Mazda MX-5 awarded 5 stars in ANCAP crash test

The Mazda MX-5 got a four-star Euro rating, losing points for its safety assist and child restraints. However the drop-top has been crash tested under Australian standards in search for top marks.

Independent vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), today confirmed the result for the zippy roadster.

“The ever-popular sports car impressed in local testing achieving a good result for this type of vehicle,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, James Goodwin.

The previous MX-5 model only earned a four-star ANCAP rating, and Goodwin says the improved result should be commended.

“Roadsters present a design challenge for manufacturers in ensuring equivalent levels of occupant protection to conventional cars,” he explained.”

“Their structures obviously differ so additional engineering elements are needed in order to provide the same levels of structural safety.

ANCAP says the new MX-5 got high-scores in the frontal offset, side impact, pole and whiplash tests, but its biggest achievement was in pedestrian protection.

In fact, the MX-5 is the safest car for pedestrians ever tested by ANCAP. This is thanks to an active or ‘pop-up’ bonnet, designed to put distance between a pedestrian’s head and stiff components beneath. A pedestrian protection score of 33.72 out of 36 earned the MX-5 a ‘Good’ rating with the independent testers.

“Not only has the MX-5 performed well in each of the impact tests, this is the highest pedestrian protection score we have seen for any vehicle to date,” Goodwin added.

“This active safety feature, which is only on a small number of models in our market, helped it achieve a high score for the protection of adult and child pedestrians.”

Despite the high-praise, the MX-5 wasn’t perfect, with its lack of certain driver aids being highlighted.

“Autonomous emergency braking, active lane support and speed assistance systems are lacking,” Goodwin said.

“As a newly designed model – one that is likely to remain in the market for some time – it is concerning to see these important safety technologies have been overlooked.”

The MX-5 is priced from $31,990 for the 1.5-litre Roadster.