FAR Eastern car manufacturers have been blasted by European Union Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock for putting occupants of their vehicles 'unacceptably at risk' in crashes. As the latest round of vehicle crash tests results were announced in the European New Car Assessment Programme Kinnock launched his attack on Far Eastern manufacturers, although he exempted Toyota from his criticism.

Of the six models tested in phase five of the programme, the Nissan Almera was rated the worst car both in front and side impact crash tests In the five rounds of crash testing so far only the Toyota Camry has scored four stars, while three stars have only been scored by the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Avensis and Nissan Primera.

Kinnock said: 'I am encouraged by the proactive movement in car-makers' thinking that has taken place in recent years, and by the way in which the European industry takes Euro NCAP seriously. Some manufacturers are still showing themselves to be rather slow in catching on. Apart from Toyota, for instance, there appear to be little, if any, significant passive safety improvements offered by the popular models from the Far East.'