Brussels – September 09, 2026 -- Euro NCAP has awarded GAC's all-electric hatchback, the AION UT, a five-star safety rating under its newly overhauled 2026 testing protocols, making it one of the first mass-produced Chinese brand models to clear the tougher standards.
Stricter 2026 rules raised the bar for small EVs
Euro NCAP significantly heightened its assessment criteria for this year's cycle, evaluating vehicles across four categories: safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection, and post-crash safety. The AION UT scored well across all four, a result GAC says redefines expectations for small pure-electric vehicles.
Structural reinforcements anchor the crash performance
The car's body uses 71% high-strength steel, a one-piece hot-stamped dual-ring design, and a 180mm extra-wide crash box paired with a high-strength bumper beam. GAC states these elements give the vehicle extreme load-bearing capacity in collision scenarios.
Occupant protection extends beyond the vehicle's size class
Inside the cabin, GAC fitted 2.1-meter V-side air curtains and far-side airbag protection, features the company says exceed what's typically found in vehicles of this size. Additional safety layers include full-scenario active safety algorithms, a precision handling chassis with wide tires, magazine battery technology, and cabin monitoring through CPD, DMS, and OMS systems.
GAC positions the rating as validation of its safety engineering
GAC describes the Euro NCAP five-star certification as an endorsement from an authoritative international body of its engineering approach to occupant protection.