Car security still not up to scratch

Nearly 90 per cent of cars can be broken into within two minutes and are therefore failing Home Office vehicle safety requirements, according to test results released yesterday.

But British cars are the most secure on the market and come closest to satisfying Home Office guidelines, the tests conducted by What Car? magazine disclosed.

Of the 72 models subjected to break-in and drive-away tests, 64 could be broken into within two minutes - and some in a matter of seconds. Home Office guidelines say cars must resist attempts to drive them away for a further five minutes after being broken into. A total of 61 per cent of the 72 cars passed this five-minute test - 3 per cent more than last year's figure.

In an overall security league table compiled from the test results, the Jaguar XK8 and the Range Rover 4.0 SE were joint top, with 90 out of a maximum 100 points.

These were two of the eight cars that passed both break-in and drive- away tests. The eight included the Ford Fiesta 1.25 Ghia (fifth equal with 80 points) and the Jaguar XJ6 3.2 (seventh with 75 points). At the foot of the table, with just 10 points each, were the Volkswagen Polo 1.4 CL five-door and the Renault Clio 1.4 RT (pictured).

Randeep Ramesh