The Mercedes-Benz CITAN Kombi is the latest small MPV to have undergone rigorous crash tests by Euro NCAP, but its safety features have proven it to be a ‘lacklustre’ car. 

With families always on the lookout for the safest vehicles to transport their children to and from school, Euro NCAP gave no points to the CITAN Kombi in one part of the test as the seatbelt safety reminder – standard in most modern cars – is only available for the driver. 

In the tests, Euro NCAP discovered that a driver-set manual speed assistance system is available, but the warning given to the driver if the set speed is exceeded was visual only, and did not meet Euro NCAP's requirements. The car therefore failed its manual speed assistance test. 

“Inspection of the vehicle showed that some structures in the dashboard presented a hazard to the knees and femurs of occupants of different sizes and to those sat in different positions,” the Euro NCAP report said. “Dummy readings of chest compression indicated marginal protection of the driver''s chest. In the side barrier test, dummy readings indicated good protection of the head. However, the side curtain airbag did not deploy as intended, getting caught on the upper seat belt anchorage point, and the car was penalised.

“The same thing happened with the curtain airbag in the side pole test. Mercedes have indicated that they will improve the performance of the curtain airbag. Dummy readings of rib compression in the pole test indicated weak protection of the chest area. 

“Moreover, after the test, there was a noticeable gap between the B-pillar and the front edge of the sliding door. The car was penalised as such a gap might jeopardise the protection of occupants'' limbs. The front seats and head restraints provided marginal protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision.”

Despite this, the car is deemed safe for children, scoring ‘maximum points’ for its protection of the three-year-old and 18-month old dummies. 

Mercedes Concept GLA set to wow Shanghai Motor Show with ‘striking’ SUV interior Mercedes will be showing a compact premium-class SUV at the Shanghai Motor Show next week.The Concept GLA combines dynamic styling with clear benefits for recreational use. Under the bonnet of this

Lewis Hamilton 'starts new chapter' after team unveil 'sophisticated' Mercedes F1 W04 IN SUNNY SPAIN, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg arrived in two Mercedes SLS AMG Coupes, where they together pulled the cover off the car they will use to challenge for wins this season.And when they

Prime Minister David Cameron visits Mercedes academy to mark start of National Apprentice Week Young apprentices at the Mercedes-Benz Apprentice Academy were delighted to welcome Prime Minister David Cameron to join their activities this morning, as part of a visit to mark the start of Nation

Government relaxes cabotage legislation to 'boost our economy'.  Following a consultation with industry, the government has announced plans to relax cabotage rules around peak vehicle registration periods. Around 400,000 new cars and vans are registered in b... 

HGV drivers to be exempt from doing five days of training every five years.  “A bit late, but the right decision in the end”  – that’s the view of leading industry trade body, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) in response to the announcement from the Roads Ministe... 

Ten million motorists have driven without an MOT, new survey reveals.  A NEW survey by the SMMT has revealed a shocking number of motorists have driven without a valid MOT. Around 67 per cent admitted driving for up to one week without a valid MOT certificate, whi... 

Chris Middlehurst wins Protyre Formula Renault Championship after outstanding season.  Could the motor racing world have just discovered the next Jenson Button, a star who arguably deserves a Formula One drive more than the dozen-odd pay-to-race drivers in the single-seater sport?Chri... 

Morris Minor Series (Part Two): the many challenges of restoring a Morris Minor.  From traditional panel beating and welding to paint re-spraying and trim work, it goes without saying that it would be challenging to restore a Morris Minor to its former glory without some basic me... 

The ‘Cool Colour’ Coatings of the Future: BASF reveals it is making more eco-friendly ‘scratch-resistant’ coatings .  For paints and coatings producers, the European automotive sector is highly lucrative, with the region OEM segment offering sales opportunities across other continents.BASF, the world’s fifth larges... 

Nissan’s all-gamer line-up takes class podium at Spa 24 Hours.  Nissan’s all-gamer line-up of Lucas Ordonez, Jann Mardenborough, Wolfgang Reip and Peter Pyzera took a Pro-Am podium in the Spa 24 Hours today when they brought the No.35 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 to th... 

Lotus set to recruit 100 new engineers, graduates and manufacturing staff to cope with 'increased global demand'.  Iconic British car manufacturer Lotus has announced that it is to create more than 100 new jobs, including a new intake to its revamped graduate programme.The government has welcomed the news as a p... 

WIN a Mitsubishi Mirage .  Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has launched a competition that will see every one of its dealerships give away a brand new Mitsubishi Mirage to a lucky customer for a whole year.The UK’s fastest growin... 

Continental reveal ultra-quiet tyre that reduces cabin noise by nine decibels: The ContiSilent.  Car manufacturers demand tyres that not only demonstrate top performance but are also quiet, helping to increase car comfort. Continental has just introduced ContiSilent, a new technology that ... 

Government Sets Out Radical Plans To Shake Up Apprenticeship Funding.  Employers could be funded directly to purchase the Apprenticeship training they want as part of proposals which will put businesses in the driving seat, Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced.... 

Like many popular websites, Motortrades Insight uses some third party widgets that may set and may have already set cookies, for example the Twitter feed on our homepage. For more information see our cookie policy. By clicking close and continue you agree to our use of cookies.