Euro NCAP’s first tests on heavy quadricycles in 2014 revealed major shortcomings in safety and the organisation called for tighter legislation from the regulators and for quadricycle manufacturers to take more responsibility for the safety of their products. Since then, more quadricycles have come onto the market and an updated European regulation has come into force. Euro NCAP’s 2016 campaign examines what has changed in this segment in the last two years and introduces a star rating for this segment to help consumers in their purchase decision.

CRITICAL STRUCTURAL SHORTCOMINGS AND INADEQUATE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS ADD UP TO UNACCEPTABLY HIGH RISKS OF FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY, EVEN AT MODERATE TEST SPEEDS.

The latest results show that little progress has been made, with test findings that are as bad as two years ago. The Microcar M.GO by Ligier now offers a driver airbag as an option but tests show this to be ineffective. Without simple but critical structural modifications, the airbag offers no increase in protection and appears to be little more than a marketing ploy to create an impression of additional safety. Similar structural shortcomings have been observed to those seen on the Ligier tested two years ago, including separation of major structural components.