ANCAP: Tesla Model 3 smashes it

The 2025 Tesla Model 3, 2025 Kia EV3 and 2025 MG S5 EV have all been awarded five-star ANCAP safety ratings, the former setting two new benchmarks for modern vehicles.

Starting with the Tesla, the facelifted Model 3 – built as of September 2023 – scored 90 per cent for its adult occupant protection, a record-breaking 95 per cent for its child occupant protection, 89 per cent for its vulnerable road user protection (another record) and 88 per cent for its safety assists.

Highlights on the scorecard included full marks in the side impact and oblique pole tests as well as full marks for the operation of the centre airbag, while low points merely comprised ‘adequate’ protection for the driver’s chest and front occupants’ lower legs in the frontal offset test.

“In both the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection was ‘good’ for all critical body areas of both the six and 10-year-old child dummies, and the Tesla Model 3 scored maximum points in this part of the assessment,” testers said of the record-breaking child occupant protection score.

“A direct child presence detection system – which provides a notification to the driver and intervenes by activating air conditioning and opening windows if a child is inadvertently left inside – is standard on all variants and contributed to the record score.”

The EV3 meantime garnered category scores of 83, 86, 76 and 81 respectively, making it the third dedicated Kia EV to net a top rating.

Less consistent than the bigger Model 3, the EV3 nabbed full points in the full-width frontal and side impact tests but suffered with ‘marginal’ results for the driver’s and passenger’s upper legs in the frontal offset test and ‘adequate’ protection of the driver’s head and chest.

As for the MG, well that actually outshone its Korean rival with category scores of 90, 86, 82 and 79 per cent, netting full points in the side impact test for both adult and child occupant protection, though its autonomous emergency braking system struggled a bit detecting motorcycles and when reversing.

“Following a series of mixed safety outcomes for MG in recent times, the addition of this new five-star model is encouraging,” ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said.

“It reinforces MG’s ability to meet the highest safety standards, and we look forward to seeing this level of commitment carry through to future new model releases.”

A full breakdown of the test results can be found at ANCAP’s website.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au