THE new Honda Jazz e:HEV has been awarded the maximum five-star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety tests, which introduce a range of rigorous new assessments.

Available exclusively with a hybrid powertrain, the new Jazz is the first Honda model in Europe to feature a front centre airbag as standard.

The airbag is fitted within the back of the driver's seat and expands into the space between the driver and passenger, mitigating the potential for front-seat occupant's heads to collide directly in the event of a side-on impact.

In order to ensure the airbag is accurately placed to deliver maximum protection during deployment, the airbag uses three attachment tethers which guide the airbag around the driver in a curve. To realise this new feature, the engineering team developed the airbag unit to fit within the upper bolster of the newly designed driver's seat.

This new airbag is one of 10 in the Jazz e:HEV, which also features a rear-seat i-side Airbag System. This unique double-structure airbag, installed in the rear seat pad, activates to protect rear occupants from impacts against the door and C-pillar in the event of side-on collisions.

The airbag is also designed in compact size in order not to detract from the unique magic seat function of the Jazz which allows the rear seats to fold vertically and allow large objects to be stored.

The passive safety features are complemented by Honda SENSING active safety and driver assist technologies, which now includes an improved wider-angle camera with higher definition.

This replaces the multi-purpose camera and sensor set-up of the previous-generation Jazz, and recognises a broader range of road surface and traffic characteristics. The Honda SENSING suite, which comes as standard on all Honda models, also includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System and Road Departure Mitigation system among a host of other features.

Euro NCAP's more stringent test protocols evaluate the impact of crash forces in the event of a collision. A significant element of NCAP's assessment considered whether Jazz has the ability to protect its occupants and reduce the impact on the other vehicle involved in a collision incident.

The assessment requires that crash forces are directed to those parts of the car's structure where the energy can be efficiently and safely absorbed, leaving the passenger compartment as intact as possible, and not exposing the occupants to dangerously high levels of deceleration. Both of these functions must perform simultaneously when a collision happens.