The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP SAFETY) has released its list of top safety performers for 2025, highlighting vehicles that have achieved outstanding results across various safety metrics. These vehicles represent the safest choices for consumers and fleets in their respective segments.
ANCAP’s assessment considers Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies. The organization emphasizes a holistic approach to safety, rewarding vehicles that demonstrate consistent performance across all areas rather than excelling in just one.
Among the top performers:
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Tesla Model Y: Achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. This is not the first time the Model Y has been recognized; the pre-facelifted version earned the same title in 2022. The Model Y demonstrated strong performance in occupant protection and active safety technology.
- frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h
- full width frontal test at 50km/h
- side impact test at 60km/h
- oblique pole test at 32km/h
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Toyota Hilux: Secured the top score in the Utility vehicle category amidst a year with numerous new ute releases.
- frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h
- full width frontal test at 50km/h
- side impact test at 60km/h
Other vehicles recognized for their safety performance include the Tesla Model 3, Volvo EX90, IM 5, MGS5 EV, and Mini Cooper E, demonstrating that high safety levels are achievable across different vehicle types.
* Tesla Model 3 (Sep 2023 – onwards) - frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h, side impact test at 60km/h, full width frontal test at 50km/h, oblique pole test at 32km/h
* Volvo EX90 (Mar 2025 – onwards) - frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h, side impact test at 60km/h, full width frontal test at 50km/h
* IM 5 (Jul 2025 – onwards) - frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h, full width frontal test at 50km/h, side impact test at 60km/h, oblique pole test at 32km/h
* MGS5 EV (May 2025 – onwards) - frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h, side impact test at 60km/h, full width frontal test at 50km/h, oblique pole test at 32km/h
* Mini Cooper E (Jul 2024 – onwards) - frontal offset (MPDB) test at 50km/h, side impact test at 60km/h, full width frontal test at 50km/h, oblique pole test at 32km/h
ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg emphasized the importance of designing vehicles with safety as a core principle, stating that the top performers excel in crash protection, crash avoidance, and vulnerable road user safety. Hoorweg also noted the increasing alignment between ANCAP’s testing and real-world safety technologies, particularly in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems. The organization’s recent announcement follows news of updated safety ratings for other vehicles, such as the MG ZS, MG 7 and Haval H7, which were discussed on the fourby.net online forum.
For consumers prioritizing safety, ANCAP’s latest results offer a clearer picture of the safest vehicles available in the Australian and New Zealand markets.