The all-new Subaru Outback has achieved the highest overall score across all cars, and a remarkable result in Safety Assist performance, on all vehicles assessed in 2020-2021 by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).
The Outback registered scores in all four-assessment areas (Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road Users, Safety Assist) that stand comfortably above the minimum threshold required to obtain the maximum rating of five star. These results reflect Subaru’s approach for building vehicles based on the All-Around Safety philosophy, aiming to deliver the highest levels of safety and to achieve zero fatal traffic accidents by 2030, improving safety in all situations*4.
Euro NCAP latest assessment protocol no longer awards top-five rating stars if driving assistance systems do not make a significant contribution to avoiding accidents or at least reducing the severity of an accident. Thanks to EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, the latest generation of Subaru’s prevention collision system, the Subaru Outback achieved highest score across all vehicle classes*3 and the best result ever achieved by a Subaru vehicle in Safety Assist crash tests.
At Euro NCAP’s Flashback 2021 report, Subaru Outback was among the best performers: “Tests revealed large differences in ADAS scores. Best performers were the Subaru Outback with 95% scores, thanks to sophisticated AEB, lane support, speed and attention assist systems”.
The 4th generation EyeSight Driver Assist Technology encapsulates all safety technical knowledge built up by Subaru over 30 years of development. The latest version features image recognition software with stereo camera that offers nearly double the angled view range, and is available with 11 standard safety functions: Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering Function, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Speed Sign Recognition with Intelligent Speed Limiter, Lane Departure Warning with steering wheel vibration, Lane Departure Prevention (also recognizing dividing line such as grass and road edge) and Pre-Collision Braking System with expanded support for collision avoidance at intersections.
The latest Euro NCAP Safety Assist test introduces the Occupant Status assessment, which the Outback successfully passed thanks to Subaru’s facial recognition technology Driver Monitoring System, that alerts the driver when feeling fatigued or distracted while driving.
A more advanced Speed Assist System is also required, as well as autonomous interventions to avoid Car-to-Car rear crashes – allowed both by braking (AEB) and driver initiated steering (AES) – and Car-to-Car crashes when turning across the path of an upcoming vehicle at junctions.
The Subaru Outback also achieved highest score in Vulnerable Road Users tests across all vehicle classes and the best result ever posted by a Subaru vehicle. The latest Euro NCAP assessment requires new test scenarios for the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), enhancing both Pedestrian protection (when turning at crossing) and Cyclist protection (higher target speed scenarios and obstructed scenarios).
The Outback’s safety equipment suite includes Reverse Automatic braking, Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection, Rear Seat Reminder, and Multi View Monitors: Front View / Rear View / Side View Monitors, for a safer drive that reduces vehicle blind spots.
It is built on the Subaru Global Platform and the amount of high-tensile steel panel materials was increased, allowing for a lighter body as well as improved protection in frontal, side, and rear end collisions by + 40%, and offering enhanced energy absorption efficiency and impact load transmission. The body has been substantially strengthened with a new structural frame (full inner frame structure) and an addition of beams and sub frames, further enhancing the Outback’s top-level collision safety performance.