The two-star Isuzu F-Series offered the best direct vision in the group, helped by narrow cab pillars and a deep windscreen. However, its Crash Avoidance score was just 29 per cent.
IVECO’s Eurocargo also received two stars, recording 58 per cent for Safe Driving and 20 per cent for Crash Avoidance. It scored no points for frontal pedestrian and cyclist protection or cyclist turning protection.
Lane assistance missing across the board
A further concern stretched across all seven models: none offered lane-keeping assistance capable of preventing an unintended departure from the lane.
Euro NCAP warned that these trucks regularly move between faster roads, suburban routes and congested city centres.
Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP’s Director of Strategic Development, described the omission as an “unacceptable blind spot” that manufacturers must address.
- Every key deadline: diesel rebate, fuel excise, carbon tax
- Tick-box checklist for tacho, CVRT, CPC & operator licence
- Where drivers get caught at RSA roadside checks
For Irish fleet buyers, the practical lesson is to scrutinise the precise safety specification being quoted. Several visibility improvements and camera systems assessed are optional.
Ask which systems are included, whether cyclist protection operates without indicators, and whether the quoted truck matches the specification behind its rating.
For vehicles working daily around pedestrians and cyclists, those details deserve a place alongside payload, fuel consumption and purchase price.
