15 September 2026
Protection levels are the most misunderstood topic when discussing armored vehicles. In Europe, EN 1063 (BR classes) is used for glass and VPAM (VR classes) for the whole vehicle. Each level guarantees stopping a specific projectile from a defined distance and velocity.
The levels in brief
- BR4 / VR4: Protection against handgun rounds including .44 Magnum. Entry level for urban threats.
- BR5 / VR5: Protection against 5.56 mm rifle rounds.
- BR6 / VR6: 7.62x51 mm NATO rifle round (soft core). The most popular civilian protection level.
- BR7 / VR7: 7.62x51 mm hard-core (armor-piercing) round. For high-risk missions.
- VR9 / VR10: Top classes against heavy armor-piercing ammunition and blast effects.
Why are glass and body rated separately?
Steel panels and multi-layer glass behave differently, so a vehicle's protection level is the level of its weakest point. A car with a BR6 body and BR4 glass is not BR6. In İsso Armor projects the glass and panel levels are always matched, and overlap zones are tested separately.
Which level is right for you?
The choice follows a threat analysis: the region where the vehicle will be used, the passenger profile and likely attack scenarios. For most corporate and private clients BR6 is the balanced choice; the added weight stays reasonable and the vehicle remains suitable for daily use. See our ballistic levels page for the full table.
