How safe, how clean?
New feature provided by the Carsales Network enables easy tracking of your favoured car's safety and green credentialsThe Carsales Network has an enviable record for making it quick and easy to find the new car that suits you best.
Now, seekers of new cars on Carsales and CarPoint have valuable extra facilities at their disposal: The latest data on safety ratings from the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), as well as Green Star Ratings as determined by the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide (GVG).
The ANCAP data provides a guide to the safety of a car in terms of its performance in serious frontal and side impacts, and the level of protection provided for pedestrians.
The ANCAP uses crash test dummies and covers four internationally recognised crash tests: offset frontal collisions, side impacts, pole impacts and pedestrian impacts. Data gathered from the testing is assessed and scores are given for various aspects of the results. The overall score is then translated into a star system covering from one to five stars. The more stars, the safer the vehicle.
The GVG rates new cars based on air pollution and greenhouse emissions, and calculates the star ratings using data provided by manufacturers testing the vehicle against Australian standards.
A point system based on international standards for air pollutants awards a maximum of 10 points. The current Australian standard, which is equivalent to the international Euro 4 standard, brings a mid-way air-pollution rating of five points.
The Greenhouse rating is based on CO2 emissions, with a maximum 10 points awarded if the figure is at or below 60g/km of CO2.
The Overall star rating is based on the sum of the air pollution and greenhouse ratings. Equal weighting is given to both ratings to arrive at a combined GVG rating (out of 20), which is then translated into the star rating.
To find the ANCAP and Green Star ratings of a particular new car, access either the Carsales 'New Cars' search facility, or CarPoint's 'New Car Showroom', identify the particular car you are seeking, and click the search button.
Then click on the box (or boxes) of the specific car(s) you are interested in. Click on "compare" and the information will appear in the car data under "Quick info" (ANCAP rating) and "Green info" (Green Star Ratings).
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