BMW X3 named 2026’s safest new car: safety ratings and features explained

The BMW X3’s  has been named 2026's safest car by safety and repairs experts Thatcham Research thanks to its "exemplary" Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS).

It scooped the Safety Award prize ahead of two runners up, the Smart #5 and the Skoda Elroq.

Experts from Thatcham Research, alongside What Car? judges, carried out a rigorous judging process to decide the winners, with the BMW X3’s "exemplary implementation" of its ADAS tech seeing it emerge ahead.

This tech includes automatic emergency braking that can detect pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists as well as other vehicles, along with lane keep assist, intelligent speed limiter and occupant status monitoring.

Admittedly, it is all tech often criticised by new car buyers for its intrusive nature. It's an annoyance we hear about from readers on a regular basis.

Thatcham Research chief research and operations director Richard Billyeald acknowledged this, saying that the real test is "whether these systems work with drivers in the real world… if drivers reject them and switch off the technology, the safety benefit is lost."

Thatcham say the BMW X3 shows that it is possible to get the balance right.

"Its ADAS performance was consistently accurate in our assessments, avoided unnecessary interventions and delivered a genuinely collaborative driving experience.

"When technology earns a driver’s trust, we unlock an unrivalled opportunity to reduce collisions and save lives."

Much of this new safety asset tech is mandated by regulation and according to Thatcham, we are entering a critical phase of adoption.

"Carmakers are working to meet ever-tightening requirements while balancing a host of other design, performance and sustainability pressures. It’s an incredibly tough environment."

The Smart #5 was named runner up for its "intuitive, well-rounded safety systems which make it easier for drivers to engage with and benefit from in everyday use."

Its driver monitoring system was particularly praised, with no ‘false positives’ recorded during Thatcham Research’s on-road testing.

The Skoda Elroq was a "good all-rounder," with the ADAS tech fitted to higher-spec variants offering performance comparable to more expensive equivalent Volkswagen models. Its lane keeping tech was highlighted, with no false positives observed.

Read our full BMW X3 review