a very impressive three-star pedestrian rating and a five-star crash test rating.

List price £13,195
Top speed 121mph
MPG (overall figure) 39.8
Length 4260mm
Width 1773mm
Height 1458mm
CO2 emissions 169g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) n/a
Boot space 320 litres (below parcel shelf)
NCAP crash test rating ***** (tbc)
No of doors 3/5
No of seats 5
Engine size 1.6 litres

4 Renault Grand Espace 2.2DCI Expression

The Espace, another very safe Renault, proves the adage - which is unfortunate when it comes to green driving - that biggest is usually best when it comes to safety. The Espace managed an extraordinarily high score in European NCAP crash tests - it secured maximum marks in the pole test, which simulates what happens when a car drives into a tree (not that you will be doing that, of course), and scored very highly in frontal impact tests. It has two-stage front airbags, deployed according to the passenger's weight, and niceties such as tyre pressure monitors provide some extra peace of mind. Leaving aside matters of self-preservation, the Espace is also a decent car - it has style and practicality in abundance. It is the original, some would say the best, and I would say the safest big MPV you can buy.

List price £24,825
Top speed 117mph
MPG (overall figure) 35.8
Length 4661mm
Width 2104mm
Height 1728mm
CO2 emissions 211g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 31%
Boot space 291/2860 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 7
Engine size 2.2 litres

5 Honda Civic 1.6I SE 5DR

Spare a thought for the poor old pedestrian. While car makers strive long and hard to ensure the people who buy their cars are well protected, few of them seem especially bothered about what might happen to the man, woman or child unfortunate enough to step off the pavement into the path of said car. Except Honda. The Jazz supermini, CR-V 4x4 and Civic small family car have all scored three out of four for pedestrian safety in Euro NCAP tests. The Civic, tested back in 2001, still holds the highest overall pedestrian safety score. As well as designing the bumper and bonnet in a way that will cause the least damage to any pedestrian who is hit head-on by the car, Honda has tucked all the nasty hard bits well away beneath the bonnet. It is clever, and a lesson to the other manufacturers about what can be done if they take the time and effort to try to improve pedestrian safety.

List price £13,100
Top speed 115mph
MPG (overall figure) 42.8
Length 4285mm
Width 1924mm
Height 1495mm
CO2 emissions 157g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 17%
Boot space 370/732 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 5
Engine size 1.6 litres

6 Toyota Prius 1.5 T3 5DR

The Toyota Prius is proof that crash-test dummies can have a conscience, seeing as it combines eco-friendliness with safety. The Prius is the best hybrid car to date, using a combination of petrol and self-charging electric power, so it improves consumption while reducing emissions. It is even exempt from London's congestion charge - so if you live or work in the capital, this car could save you quite a bit of money, too. The Prius' excellent five-star rating puts it alongside Toyota's Avensis and the Renault Laguna as one of the safest family cars on the market. And it has some cultural cachet, too - Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz are both reputed to drive it.

List price £17,545
Top speed 102mph
MPG (overall figure) 65.7
Length 4450mm
Width 2010mm
Height 1490mm
CO2 emissions 104g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 11%
Boot space n/a
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 5

7 Volvo XC90 D5 S

Urban drivers cite the safety of a 4x4 as the main reason for buying them, despite the complaints of those locked outside the citadels on wheels that they offer no such safety to pedestrians. So - leaving aside for a moment all considerations of greenness - it is no surprise that Volvo's XC90 features on this list. It is popular, too, with waiting lists stretching well into next year. It is stylish, well built, good to drive and offers clever seating for seven people. In the Volvo tradition, it is safe, too. It has achieved the highest score of any large 4x4 subjected to Euro NCAP tests so far. So it is friendly to passengers, but this SUV is also surprisingly friendly to other cars. Hitting a big off-roader is never a good idea, but the XC90 has been designed to minimise the damage to the other vehicle.

List price £30,735
Top speed 111mph
MPG (overall figure) 34.0
Length 4798mm
Width 2120mm
Height 1784mm
CO2 emissions 219g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 32%
Boot space 249/1837 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 7
Engine size 2.4 litres

8 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 16V Life 5DR

In a class that is jam-packed with impressive cars - such as Volkswagen's Golf, Renault's Megane and Toyota's Corolla, manufacturers pile on the extras in a bid to capture serious sales. For Vauxhall, that means boosting safety. The latest Astra is the safest small family car, according to Euro NCAP. It scored well in frontal and side impact tests, and also does well on child protection in the back. Front and side airbags protect those sitting at the sharp end, while side curtain airbags will also protect those in the rear. A clever pedal release system will even protect the driver's feet in the unfortunate event of a head-on collision, while the increasingly standard electronic systems improve traction, stability and braking.

List price £12,495
Top speed 115mph
MPG (overall figure) 42.8
Length 4249mm
Width 2030mm
Height 1460mm
CO2 emissions 158g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 17%
Boot space 350/1265 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 5
No of seats 5
Engine size 1.6 litres


9 Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet 1.9 DCI Dynamique

Sexiness and safety go hand in hand in the sleek Megane Coupe Cabriolet. It may be able to lose its hard top in a matter of seconds (and don't worry about storing it, it folds away into the boot all by itself), but that does nothing to diminish its safety standing. Euro NCAP tests proved the Megane is a safe car, whether you choose the hatchback, the Scenic small MPV or this convertible. In fact, when overall scores are tallied, the convertible matches the high-scoring Scenic. As with most cars tested, though, this Megane could do no better than a two-star pedestrian rating.

List price £19,320
Top speed 124mph
MPG (overall figure) 51.4
Length 4576mm
Width 2060mm
Height 1429mm
CO2 emissions 146g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 18%
Boot space 190/490 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 2
No of seats 4
Engine size 1.9 litres

10 Saab 9-3 Convertible 1.8T Linear

The Saab is another car that proves you can have fun and be safe. The Euro NCAP experts certainly felt it had been designed with safety in mind. They were so impressed they gave it the full five-star rating - making it the first soft-top car to achieve that mark. It has dual-stage front airbags that sense the severity of any impact, as well as the position of the driver and passenger, before deploying. And should the car roll, protection hoops pop up at the back of the car to keep the occupants' heads away from the ground. Saab is proud of its "Real Life" safety programme, which assesses the impact actual road accidents on cars driven on everyday roads. Working on it may be at the less glamorous end of car design, but it has definitely paid dividends in the 9-3.

List price £24,305
Top speed 127mph
MPG (overall figure) 32.8
Length 4635mm
Width 2038mm
Height 1434mm
CO2 emissions 206g/km
Tax liability percentage (company cars only) 27%
Boot space 235/352 litres
NCAP crash test rating *****
No of doors 2
No of seats 4
Engine size 1.8 litres