The Lexus IS saloon has scored a top five-star rating in independent Euro NCAP crash testing, confirming it as one of the safest cars in its class.
The IS scored 91 per cent for adult occupant protection, 85 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for pedestrian protection and 66 per cent for safety assist performance. Together these results secured an overall five-star commendation.
In the pedestrian protection category, the new IS recorded the best score among all the large family cars Euro NCAP has ever tested, due mainly to the performance of its new pop-up hood and bumper design – features standard across the full IS range.
Sensors in the bumper detect when a pedestrian has been struck and actuators lift the bonnet to create extra clearance above the hard structures in the engine compartment. The system can detect pedestrians of different heights, and operates over a range of vehicle speeds.
Where adult occupant safety performance was concerned, Euro NCAP drew attention to the maximum points achieved by the new IS in the side barrier impact test, the good protection afforded by the driver and front passenger knee airbags and the high level of protection against whiplash injury.
In the child occupant tests, the IS scored maximum points for the protection levels for both 18-month and three-year-old infants.
At the heart of the Lexus IS’s excellent safety performance is its highly rigid, impact-absorbing body shell. This is supported by a comprehensive range of active and passive safety features, engineered to provide the best possible protection in all driving scenarios.
Incorporating Lexus’s unique Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system, the new IS has successfully built on the superior safety performance of its predecessor model by introducing of a number of advanced safety features.
In the UK this includes the availability (optional for the IS 300h and 250 Premier models) of the Pre-Collision Safety system with Lane Departure Assist and Automatic High Beam operation, plus a Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert system (both standard on Premier grade models).
All IS models further benefit from eight airbags as standard, including knee airbags for both driver and front passenger.
Find out more about the Lexus IS at lexus.co.uk.
