Safest small cars 2026
These cars cram cutting-edge safety tech into a more compact package
Not too long ago, you’d be lucky if you found a single airbag within some small cars. However, we’ve come a very long way in a fairly short amount of time and, thanks to huge developments in safety standards and technology, the safest small cars now offer a level of safety akin to a far bigger (and often pricier) vehicles.
To find the very safest small cars, we lean on Euro NCAP, the independent body that puts cars through a battery of crash tests. They check how well adults and children are protected, how the car looks-after pedestrians and cyclists, and whether all the safety gadgets actually do their job when it counts. By using these scores, we can highlight the models that really punch above their weight, giving you confidence that even the smallest cars can be safe on the road.
Below, we’ve rounded up a selection of the very safest small cars that you can currently buy according to the latest Euro NCAP safety testing criteria.
BYD Dolphin
- Prices from £30,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2023)
- Adult occupant score: 89%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 85%
- Safety assist score: 79%
Just like many other Chinese newcomer brands, BYD is a regular sight on the latest Euro NCAP scoreboards. Even the entry-level BYD Dolphin hatchback is filled with safety kit including lane-keeping assist, a 360-degree camera and traffic sign recognition. The brand certainly hasn’t been stingy when it comes to other features, either, and the Dolphin’s cabin wouldn’t feel out of place in a far more expensive car. We didn’t find it particularly exciting to drive during testing, but it’s very difficult to argue with this electric car’s sheer value for money.
MINI Cooper E
- Prices from £27,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2025)
- Adult occupant score: 89%
- Child occupant score: 87%
- Vulnerable road users score: 77%
- Safety assist score: 79%
While a compact, retro city car might not have been the first model to come to mind when thinking about the safest cars on the road, the MINI Cooper E has proved mightily capable at acing Euro NCAP’s testing. The Cooper E is the fully electric model, and while this car is very different to its iconic classic counterpart, it’s still an absolute doddle to drive on urban streets as well as being genuinely fun to chuck down a B-road. We’ve been highly impressed with the brand’s quality improvements over recent years, too, and the Cooper now feels far more expensive than it actually is.
Volvo EX30
- Prices from £33,000
- Euro NCAP Rating: 5 stars (2024)
- Adult occupant score: 88%
- Child occupant score: 85%
- Vulnerable road users score: 79%
- Safety assist score: 80%
If there’s one car brand that’s synonymous with safety, it’s Volvo. This Swedish marque introduced seatbelts into the mainstream back in the day, and it’s clear that occupant protection is as important as ever in the Volvo EX30.
There’s no shortage of active safety tech within this compact electric SUV, and it offers a genuinely premium feel for a very reasonable price. There’s even a decent amount of shove on offer across the line-up, with the least-powerful variant churning out a respectable 268bhp. If we have one criticism, it’s the EX30’s total reliance on its touchscreen. If you like traditional switchgear, look away now.
Safest small car Euro NCAP scores
| Adult occupant | Child occupant | Vulnerable road users | Safety assist | |
| BYD Dolphin | 89% | 87% | 85% | 79% |
| MINI Cooper E | 89% | 87% | 85% | 79% |
| Volvo EX30 | 88% | 85% | 79% | 80% |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 83% | 90% | 85% | 72% |
| Kia EV3 | 83% | 84% | 78% | 78% |
| BYD Dolphin Surf | 82% | 86% | 76% | 77% |
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