The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), better known as ANCAP Safety, has unveiled its top-performing vehicles for 2025. This report highlights the safest new cars across key market segments in Australia and New Zealand.
This year’s results showcase vehicles excelling not only in crash protection and active safety but also across a wider range of brands, from premium EVs and SUVs to mainstream entrants such as the Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, MGS5 EV, and IM5, all achieving 5-star ANCAP ratings.
How does ANCAP measure safety?
ANCAP evaluates vehicles using four pillars:
- Adult Occupant Protection – Performance in frontal, side, and pole impact tests.
- Child Occupant Protection – How well child passengers are protected using restraint systems.
- Vulnerable Road User Protection – Pedestrian and cyclist safety.
- Safety Assist – Effectiveness of crash avoidance technologies, including autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring.
The weighted sum of these scores determines the overall safety ranking, ensuring that the safest vehicles are designed as comprehensive safety systems rather than relying on strength in a single area.
Tesla Model Y leads 2025 rankings
The Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall score among all vehicles assessed by ANCAP in 2025. This is the second time the Model Y has topped the charts, following its pre-facelift version in 2022.
| Top Performer | Category | Adult Occupant Protection | Child Occupant Protection | Vulnerable Road User | Safety Assist |
| Tesla Model Y | Medium SUV | 91% | 95% | 86% | 92% |
| Tesla Model 3 | Medium Car | 90% | 95% | 89% | 88% |
| Volvo EX90 | Large SUV | 92% | 94% | 82% | 84% |
| IM 5 | Large Car | 89% | 91% | 85% | 79% |
| MGS5 EV | Small SUV | 90% | 86% | 82% | 79% |
| Mini Cooper E | Light/Small Car | 89% | 83% | 77% | 83% |
| Toyota Hilux | Utility | 84% | 89% | 82% | 82% |
What does ANCAP say?
ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg commented:
“The safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance, and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.”
Hoorweg noted that improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into better real-world protection, giving consumers confidence in everyday driving scenarios.
Safety across all segments
The 2025 results show that high safety standards are now achievable across vehicle types and budgets from small cars and electric SUVs to large utilities. This provides Australian and New Zealand consumers with clear, safety-first choices without compromising on performance, practicality, or comfort.
ANCAP testing protocols
Vehicles were assessed under rigorous 2025 protocols, including:
- Frontal offset (MPDB) tests at 50 km/h
- Full-width frontal tests at 50 km/h
- Side impact tests at 60 km/h
- Oblique pole tests at 32 km/h
These tests were formulated to ascertain results that reflect real-world crash performance and road safety.
Final word
The ANCAP 2025 safety rankings highlight a significant trend: modern vehicles, particularly EVs and SUVs, are now delivering comprehensive protection across all categories. With the Tesla Model Y leading the pack and strong performances from other EVs, small cars, and utilities, drivers prioritising safety have more confidence than ever in their vehicle choices.
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