These five star cars are some of the safest autos on the market today

Top cars that also score five stars with EuroNCAP
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Some of the very safe cars may not exactly ring your bell, since crash protection can sometimes make cars seem a bit dull.

But there are cars out there that deserve five stars in their own right since they’re great to drive and offer excellent value for money. Add to that a five-star EuroNCAP crash protection rating, and you have something that should get your bell clanging away. Here are our best-performing, most attractive choices. Ding dong.

Skoda’s first full-size SUV is the best such vehicle you can buy for under £30,000. With a full seven seats and four-wheel drive, the Kodiaq is a great drive, with tons of equipment for a price that must concern some of the competitors.

The new award-winning BMW 5 Series is a superb driver’s car, and all the passengers will enjoy the luxury and comfort of the handling and ride experience. With lots of kit, including the brilliant iDrive, this really is an astonishing all-rounder.

Speaking of all-rounders, the Fabia is equally accomplished in its way, and adds remarkable value for money to the mix. It has loads of room for its size and the range of engines is excellent, although if we had to choose we’d go for the 1.2 TSI 90 with SE level of trim.

SE is really all the trim you need, since the car is beautifully built and finished and SE gives you more than enough kit. In Sportback guise you get five doors and enhanced practicality to go with the great handling and ride with SE suspension.

If you want the most size for your money the Touran isn’t for you. But if you want the best compromise between some driving pleasure in an MPV and a top-drawer interior that can flexibly accommodate a family and friends in safety, then the Touran is unbeatable.

Before the success of its first full-size SUV, the Kodiaq, Seat launched its very first SUV, the Ateca. And promptly walked away with a car-full of awards and test wins. The price is keen, the handling is fabulous and the cabin is spacious. It’s a handsome devil too.

This is Audi’s largest SUV, so it’s no surprise to find the outstandingly well built cabin has ample room for the brood and all their kit. The driver will enjoy the experience, particularly with the 3.0-litre diesel powering all four wheels. A great combination of luxury and practicality.

There’s room for seven full-sized people in the Discovery Sport, and all of them get serious crash protection. Keep it on the standard 18in wheels for the best and most comfortable ride, and enjoy the torque-laden performance. This is a desirable SUV, which is why resale values hold up so well.

The newest Q5 has a really fabulous cabin, being comfortable, spacious and beautifully appointed. With an upgraded everything, it’s a great SUV if you’re looking for a more car-like driving experience.

Notice how often Skoda appears in this list – five-star security doesn’t always cost five-star money. We’re not so convinced by the latest revisions, with those odd headlights, but the rest of it is fully thumbs up for comfort, practicality and, above all, space.

In the executive car sector 2.0-litre diesels are the best compromise between performance and economy. And the 2.0-litre diesel in the A4 is terrific. However. Crank up the money just a little and you can have the 3.0-litre diesel for pretty much the same running costs but with added smoothness and power. Too tempting by half.

Once again Skoda manages the trick of making reasonable sized cars with unreasonably large cabins. This elegant premium saloon works best for company car drivers with the 2.0-litre diesel but private buyers should go for the 1.4-litre petrol engine.

That blue strip at the front signifies that this is a plug-in hybrid. You can choose it either as a saloon or an estate, and it should go 30 miles or so on a charge – a valid choice for company car drivers as it’s huge inside and supremely well appointed.

The new Discovery really does look big in the metal, but then it can also seat seven adults and accommodate all their kit as well. It’s still a Land Rover so it really can rove around the planet, and it has a really rather plush interior.

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