Nissan Townstar is awarded five-stars under new system 

Nissan’s Interstar was also given five stars, and its medium-sized LCV, Primastar, achieved a four-star rating. 

All three vehicles were assessed by Euro NCAP this year, which uses criteria such as the integration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies and the protection towards vulnerable road users, like pedestrians and cyclists, to establish how well a vehicle performs. 

Townstar scored a 79% rating in the safe driving category while Interstar was given 73%, and Primastar, 68%. 

The growth of vans on Europe’s roads – more than 80 million and an increase of almost 1.59 million units in 2024, according to European Automobile Manufacturers Association – the severity of crashes in commercial vans and stricter regulations all mean that greater emphasis is being placed on safety. 

Euro NCAP began testing ADAS technologies in vans in 2021 and launched commercial van ratings as part of a wider push to improve road safety. It noted that there has been a noticeable improvement: from four vans out of 18 only scoring above 40% in 2021, this was 17 out of 18 being awarded 60% in 2024.