Dozens of new cars get tested each year by the main European crash testing organization, EuroNCAP, but only a small percentage of those vehicles achieve truly high scores. This happens in part because EuroNCAP has kept improving its testing procedures almost on a yearly basis, with the newest requirements in 2014 involving autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems and other technologies part of the "Safety Assist" criteria, which is a branch of active safety.

A couple of novelties happened during the crash tests that took place in 2014, with EuroNCAP testing no less than five models available with either full-electric->ke1030 or hybrid->ke147 propulsion. The second premiere was probably the fact that all the so-called Large Family cars tested in 2014 achieved the top five star rating, with the only difference between them being the overall score. With that being said, EuroNCAP has just released a list of the five highest performing cars in terms of overall score, spread around five different model categories: Supermini, Small Off-Road 4x4, Small MPV, Small Family Car and Large Family Car.

As it happens, only one Supermini achieved a five-star rating, and therefore the highest overall score in its category, despite no less than 14 cars in its segment having been crash tested during 2014. Pretty much the same situation happened in the Small MPV category, where only one car received the highest rating -- over half of the vehicles tested scoring a rather shameful three stars. Interestingly enough, the Tesla Model S was surpassed by the Lexus NX hybrid as far as the best-scoring alternatively fueled vehicles go, albeit by only a small margin. The five best scoring cars of 2014 at EuroNCAP are the Skoda Fabia, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan, Nissan Qashqai and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

More details after the jump.

Mercedes C-Class - 5 Euro NCAP Stars

With an entire array of active and passive safety features, it would have been a little bit awkward for the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class to receive less than five stars. As it happens, the model did not only that, but also scored the highest points in its segment, with 92 percent for Adult Occupants, 84 percent for Child Occupants, 77 Percent for Pedestrians and 70 percent for Safety Assist systems found on the tested vehicle.

Euro NCAP Crash test

Nissan Qashqai - 5 Euro NCAP Stars

The second generation of the highly-successful Nissan Qashqai started off its career on the right foot in terms of its safety credentials, with EuroNCAP awarding it five stars, just like its predecessor. Unlike the first generation though, the 2015 Qashqai became the highest-rated model in EuroNCAP's Small Family Car category, scoring 88 percent for Adult Occupants, 83 Percent for child Occupants, 69 percent for Pedestrians and 79 percent for Safety Assist systems found on the tested model.

Euro NCAP Crash test

Volkswagen Golf Sportvan - 5 Euro NCAP Stars

Technically a reenactment of the Golf V-based Golf Plus, the new Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan comes to reclaim some of the territory that the Wolfsburg carmaker lost in the compact MPV segment. At first look, it seems to be doing a pretty good job, especially from the EuroNCAP's view point, who awarded the model with the highest score in the Small MPV category: The 2015 Sportsvan achieved 87 percent for Adult Occupants, 85 percent for Child Occupants, 62 percent for Pedestrians and 73 percent for Safety Assist systems sported by the tested vehicle.

Euro NCAP Crash test

Land Rover Discovery Sport - 5 Euro NCAP Stars

The first model of a soon-to-be-enlarged Land Rover Discovery family, the 2015 Discovery Sport was among the last cars tested by EuroNCAP in 2014, but this also made it the best-scoring model in the organization's Small Off-Road 4x4 category. By far the most pedestrian-friendly Land Rover in history, the Discovery Sport scored 93 percent for Adult Occupants, 83 percent for Child Occupants, 69 percent for Pedestrians and 82 percent for the Safety Assist systems standard on the tested car.

Euro NCAP Crash test

Skoda Fabia->ke1347 - 5 Euro NCAP Stars

Launched at the 2014 edition of the Paris Motor Show, the third generation of the Skoda Fabia is actually the first and only model in EuroNCAP's Supermini category to have been awarded the full five stars in 2014, a fact which praises the car but also shames all the other small vehicles tested in 2014. The Czech model managed to score 81 percent for Adult Occupants, 81 percent for Child Occupants, 69 percent for Pedestrians and 69 percent for Safety Assist systems found on the tested vehicle.

Euro NCAP Crash test