ANCAP announcements for September and October

There are a number of considerations when you are thinking about which new vehicle to purchase, including comprehensive and CTP insurance.

There is one aspect that needs special consideration – safety. After spending some time looking at makes and models, the vehicle you choose should be safe for your family and protect you in the event of an accident..

Fortunately, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) crash tests new vehicles regularly to give consumers an idea of the level of safety and performance in a worst-case scenario.

In September and October, ANCAP awarded a number of five-star safety ratings to new vehicles as an indication that they meet the high standards for Australian motorists.

Here is a wrap up of ANCAP’s findings:

September

September saw Jeep achieve its second five-star safety rating score in as many months as the Jeep Patriot joined the Cherokee at the top table.

According to ANCAP, the Patriot performed well in all of its physical crash tests and offers a high level of protection for occupants.

It is important to note that the safety rating all applies to the 4×2 variants of the Jeep Patriot. At this point, the 4×4 variants are unrated by ANCAP.

ANCAP Chairman Lauchlan McIntosh: “This is a great result for Jeep. Their first five-star model was the 2014 Cherokee rated earlier this year and now the Patriot has proven it too is a safe choice for consumers.”

In September, ANCAP also revealed that 90 per cent of new passenger vehicles tested this year have achieved the five-star safety rating.

October

October was again a successful month in relation to the number of vehicles recording top scores.

In an October 15 media release, ANCAP announced that the Honda Accord, Honda City, Nissan X-Trail, Peugeot 308 and Toyota Prius C all performed well in crash testing.

The Honda Accord was highlighted in this release as it had increased its rating from four in July 2013 to a five in October 2014. When it was first tested, ANCAP found an elevated lower-leg risk in the event of a crash.

However, design changes have now improved its performance and this risk has been eliminated.

Mr McIntosh said ANCAP is impressed with Honda’s commitment to safety.

“While not required to improve its performance, Honda has reviewed the ANCAP test results and actively implemented changes to offer consumers a safer car,” he explained.

“Now, not only does the Accord offer a long list of impressive safety assist technologies, including autonomous emergency braking on select models, it also offers improved occupant protection through a sound structure.”

Top score

Towards the end of October, one model was dubbed ‘the safest vehicle in Australia’ after scoring a near perfect crash-test result.

The Hyundai Genesis scored 36.88 out of 37, easily achieving the top rating. This eclipsed the previous leaders – Mercedes-Benz C-Class (36.46) and the Volvo S60 (36.34).

ANCAP often highlight Australian versions of vehicles not coming with complementary safety technology that are common on European and Asian models.

However, the Hyundai Genesis goes against the tide and offers consumers above and beyond normal requirements which impressed Mr McIntosh.

“This is one of the first times we have seen the word ‘Standard’ listed against almost every safety feature on our checklist,” he said.

“Importantly, autonomous emergency braking is one of these standard features – one that has recently been left off many new models hitting our shores.”

The Hyundai Genesis also features a tyre pressure monitoring system, adaptive front lighting systems, reversing collision avoidance and an active lift (pop-up) bonnet.