ANCAP: MG5 and Mahindra Scorpio rate zero for safety

‘Previous-generation safety’ spec on new models from Chinese and Indian brands sees both of them hit with zero-star ANCAP rating

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has issued a damning zero-star safety rating to the MG5 small sedan and Mahindra Scorpio large SUV, claiming the two brands had “misjudged the safety expectations” of Australian buyers by fitting “previous-generation safety” to their new models.

The results published today were anticipated after ANCAP revealed to carsales in October that it was targeting both the MG5 and Scorpio because of their reduced level of active safety equipment.

Both car-makers went against common industry practice by refusing to provide vehicles for ANCAP to test against its 2023 protocols, prompting the independent crash safety authority to purchase the multiple vehicles required for the assessment.

While both models were given a zero-star rating (out of five, which is commonly reached), the MG5 scored the lowest marks across ANCAP’s four key categories.

These were 37 per cent for adult occupant protection, 58 per cent for child occupant protection, 42 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and just 13 per cent for its driver assist systems.

ANCAP’s experts noted ‘poor’ results for the driver’s chest and leg protection in the frontal offset crash test and the same for the rear passenger in the full-width frontal test, with penalties applied for ‘chest deflection’ and ‘seatbelt loading’ exceeding injury limits as well as hazards behind the dashboard.

“Loading on the head and neck of the child dummies in the MG5 was significantly higher than seen in most current generation vehicles, with ‘weak’ results seen for three of the four dummies across both the frontal and side impact tests – indicating a lack of design effort to prevent rear-seat occupant injury in frontal impact and side impact scenarios,” ANCAP said in its report.

Other areas of concern included the absence of front and rear seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters in the base MG5 Vibe variant (also missing in the rear seating positions on the up-spec Essence), no form of lane support or blind spot monitoring and poor autonomous emergency braking (AEB) performance.

The Scorpio received a mixed bag of ‘good’, ‘acceptable’, ‘marginal’, ‘weak’ and ‘poor’ protection for adult occupants in the frontal offset, full-width frontal, side impact and oblique pole crash tests, with a high risk of serious injury noted for the head, neck and chest of the rear female passenger in the full-width frontal test.

Overall category scores were 44 per cent for adult occupant protection, 80 per cent for child occupant protection, 23 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and zero per cent for Safety Assist, the latter due to the Scorpio not being fitted with any sort of active collision avoidance.

“In the side impact test, the driver’s seatbelt was observed to unlatch (tongue detached from buckle) during deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioner immediately prior to impact,” ANCAP said in its report.

“Whilst having no impact on the test score, ANCAP has reported this to the manufacturer for further examination.”

ANCAP comments on zero-star ratings for MG5, Mahindra Scorpio

ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said MG and Mahindra had “misjudged the safety expectations” of consumers and reminded the public that a new vehicle doesn’t always constitute a safe vehicle.

“The MG5 and Mahindra Scorpio were both released into the Australian and New Zealand new-car markets for the first time this year, yet it’s clear that their safety offerings are some generations behind what we see with almost every new car on sale today,” she said.

“Market competition is healthy and encouraged, however there is also a well-established expectation from Australian and New Zealand private consumers and fleet buyers that new cars entering our market offer the best levels of safety.

“With our independent test results now to hand, we hope to see significant improvements made to these models to have them more closely align with the safety credentials offered by their competitors.”

MG Australia comments on zero-star rating for MG5

An MG Motor Australia spokesperson said in a statement to carsales today: “MG has worked closely with the Australian Government to ensure that the MG5 has met the relevant Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for vehicle design when they are first supplied to the Australian market.

“The MG5 was certified and approved for sale in Australia and has met the (ADR) rules to be sold. The current MG5 is offered to the Australian market as an affordable car in the sedan segment.

“We are always striving to do the right thing by our customers in terms of affordability, form and function. Where and when possible, we will add improvements to our products for our models during their lifecycle.

“In 2024, the MG5 will receive a safety pack upgrade which will increase the overall safety of this model in line with ANCAP’s rating system.

“These planned enhancements for the MG5 will reiterate our commitment to customers and ensure further passenger safety with a much more advanced ADAS systems including autonomous emergency braking, speed assist systems, lane assist systems and pedestrian protection safety systems as seen in some of our other models.”

Mahindra Australia comments on zero-star rating for Mahindra Scorpio

A spokesperson for Mahindra Automotive Australia told carsales today: “At Mahindra, we are dedicated to providing our customers with SUVs that are safe, authentic, and reliable. The Mahindra Scorpio stands as a strong testament to this commitment.

“At its launch, the Scorpio fully adhered to the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), demonstrating our dedication to meeting rigorous standards while also excelling in robust 4x4 capabilities and steadfast reliability.

“Equipped with comprehensive safety features, including six airbags, ESP, ABS, a crashworthy ring structure with multiple load paths and extensive use of high-strength steel, it reaffirms our focus on the structural safety of the vehicle and the protection it offers to the occupants.

“Scorpio’s Global NCAP five-star safety rating highlights its high safety standards while demonstrating its strong structural integrity and the effectiveness of its inherent safety features.

“The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), updated on January 1, 2023, has specific requirements that include certain additional features. We at Mahindra are committed to our promise of safety and are working towards meeting unique safety regulations and these requirements for Australia as part of our product mid-cycle update.

“We continuously strive towards safety innovations, ensuring every Mahindra customer can drive our SUVs with the utmost confidence and peace of mind.”