Toyota Echo tops Europe crash test

The top-selling Toyota Echo has blitzed the latest round of supermini crash tests in the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP).

The Echo, which is known as the Yaris in Europe, scored four out of five stars and an overall rating of 85 per cent.

Six other superminis also received four-star ratings: the Fiat Punto, Peugeot 206, Renault Clio, VWs Polo and Lupo, and the Skoda Fabia.

Three-star cars included the Daewoo Matiz, Daihatsu Sirion (also the first car ever to get three stars for pedestrian protection), Ford Ka, Honda Logo, Hyundai Atoz and Vauxhall Corsa (Holden Barina).

The Yaris not only beat its 19 small-car rivals, but achieved the third-best result of any car in Euro NCAP testing to date.