A 2.5-star result out of five stars doesn’t look impressive on paper, and that’s exactly what the BMW 5 Series (G60) and BMW X2 (U10) received in the latest Green NCAP test. But at first glance, the number misses an important point: the test itself has shifted so much toward small electric cars that traditional gasoline models are now evaluated against standards they were never intended to meet.
But what is Green NCAP? This is an independent European vehicle evaluation program that evaluates how clean and energy efficient cars actually are in everyday use, not just in the laboratory. Think of it as Euro NCAP for emissions, efficiency and environmental impact – not crash safety.
Why Green NCAP now prefers small electric cars
Green NCAP’s post-2025 criteria are based on overall environmental impacts and not on class comparisons. Under this framework, four and five star results are realistically only achievable with compact electric vehicles such as the MINI Cooper E (J01). The vehicles tested here – the BMW 520i and the BMW
This makes it easier to understand the results. The BMW 520i features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder B48 turbocharged engine, while the X2 sDrive20i is powered by a 1.5-liter three-cylinder B38 turbocharged engine with 156 horsepower. Compared to gasoline-powered midsize sedans and compact SUVs, their results are more competitive than alarming.
What green NCAP testers actually say about the results
The Green NCAP testers confirm this directly. In their evaluation, both BMWs show what modern exhaust aftertreatment systems can achieve when designed correctly. Although these are internal combustion engine vehicles, pollutant emissions remain low, especially outside laboratory conditions.
Cold tests also demonstrate the strengths of combustion engines. While fuel consumption increases at low temperatures, the impact is less severe than with electric vehicles. The 520i and It is a practical detail that is still important in everyday use and that Green NCAP specifically points out.
In terms of numbers, the BMW 520i achieves an overall environmental value of 46 percent and scores 6.5 out of 10 points in the Clean Air Index. With an overall score of 49 percent and 6.6 out of 10 points in the same category, the BMW X2 sDrive20i is slightly ahead.
When it comes to on-road results, both cars perform best. Green NCAP’s Real Driving Emissions tests show that engines remain clean even outside controlled laboratory environments. Under laboratory conditions, the 520i scores 7.4 out of 10 and then improves to 9.2 out of 10 in the road test. The X2 scores 7.3 points in the laboratory and 8.5 points on public roads.
Real driving emissions
This gap is important. This suggests that emissions performance is not only optimized for test cycles, but that it also holds up in everyday driving – an area where many internal combustion engine cars have struggled in the past.
Ultimately, the 2.5 star rating reflects the direction chosen by Green NCAP and is not a technical failure. As long as the system continues to reward compact electric vehicles above all else, gasoline-powered cars in higher segments will struggle to perform better, regardless of how clean they are in real-world comparisons. For the BMW 520i and X2 sDrive20i, the data shows well-controlled emissions and solid real-world behavior, even if the headline rating suggests otherwise.
[Photos: Green NCAP]
