Dozens of popular models to lose their safety ratings

Dozens of Australia’s favourite vehicles could soon be stripped of their ANCAP safety ratings once the country’s peak independent safety body introduces a new policy that will see a six-year expiration date applied to a vehicle’s test result, as per the Euro NCAP system.

When the new ANCAP policy comes into effect as of December 31, the safety rating of vehicles tested in or prior to 2015 will be null and void, and the same will apply to models tested in 2016 and 2017 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024 respectively.

“With effect from the end of this year [December 2022], ANCAP has implemented a policy which will see a rating validity period applied to vehicles rated by ANCAP that pre-date our alignment with Euro NCAP that took effect from 2018,” an ANCAP spokesperson said in a statement.

“Ratings for vehicles produced prior to the rating expiry will remain valid and accessible on the ANCAP website, however, any vehicle which is built after the rating expiry date will be considered ‘unrated’.

“The vehicle model will become eligible for re-assessment (unless superseded, where normal rating protocols for a new model would apply),” reads the new ANCAP policy.

According to ANCAP, the policy will bring a number of key benefits including increased consistency across all safety ratings and more accurate aligning with the ‘typical average model lifecycle’ of passenger vehicles and SUVs – an important consideration for car-buyers as they cross-shop different models.

Other perks include the encouragement of manufacturers to regularly upgrade and enhance the safety features of models with extended product lifecycles, the establishment of “clear guidance” to assist brands in “product planning and model introduction timing” and encouraging fleet buyers to pick models with the most recent and up-to-date safety ratings.

So exactly which models have their independently tested safety credentials on the chopping block?

ANCAP has thus far identified 28 models from 14 different brands that will potentially be stripped safety of their five-star safety rating (below).

As you can see, some of the cars contained within this list are among Australia’s most popular, with the Hyundai i30, Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Mitsubishi Triton being three of the 10 best-selling models of 2021.

Other models like the MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX, Mazda CX-9 and Kia Rio are all leaders within their respective segments, so it will be interesting to see if their soon-to-be expired safety rating has an impact on their sales.

It should be noted though that most of the models within this list are due for replacement within the next four years or so.

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au