Lexus, Volvo, Leapmotor, Hyundai and impending Zeekr and Xpeng models get five stars; MG’s latest secures four, Jeep’s cops three.

EIGHT new models, six already on sale in New Zealand and the others destined to join soon, have received safety scores from the national crash test auditor today - and not all did well.

Australasian New Car Assessment programme (ANCAP) says it is notable that all are offered with either a hybrid or battery electric powertrain.

ANCAP awards star ratings; five is the best score, zero the lowest.

Coming through the schedule with maximum results were three sports utilities: The Lexus LBX and Volvo EX30 small models and hybrid variants of the new Hyundai Santa Fe, a large vehicle. Also accredited five stars were the Leapmotor C10 that has just come here and two more, also from China, that have been identified by ANCAP as market starters, the and Zeekr X and Xpeng G6. All three are fully electric SUVs .

Two other models failed to score as well. The new generation MG ZS hybrid and newly launched Jeep Avenger received four and three-star ratings respectively. The petrol-electric ZS shares a platform and drivetrain with the MG3 Hybrid, which two month ago received a three star ANCAP rating.

ANCAP had criticism for two of the five star cars. It expressed concerns about the Lexus’ and the Volvo’s performance in destructive crash tests, with penalties applied to both for potential injury from hard structures behind the dashboard in the frontal offset (MBDB) test.

It seemed more impressed with the Hyundai. Like the LBX and EX30, the Santa Fe demonstrated good results in tests of its collision avoidance capabilities with other road users, ANCAP said.

In the crash tests, full points were awarded for the Santa Fe’s protection of the driver in the full width and side impact tests, and children in the frontal offset and side impact test.

The score doesn’t apply to impending petrol variants of the Santa Fe. Those editions, expected in NZ early next year, are considered unrated and will require a separate test.

Within ANCAP’s Adult Occupant Protection assessment area, the Leapmotor C10 achieved full marks in the side impact and oblique pole tests conducted. For Child Occupant Protection, the vehicle performed well, earning maximum points in the frontal offset and side impact tests, with protection for both child dummies rated as Good.

The Zeekr, a brand from Geely, made a strong debut, ANCAP said. Maximum points arrived for the protection of occupants in the side impact crash test, while the front structure presented a moderate risk to occupants of an oncoming vehicle in the MPDB test (which evaluates vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility).

Xpeng’s model also received strong scores for its ability to avoid collisions, with high marks achieved for AEB performance with another vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist. High scores were awarded for protection of the driver and passenger occupants in the frontal offset, side, and oblique pole test.

ANCAP noted the model is fitted with a centre airbag to prevent injuries to front seat occupants in a side impact crash, which was assessed as Adequate for prevention of excursion (movement towards the other side of the vehicle) in the far side impact tests. Minor head contact was noted in the occupant-to-occupant scenario and a penalty was applied.

ANCAP said the MG ZS was unable to reach five-stars through its performance in the assessment area of Adult Occupant Protection.

It achieved 75 percent when a minimum score of 80 percent applies. Crash tests saw mixed results, with the omission of a suitable countermeasure, such as a centre airbag to prevent contact between front seat occupants in a side impact crash, further limiting the score for the ZS.

In the full width frontal test, the seat belt for the rear passenger allowed excessive forward movement, resulting in Marginal protection of the head and Adequate protection for the neck and chest.

“The MG ZS’s four-star rating underscores the need for strong and balanced safety performance across all crash protection and prevention areas,” said ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg.

“While the vehicle demonstrated strong performance in certain crash tests, improvements in Adult Occupant Protection – such as incorporating features like a centre airbag and enhancing rear seatbelt performance—would help elevate its safety outcomes to better meet the expectations of today’s market.”

The Avenger was unable to reach the five-star threshold in any area of assessment. Mixed results were seen across the destructive crash tests. The Avenger was limited to three-stars through its performance in the Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist assessment areas, demonstrating Marginal performance in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist AEB scenarios.

“As an all-new model, it’s disheartening to see the Jeep Avenger fall short on safety,” Ms Hoorweg said.

“With many electric SUVs entering the market and receiving five-star ANCAP ratings, we know manufacturers can prioritise top-tier safety. We urge Jeep to do so, ensuring buyers don’t have to compromise on safety.”

In other crash test news, the European NCAP has determined five star scores for the Mazda CX-80 that has just here and for the new-generation Subaru Forester, which arrives in mid-2025.

Whether those results are adopted by ANCAP remains to be explained, however there would seem to be strong likelihood, as the test results announced today were original Euro NCAP scores.