MX-5 hopeful of five-star ANCAP result
Mazda says the MX-5 is safer than Audi's TT, as it looks to ANCAP result to improve four-star EuroNCAP scoreMazda says its MX-5 is capable of achieving a five-star safety rating locally in spite of the sporty two-seater's four-star EuroNCAP score.
The MX-5 – which has this week launched with a more powerful 2.0-litre engine option – is slated for local ANCAP safety testing within the coming weeks. And despite not offering any additional safety technologies over the model crashed in Europe (i.e. autonomous emergency braking), is tipped to receive a 'four or five-star result', Mazda says.
"If you delve in to those [four-star Euro NCAP] results, you will find that the actual crash numbers for the car were at five-star rating levels: adult occupant protection 84 per cent, child protection 80 per cent and pedestrian protection at 93 per cent," Mazda Australia marketing director, Alastair Doak, stated.
"So if you actually look at those scores, we are better than the new Audi TT, for example, which means that the MX-5 as a crash rating is right up on top of its segment. And in case also that you didn't notice, the pedestrian protection rating of 93 per cent was the best ever recorded by EuroNCAP," Doak said pointedly.
What Doak failed to mention was that the left-hand drive ND-series MX-5 tested achieved only a 64 per cent result the Safety Assist part of the test. The criterion – which includes the evaluation of driver assistance programs including stability control, lane-departure functionality, speed assistance and seatbelt reminder systems – criticised the MX-5 lack of a standard speed limiter function, also noting that autonomous emergency braking is not offered. Australian models mirror the Euro-spec.
Since 2014 ANCAP testing has moved to more closely mimic the EuroNCAP test methodology as it transforms to use EuroNCAP protocols and results in their entirety from January 1, 2018.
The system's current 'transition period' has already seen a number of models achieve different ratings when tested individually under each regime. In some scenarios this differential has resulted in a test being downgraded from a five to four-star rating during local testing.
Renault’s Captur SUV is one recent example. The Captur scored a five-star result in European testing but was initially tipped to receive only a four-star result locally owing to the model's lack of standard rear curtain airbags.
With Mazda planning no upgrade of driver assistance technologies it's unclear how it expects to achieve a better result.
ANCAP rules currently awarding points based on a "range of internationally recognised crash tests and safety assessments undertaken by independent specialist laboratories". These include obvious structural integrity tests for frontal offset, side impact, pedestrian, pole and whiplash incidents, but also recognises and reward the standard fitment of safety features and driver assist technologies including seatbelt reminders, daytime running lights, hill-start assist and tyre pressure monitoring.
"We do plan to test the car under the Australian NCAP regime, and we think we will get at least four and potentially five stars, under that test regime," Doak declared.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
