MG to focus on five-star safety future

Vehicle safety and top marks when it comes to ANCAP crash testing are now a top priority for MG Australia, with the Chinese brand’s local boss promising to only bring five-star cars to Australia in the future.

MG’s local CEO, Peter Ciao, told carsales the company is prepared to invest in current models like the ZS SUV and MG3 hatch to help them “catch up” to consumer and industry expectations.

Both the ZS Hybrid and MG3 have fallen foul of the independent crash authority’s safety testing, earning four- and three-star scores respectively.

Worst of all was the budget-friendly MG5 sedan, which was slapped with a zero-star ANCAP rating last year. According to ANCAP, the model had “previous-generation safety”.

The MG5 has since been upgraded and re-tested; it was recently awarded a more palatable (but still sub-par) three stars.

Ciao, who just a few years ago said MG would accept lower safety ratings if it meant offering more affordable vehicles like the MG5 sedan to consumers, now says things have changed.

“The industry has changed, and the people have also changed,” he said. “For some basic safety, we need to catch up.

“Investing money, we need to do that. Because that’s about our whole brand reputation.

“In the future, every car is five-star [ANCAP safety rating].”

Describing the ZS Hybrid small SUV’s four-star ANCAP safety rating revealed late last year – due to its lack of a front centre airbag and mix of crash test results – the CEO said the brand is ready to make immediate upgrades, to bring it up to five stars.

“I called Shanghai [and said] I need to invest money [in ZS], and we are talking with ANCAP [to find out] if we can catch up, can we just test in this [segment],” he said.

“So, if we do that [add a front centre airbag], 100 per cent it’s a five-star car,” said Ciao of the ZS.

And while the CEO says customers won’t pay for the additional safety, it’ll likely come in the form of a facelift or model year refresh, which usually comes with price hikes.

“We won’t increase the price; we’ll just change the safety,” said Ciao.

“We are working with ANCAP. If ANCAP support us, agree, I will immediately push the button and update the spec. My team are already meeting with ANCAP.”

More recently, larger vehicles in MG’s portfolio like the HS SUV and new MGS5 EV SUV have been awarded ANCAP’s maximum five-star safety ratings, as was the electric MG4 in 2023.

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