Historically, the Golf been one of VW's best-selling models, so it's always a big deal when an all-new version launches. A lot of people will be buying the all-new 2020 Volkswagen Golf, so it's important that the hatchback has high safety standards.

Euro NCAP has crash-tested the new Volkswagen Golf and awarded the hatchback with a five-star safety rating, scoring high marks in all criteria including a 95 percent score for adult protection and 89 percent for child protection. Pedestrian and cyclist protection was rated 76 percent and safety assists were rated 78 percent.

As standard, the 2020 Volkswagen Golf is equipped with lane-keeping system and front assist that monitors traffic in front of the car using a radar sensor and front camera. Euro NCAP also notes that the new Golf is the first-ever Volkswagen to use V2X connectivity to enable advance hazard warnings.

Despite being awarded a five-star safety rating, the 2020 Volkswagen Golf has an alarming safety flaw that was discovered during Euro NCAP's crash test. While the passenger compartment "remained stable" in the frontal offset test, the rear driver's side door opened during the side impact crash test, which would obviously increase the risk of rear passenger being ejected from the car in an accident.

In response to Euro NCAP's test, Volkswagen says the Golf has been type-approved with a standard automatic door-locking function and believes this would prevent the door from opening in real-world accidents.

The German automaker is still looking into what caused the door to open, however, as this has not been seen in Golf tests before. That being said, the Volkswagen Sharan also suffered a door opening during Euro NCAP's side impact test last month.

"Door openings during crash are penalized in Euro NCAP since the start as they represent a critical ejection risk to occupants," Michiel van Ratingen, secretary-general of Euro NCAP, commented. "Door openings are rare nowadays and it is important that VW is committed to finding the root cause."