Key highlights:
- BYD M9 earns 5-star ANCAP rating for 7-seat Premium trim
- Post-crash performance achieves a perfect 100% score
- Left-side third-row child-restraint fitment remains a limitation
The BYD M9 is due in Australia between October and December 2026, with seven- and eight-seat plug-in hybrid versions planned, and it has now completed ANCAP’s latest 2026–2028 assessment, recording strong results across crash protection, crash avoidance and post-crash performance.
The M9 also scored a perfect result for post-crash safety, while its child-restraint performance exposed some limitations in the third row. BYD will offer the M9 in two variants: 7-seat Premium and 8-seat Dynamic. The ANCAP ratings apply to the 7-seat BYD M9 Premium.
The BYD Sealion 5 SUV, which was also tested alongside the M9, scored a three-star ANCAP rating, which is the first time a BYD model has scored less than 5 stars.
Breaking down the ANCAP scores of the BYD M9
| Assessment | Car Safety Score |
|---|---|
| Safe driving | 75% |
| Crash avoidance | 78% |
| Crash protection | 89% |
| Post-crash | 100% |
Safe Driving – 75%
The M9 has seatbelt reminders for every seating position and can also identify incorrect seatbelt use.
The premium people mover includes child presence detection, and its driver monitoring system also performed well when detecting common forms of distraction.
Most key driving functions have accessible controls, although some functions depend too heavily on the central touchscreen.
The speed recognition and adaptive cruise control performed well, and the M9 also provides steering assistance when lane centring operates, but Lane Change Assist is not available.
Crash Avoidance – 78%
The M9’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system performed well across many scenarios, as did its lane departure prevention system.
Low-speed collision avoidance also produced good results, and the M9 also includes a cyclist dooring alert; however, the warning came too late to meet ANCAP’s scoring requirements.
Crash Protection – 89%
The M9 recorded a high level of crash protection, with strong results across frontal, side and rear-impact assessments.
The M9 has lower ISOFIX anchorages and top-tether anchorages for the second-row outboard seats and the left third-row seat.
All selected child restraints could be fitted in the second row, but most of the tested restraints could not be correctly installed in the left third-row position.
Post-Crash – 100%
This was the M9’s strongest assessment area, with a perfect 100% score. The vehicle met ANCAP’s requirements for emergency information and demonstrated effective battery-voltage isolation and post-crash fire-risk management.
The M9 provides eCall functionality to owners in Australia and New Zealand for the minimum six-year period required by ANCAP.
As a plug-in hybrid, the M9 demonstrated effective isolation of its battery voltage and effective management of post-crash fire risk.
Also read: BYD Shark 6 ute range may gain more variants in Australia
Standard safety equipment of the BYD M9
The BYD M9 shares a highly comprehensive standard safety and driver-assistance package across both the Dynamic and Premium variants:
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and Rear Cross Traffic Brake (RCTB)
- Blind Spot Detection (BSD)
- Emergency Lane Keeping Assist (ELKA) and Lane Departure Assist
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- APMP Accelerator Prevention Technology
- Driver Fatigue Monitoring
- 360-Degree Surround-View Camera with real-time 3D projection
- 5 millimetre-wave radars and 8 ultrasonic sensors
- Built-in security monitoring system for parking safety
- Automatic multi-collision braking
- Hazard light activation
- eCall automated emergency assistance
- Up to 9 airbags (Front, front side, side, front centre, full-length curtain)
- Double pre-tensioned seat belts front row, force-limiting pre-tensioners second row, emergency locking seat belts third row
- 3x ISOFIX child restraint anchors, 3x Top Tether anchor points
What does ANCAP say about the BYD M9?
ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said, “BYD is leaving a noticeable mark on the Australian and New Zealand new car markets, quickly rising to become Australia’s second highest-selling brand since its arrival in 2022.”
“Both the M9 and Sealion 5 have been tested against our latest 2026-2028 star rating requirements. These requirements continue to encourage balanced safety performance across all four stages of assessment, with the SEALION 5 not able to match the safety offering of its stablemate.”
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