ANCAP: Five stars for 2025 MG U9... based on its EV cousin
Aussie safety body leverages LDV eTerron 9’s NCAP score for the turbo-diesel MG U9The News
The 2025 MG U9 diesel ute has been awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP rating this week, based on European crash testing conducted on the Maxus eTerron 9 in 2024, an electric ute from another brand.
The Key Details
- MG U9 awarded five stars based on Maxus eTerron 9 crash test
- MG U9 hasn’t been crash tested locally
- High scores across four key criteria
The Finer Details
MG Australia has announced a five-star ANCAP safety rating for its first ute, with the U9 scoring top points locally, despite not actually being tested here.
In an unusual step, MG Australia announced the five-star rating in a press release on Friday afternoon, as opposed to the usual safety report and press release produced and disseminated by ANCAP.
That could come down to the fact the result was achieved thanks to crash testing of a rival Chinese electric ute in Europe – the Maxus (LDV) eTerron 9 – which shares a platform with the U9.
LDV and MG are owned by Chinese car giant, SAIC Motor.
According to the ANCAP website, the independent safety body was provided with technical information and additional test data to show that the test results of the Maxus eTerron 9 “are also applicable to the MG U9 sold in Australia and New Zealand".
That’s despite the fact the U9 comes with a turbo-diesel powertrain, rather the battery-electric eTerron 9, which in itself was the basis for the diesel-powered LDV Terron 9’s five-star ANCAP rating earlier this year.
As a result, the U9’s safety report reads very similar to that of the Terron 9, with the U9 awarded a decent 91 per cent for adult occupant protection and 89 per cent for child occupant protection.
Its vulnerable road user protection and safety assist scores were also identical, at 84 and 85 per cent, respectively.
Interestingly, those scores are an improvement on EuroNCAP’s test results for the eTerron 9, which received a lower 85 per cent for child occupant protection and 83 per cent for safety assist.
The Road Ahead
A spokesperson for ANCAP told carsales the U9 rating comes as part of its "corporate twin" program, similar to other ratings it's issued for twin-under-the-skin models including the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb, Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X, among others.
But awarding an ICE-powered vehicle top marks based on testing of an electric vehicle is a dramatic example of cross-brand ratings we haven't seen in recent times, if ever.
Related: Your questions answered: How important is an ANCAP safety score?
Related: Hyundai calls for ANCAP rating rethink
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