Euro NCAP finds buttons returning as XPENG X9 scores 20% on controls

Euro NCAP finds buttons returning as XPENG X9 scores 20% on controls

12 October 2026: Euro NCAP's latest round of 2026-protocol tests shows carmakers moving back towards physical controls for basic driving tasks. The Audi Q7 scored 90% for driving controls and the Kia EV2 also did well, while the XPENG X9 managed 20% for its primary driving controls because it routes them through a central touchscreen.

Which controls count

Under the Safe Driving section of the rating, Euro NCAP expects the key driving controls to work by direct physical input instead of sitting in a touchscreen menu. It lists the indicators, windscreen wipers and washer, hazard warning lights, horn and the eCall emergency button. The testing body says it has long held that physical buttons are safer, and that research shows touchscreen controls carry a higher potential for driver distraction.

Three new cars were assessed in this round: the Audi Q7, the Kia EV2 and the XPENG X9. All three were rated five stars.

An Audi that went back to stalks

Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group, had previously been criticised for removing buttons and switches. Euro NCAP gave the new Q7 90% overall for driving controls: 100% for essential driving tasks and 80% for comfort and infotainment. It praised buttons and stalks that are clearly visible, well placed and easy to operate by hand.

The Q7 also has a lane departure system that adjusts its sensitivity to driver attention, intervening less when the driver is alert. The Kia EV2, a smaller SUV, earned excellent scores for its driving controls and uses a similar attention-based warning strategy, supported by its driver state monitoring.

The X9: five stars and a 20% controls score

The XPENG X9 is a large MPV. Euro NCAP says it relies heavily on the central touchscreen for core functions, which produced the 20% score for primary driving controls. It still reached five stars on the strength of Crash Avoidance and Post Crash Safety.

The X9's speed assistance fell short of Euro NCAP's effectiveness benchmarks over the 2,000 km European road drive. The system struggled with conditional limits such as wet weather and HGV-specific signs, and did not show the last known limit with a clear indication when it met a sign it could not interpret.

How the 2026 scores line up

Euro NCAP set out the driving controls results for cars tested so far this year:

• BMW iX3: 100%.
• CUPRA Raval and GEELY E2: 80% each.
• ZEEKR 7GT and AION UT: 20% each.
• Leapmotor B05: 0%.

The organisation sees a divide between European and Chinese manufacturers, with the GEELY E2 as the exception. Both the X9 and the ZEEKR 7GT lost most of the marks on controls and still finished with five stars.

The programme director's verdict

Dr Aled Williams, Programme Director at Euro NCAP, said: "Our latest protocols reward the intelligent use of physical buttons and controls, as this can reduce driver distraction". He applauded Audi and Kia, and said other manufacturers, XPENG included, would do well to follow.

Also in the release: the BYD Shark pickup kept a five-star result carried over from 2025 testing, after a penalty when a side curtain airbag failed to deploy correctly, and the Mazda 2 Hybrid kept four stars carried over from its Toyota Yaris sister model.

Related on TrustList:

• BMW iX3 and ZEEKR 7GT take Euro NCAP's first five stars under new rules
• Euro NCAP urges MG3 owners to book the free seat-rail repair
• Rivian moves every R1 to RivianOS 2 with software update 2026.31

Sources

• Euro NCAP: Buttons are back for basic functions, Euro NCAP confirms in testing, 12 October 2026