Hyundai’s i20 and Kia’s Soul have both scored the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP’s latest safety test.

The i20 scored 88% in the adult occupant protection tests, including the new whiplash assessment.

The car scored six out of a maximum seven points in the ‘safety assist’ category and 41 out of a possible 49 points in the child protection.

The Kia Soul also scored the maximum five-star safety rating. The Soul scored 87% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child protection and 86% for safety assist equipment.

Euro NCAP’s other top scorers with five star results are the Audi Q5, Honda Jazz and Peugeot 3008. The Suzuki Alto scored three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies.

In response to Euro NCAP’s new rating scheme Suzuki have now made ESC at least optional on all Alto variants.

Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP, said: “At the heart of the new rating scheme is the objective to offer consumers a full picture of a car’s overall safety performance.

“Euro NCAP is now able to emphasise the importance of new safety technologies that assist a vehicle’s behaviour before an accident regardless of its size. Euro NCAP is also considering a wider range of future important technologies and driver assistance systems.

"Many claim that the weight and size of a car is the only criteria for safety. We believe that there are other aspects of safety that are just as important. The smaller cars we tested whose results are released today show that size should not stand in the way of all-round safety.”