Buttons are back, Euro NCAP tests show – but not in every car

Car makers are returning to physical buttons for basic driving functions, according to the latest Euro NCAP results – though some still bury them behind touchscreen menus.

Since the start of this year, Euro NCAP’s rating rewards cars where indicators, wipers and washer, hazard warning lights, horn and the eCall emergency button are operated by a direct physical control rather than through a screen menu. Research shows touchscreen controls are more distracting.

In the latest round, the new Audi Q7 scored 100% for its essential driving controls. Audi had previously been criticised for removing buttons. The Kia EV2 also scored well. The XPENG X9, a large family MPV, scored 20%, because it relies on its central touchscreen for core functions. The X9 still achieved five stars overall, on the strength of its crash avoidance and post-crash results.

Across the cars tested so far in 2026, Euro NCAP found a clear split: European models generally scored highly, while most Chinese models did not. The BMW iX3 scored 100%; the ZEEKR 7GT and AION UT scored 20%, and the Leapmotor B05 scored zero. The Geely E2 was the exception among Chinese brands, at 80%.

The X9 also failed to meet Euro NCAP’s benchmarks for speed assistance during a 2,000 km test drive on European roads. It struggled with conditional limits, such as lower limits in the wet or for lorries.

Driver distraction warning systems became mandatory on all new cars in the EU in July this year. ETSC warned in 2023 that the minimum specifications for those systems would not detect drivers looking at a dashboard touchscreen.