The Nissan Qashqai is the safest small family car you can buy, according to the independent testing organisation Euro NCAP. The award-winning crossover scored more points for safety than any other car in its class tested throughout 2014, thanks to a host of new and innovative safety features, including the Nissan Safety Shield.

This latest achievement adds to Nissan's hat trick of Euro NCAP accolades for 2014, following a full set of five stars given to both the new X-Trail and the new Pulsar.

During front impact tests, the passenger compartment of the Qashqai remained stable, with dummy readings indicating good protection for the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger. The driver dummy scored maximum points, with good protection of all body regions. Maximum points were also scored in the side barrier test with all parts of the body well protected.

Designed and engineered to offer the best possible levels of protection for children, the new Qashqai also shone in the Child Occupant tests. Based on readings from the child dummies used in the dynamic tests, the Qashqai scored maximum points for its protection of an 18-month old infant.  

Completing the report, the Qashqai's front bumper scored maximum points for the protection provided to pedestrians' legs.

A key factor in the Qashqai's strong Euro NCAP performance was its highly advanced network of safety features. Packaged together to form an innovative Nissan Safety Shield, the new Qashqai's electronic systems combine to offer the driver and occupants extremely high levels of passive protection. The new Qashqai's Safety Shield technologies incorporate Forward Emergency Braking, Driver Attention Alert, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition. The Nissan Safety Shield also features Blind Spot Warning and Moving Object Detection, systems made possible and accessible thanks to Nissan's acclaimed Around View Monitor technology.