The Safest Vans You Can Buy In 2025
Of all the reasons you may have for buying or leasing a van – big cargo bay, a large payload, time-saving technology – safety should always remain a top priority on your wish list.
Safety in the commercial industry has come a long way over the decades to the extent that today models are brimming with features designed to help you avoid accidents and, if the very worst does happen, protect you in the event of one.
Fortunately, there aren’t any outright ‘unsafe’ vans on sale in Europe right now – that’s according to EuroNCAP, the independent crash safety organisation – and there are several models that have attained the highest possible rating.
What Is EuroNCAP?
EuroNCAP stands for European New Car Assessment Programme and is an independent organisation that conducts crash tests and publishes safety ratings for new cars (and new vans), to help consumers assess and compare vehicle safety when making a purchase decision.
Formed in 1996, EuroNCAP has become the industry standard for assessing crash safety. Over the years the programme has evolved to make tests stricter in line with the changing nature of safety-assisted technology.
As such, having initially focused on crash safety for occupants, it has expanded to include safety towards pedestrians, increased the number of different impact scenarios and now rates based on the number and effectiveness of safety-assist features.
EuroNCAP expanded its programme to include commercial vehicles from 2021.
How Does EuroNCAP Give Van Safety Ratings?
Commercial vans receive are ranked based on a percentage and award system by EuroNCAP, in deference to that of cars which receive up to five stars and are crash tested.
Vans are instead given a percentage with any model receiving over 80% getting the highest Platinum award. Anything between 60-79% is Gold, between 40-59% is Silver, between 20-39% is Bronze and below 20% is labelled as ‘not recommended’.
EuroNCAP says the ‘tests represent, in a simplified way, important real-life accident scenarios that could result in injured killed car/van occupants or other road users’.
As yet, vans do not undergo impact crash testing but ratings are instead based on the effectiveness of safety features, such as lane keep assist and autonomous braking to avoid collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists.
Which Van Safety Features Are Tested By EuroNCAP?
EuroNCAP looks favourably on models that include the following safety-assist features:
ELK – Emergency Lane Keeping
LDW – Lane Departure Warning
BLIS – Blind Spot Information System
SLIF – Speed Limit Information Function/Limitation Function
AAD – Attention Assist Driver (to prevent losing concentration when driving)
AEB – Autonomous Emergency Braking (car-to-car, pedestrian, cyclist)
The Safest Vans You Can Buy In 2025 [Platinum Rating]
*as of April 2025
96% - Ford Transit Custom, Volkswagen Transporter
The Ford Transit Custom and Volkswagen Transporter earn the same safety rating as they are based on an identical platform and have the same safety features. The Transit Custom/Transporter received high praise from EuroNCAP for its ‘broad range of high-performing safety equipment, much of it standard’ to emerge as one of the safest vehicles you can buy today.
95% - Ford Transit
Much like its smaller counterpart, the large-size Ford Transit is said to ‘excel in all areas’ with ‘safety technology that is on a par with modern passenger cars’.
93% - Ford Transit Courier
The small dimension Ford Transit Courier makes it an all-Ford top three in terms of safety, according to EuroNCAP. The most compact of Ford’s four-strong Transit range was singled out for its excellent safety features that ‘works well’, especially crash avoidance tech.
90% - Mercedes-Benz Vito
The Mercedes-Benz Vito ‘performs extremely well’, with EuroNCAP particularly pleased to see the German marque heeding its recommendations when the previous generation model stalled with a silver rating.
87% - Mercedes-Benz Citan
Despite the Mercedes-Benz Citan sharing its platform with the Renault Kangoo and Nissan Townstar, though all three models receive a platinum rating, it is the German version that scores the highest rating thanks to its excellent ADAS systems. However, it does lack some safety equipment as standard.
86% - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Like the Vito, the previous generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter only attained a silver safety rating, but the latest model now has a platinum award thanks to an increase in standard safety features.
86% - Renault Kangoo
An update in 2024 has seen the Renault Kangoo upgraded from a gold to a platinum safety rating thanks to an increase in standard safety kit.
85% - Farizon SV
One of the newest commercial van models to hit the road, the Farizon SV consolidates its contemporary status by securing a top safety rating prior to going on sale. The Chinese model scored particularly well for safety equipment, particularly ADAS performance.
84% - Renault Master, Nissan Interstar
The Renault Master and Nissan Interstar twins were given a significant refresh for 2024 and have duly come out with a platinum rating thanks to increased safety tech that performed well when tested.
83% - Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo
Closely-related to its passenger-carrying sibling, the electric Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo shares the same ADAS technology.
83% - Ford Transit Connect, Volkswagen Caddy Cargo
Though not quite as high performing as its Transit counterparts, the Ford Transit Connect still secures a clean sweep of platinum ratings for the manufacturer’s commercial division. The rating, which it shares with the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo upon which it is based, is spurred on by Ford’s commitment to introduce updates in line with new legislation on vehicle safety.
82% - Maxus eDELIVER 5
Despite being the smallest and most affordable model in Maxus’ commercial line-up, the Maxus eDELIVER 5 offers a wealth of safety-critical standard equipment, including standard ADAS technologies.
Full Commercial Van Safety Ratings
