ANCAP: Four stars for new Mitsubishi ASX

ANCAP has released safety ratings for a handful of new models this week, with the majority earning a maximum five-star rating, save for one popular small SUV which was handed a four-star rating. Separately, the Deepal S07 has only just held on to its five-star rating, after adjustments to its score following an over-the-air (OTA) update allowing owners to change the operation of annoying active safety aids.

Fleet buyers and consumers are being warned of the new second-generation Mitsubishi ASX small SUV, after it was awarded a four-star safety rating.

It’s a departure from the previous ASX’s five-star rating and is partly the result of ANCAP’s tougher testing criteria compared to when it was tested back in 2014.

According to ANCAP, the Japanese brand’s compact SUV produced good performance in the side impact and oblique pole crash tests, as well as strong child occupant protection, however, its four-star rating was the result of weak chest protection for the driver (in the frontal offset crash test), lowering its adult occupant protection score, as well as the absence of a front centre airbag.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai Palisade received a five-star rating across both seven and eight seat variants, scoring full points for child and adult occupant protection in several tests.

The safety body noted a penalty for “loss of footwell integrity” in the frontal offset test.

Elsewhere, the Toyota HiLux was commended for its ‘broadened’ suite of safety features, the Denza B5 demonstrated good performance across most crash tests and achieved maximum points in side impact testing, and the GAC Aion V produced “strong” performances all round.

Finally, the Deepal S07 only just held on to the five-star rating it achieved in January, after the Chinese manufacturer allowed drivers to switch off distraction alerts (overriding the ‘Default On’ status) in an over-the-air update.

ANCAP says the adjustment to system performance has reduced the safety assist score of the S07 to 70 per cent but does not affect its overall five-star rating.

“It is great to see strong results from both established and emerging brands, including the Denza B5 and fully electric models such as the Aion V,” said ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg.

“These results show the importance of assessing new brands and models entering the market, regardless of segment or powertrain.”

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