The Tesla Model Y, the newest Tesla vehicle to arrive on the Australian market, has achieved some new records in ANCAP safety testing.
ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) is a testing program for vehicle safety. Automakers submit vehicles for testing and the ANCAP team put them through their paces. It’s not a legally required test, and as Car Expert notes, you’ll find many exotic cars without ANCAP ratings, but it adds to the attractiveness of a potential new vehicle purchase.
Now, the Tesla Model Y, one of the more popular Tesla models internationally and new to Australia, has been given a five-star ANCAP rating. That’s the highest possible star rating. Additionally, the Model Y also achieved a 98 per cent score in the Safety Assist pillar and the highest Adult Occupant Protection score to date (against the latest tests).
“The results we’ve released today will give confidence to those in the market for an alternative-powered small SUV,” said ANCAP’s CEO, Carla Hoorweg.
“Today’s results demonstrate why ANCAP is encouraging all levels of government to ensure subsidies and incentives for alternative-powered vehicles are only provided to models offering the highest levels of safety.”
ANCAP says the Tesla Model Y demonstrated high levels of performance when avoiding a crash with a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist. Maximum points were awarded across “the majority of collision avoidance test scenarios”.
In the same statement, ANCAP said it tested the new Kia Niro and the Genesis GV60.
Of the three cars, the Tesla Model Y scored the highest in adult occupant protection (97 per cent), followed by the Genesis GV60 (89 per cent) and then the Kia Niro (88 per cent).
Maximum points for front-row occupants in the side impact and oblique pole tests were awarded to the new Kia Niro EV and PHEV. The Niro also scored maximum points in upper and lower leg impact tests for pedestrians.
Points were also awarded for the Niro’s ability to “actively avoid or mitigate a crash with another vehicle in intersection turning scenarios”.
Meanwhile, the Genesis GV60 scored maximum points for front-seat passenger protection, the driver in the side impact test and the child occupants in a frontal and side-impact crash test.
“All three models offer high levels of safety performance across the range of ANCAP assessment areas, demonstrating the clear ability for electric vehicle models to tick both the safe and green checkboxes,” added Hoorweg.
When we reviewed the Tesla Model Y, we thought rear vision was a concern, but it’s comforting to know that ANCAP considers the car to be quite safe in the event of a crash. We also reviewed the Kia Niro, calling it a sensible car that doesn’t try to look futuristic or different.
Here are the full ANCAP results for the Tesla Model Y, the Kia Niro and the Genesis GV60.