ANCAP safety ratings
ANCAP tests measure the safety of those in the vehicle, including children, and those that may be struck by the vehicle in a collision. ANCAP also considers the vehicle’s ability through technology to avoid or minimise the effects of a crash.
To determine safety ratings, ANCAP conducts crash tests of various scenarios to measure the safety of those in the vehicle.
ANCAP safety ratings also factor in features that assist in the prevention of a crash and the protection other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
Four key ANCAP test areas
Adult occupant protection
Considers the level of protection offered by the vehicle to adult occupants seated in the front and second row in the most common types of serious injury crashes.
Child occupant protection
Evaluates the level of protection the vehicle offers to child occupants seated in the appropriate child restraints in the rear seats. The ability to effectively accommodate a range of child restraints is also assessed.
Vulnerable road user protection
Assesses the design of the front of the vehicle to minimise injury risk to a struck pedestrian. Vehicles are also assessed for their ability to actively avoid or mitigate impacts with pedestrians and cyclists.
Safety assist
Evaluates the presence and effectiveness of active safety technologies fitted to the vehicle which assist the driver in preventing or minimising the effects of a crash.
A range of tests and assessments are conducted within each of the four areas, with vehicles required to meet minimum score thresholds for each star rating level. A vehicle’s overall star rating is limited by its lowest performing area of assessment.
ANCAP results can be compared across a range of the most common crash types for vehicles of similar size and weight (i.e. within the same vehicle category). Care must be taken when comparing results for different vehicles across different categories as only those vehicles of similar mass can be correctly compared.
To encourage continuous improvement by vehicle brands and ensure people are provided with the safest cars possible, ANCAP’s test criteria has increased over its 25-year history and continues to do so.
Look for the date stamp
Look for the date stamp to indicate when a vehicle was tested.
Because ANCAP’s test criteria changes over time, a vehicle tested in 2015 that achieved 5-stars was tested to a lower standard than a 2020 test.
More information
- ANCAP scoring and tests External Link
- ANCAP test criteria evolution External Link
- ANCAP: the fine print – why your car may not always get the ANACP rating you expect.
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