Euro NCAP: three city trucks miss out on CitySafe rating

The latest comparison shows safety gaps in city traffic — and a shortfall in lane-keeping systems

Heavy distribution trucks share narrow streets with pedestrians and cyclists. In the new Euro NCAP comparison, three of seven tested city trucks did not receive the CitySafe award. The testing organisation also reports a gap in lane-keeping assistants: none of the seven models had one available.

The results were published on 3 November 2026. Euro NCAP assessed cab visibility, active collision avoidance and protection after a crash. It places particular emphasis on situations where a truck turning can come into conflict with cyclists or pedestrians. The award is a comparative benchmark from the organisation, not a legal type-approval decision, and does not mean that an unrated vehicle is generally unsafe or non-compliant.

What Euro NCAP tested

Euro NCAP examined seven trucks in the city-distribution category. Among other things, the organisation’s commercial-vehicle tests assess how well drivers can see surrounding traffic directly, which warning and braking systems are available, and how the vehicle contributes to care after a crash. To achieve CitySafe, visibility features and advanced automatic braking systems designed to prevent or mitigate collisions with unprotected road users both have to be in place.

How to read the results matters here: Euro NCAP compares safety equipment and test performance under its own rating programme. The stars and the CitySafe award replace neither type approval nor an assessment of each individual vehicle, configuration or real-world situation.

Which trucks achieved CitySafe

The MAN TGL led the comparison, earning five stars and CitySafe. The Mercedes-Benz Atego, Renault Trucks D and Volvo FL each received four stars plus CitySafe. The DAF XB scored three stars but missed CitySafe. The Isuzu F-Series and IVECO Eurocargo each scored two stars and also missed the award.

The sub-scores show why a single overall figure does not tell the whole story. For the DAF XB, Euro NCAP cites 66% for “Safe Driving” and 36% for “Crash Avoidance”. For the Isuzu F-Series the figures are 67% and 29%; for the IVECO Eurocargo, 58% and 20%. These percentages refer to the relevant Euro NCAP test areas and are not a percentage probability of being injured in a crash.

The differences concern, in particular, active avoidance of collisions with pedestrians and cyclists. Euro NCAP describes limits on the Isuzu’s ability to intervene when cyclists turn alongside the truck. For the IVECO, the organisation highlights weaknesses in direct visibility and in detecting and avoiding certain conflicts. For specific fleet decisions, operators should check the relevant test page and the equipment of the variant they order.

What the results mean for fleets

The testing organisation also reports that none of the seven tested trucks was available with a lane-keeping assistant. Distribution vehicles in particular often switch between fast roads and denser built-up areas, so a missing system is a relevant comparison point — though on its own it says nothing about how an individual driver operates a vehicle or which other safety systems are present in a given specification.

For council procurement, delivery fleets and companies with frequent inner-city runs, it is worth comparing safety equipment beyond star ratings alone. It makes sense to weigh the specific configuration, optional cameras or windows, warning and braking systems, and the operating route together. Euro NCAP recommends that cities and fleets factor test results into procurement decisions, while also calling on manufacturers to close the gap in lane-keeping functions.

The results are a snapshot of the test vehicles and specifications available at the time of assessment. Changes to model year, options or software can alter the specification, so the actual manufacturer configuration is decisive before ordering.

Sources and status

• Euro NCAP: “Euro NCAP warns nearly half of city distribution trucks aren’t safe enough for our cities”, 3 November 2026
• Euro NCAP: test results and model overview

Research and data as of: 3 November 2026.

Transparency note: AI-assisted tools were used in researching, structuring and writing this article. The sources used are listed in the article. Publication takes place only after manual editorial approval. Translation of the German original on Net Trends. Picture note: AI-generated symbolic image, as in the original.

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