Gallery: these are the safest cars you can currently buy

Cars are getting safer. Of the 55 cars Euro NCAP crashed last year, 41 were judged safe enough to earn the top five-star rating, meaning that a), Euro NCAP needs to rationalise its scoring system and b), if you’re in the market for a brand-new car, when it comes to safety you can’t really go far wrong.

But if only the safest of the safe will do, keep on reading. Because every year NCAP calculates the very safest cars it’s tested over the last 12 months, using the scores from all four areas of assessment: adult occupant, child occupant, pedestrian and safety assist. These are those cars.

The Mercedes CLA comes out on top, with the Mazda3 finishing a close second. 

Click here to read our Mercedes CLA review, and here to read our Mazda3 review.

It's a tie between the new Renault Clio and the Audi A1. Then comes the new Ford Puma (which we'd argue isn't a supermini at all).

Click here to read our review of the Renault Clio, and here for our review of the Audi A1.

The Subaru Forester wins this class, ahead of the Mazda CX-30 and VW T-Cross. 

Click here to read our review of the Subaru Forester, here to read our review of the Mazda CX-30, and here for our review of the VW T-Cross. 

It's a win for the Tesla Model X, which beats the Seat Tarraco into second.

Click here to read our review of the Tesla Model X, and here to read our review of the Seat Tarraco. 

The Tesla Model 3 beats its big brother, the Model X, into second place. 

Click here to read our review of the Tesla Model 3.

It's a dead heat - the BMW 3 Series and Tesla Model 3 are the safest 'Large Family Cars', ahead of the Skoda Octavia. 

Click here to read our review of the BMW 3-Series, and here to read our review of the Skoda Octavia.