ANCAP safety ratings due to expire today for around 30 vehicles

ANCAP safety ratings will no longer apply to several new vehicles sold in 2024 following the expiry of scores first achieved in 2016 or 2017.

New cars set to enter the new year without a valid ANCAP safety rating will include the popular Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen T-Roc, Kia Picanto, Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, with their results due to expire on December 31, 2023.

It is the second round of results to expire after ANCAP first implemented its six-year rating validity limit on December 31, 2022, which saw most vehicles still on sale that were tested before 2017 become 'unrated', such as the Toyota LandCruiser Prado (2011), Mitsubishi ASX (2014), Nissan Navara (2015), Mazda CX-3 (2015) and Volkswagen Tiguan (2016).

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The expiry of five-star ANCAP safety results for certain vehicles sold after January 1, 2024, could threaten their status for some fleets that require top marks – and could require an exemption to be used as an Uber ride-share vehicle, which mandates a five-star result for most vehicles.

Versions of affected vehicles sold before January 1, 2024, will still be covered by their original ratings, which are based on testing conducted in 2016 or 2017.

Confusingly, some ANCAP safety ratings released in 2017 – including the MG ZS, Hyundai i30 hatch, Kia Stonic and LDV T60 – are not due to expire until December 31, 2024, when the ratings for vehicles tested in 2018 will also expire.

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“If a model is not replaced or re-assessed to ANCAP’s latest rating criteria within the six-year rating validity period, the rating for that model expires and the rating status of newly-built units changes to ‘unrated’,” said ANCAP.

“ANCAP encourages vehicle manufacturers to update the safety features and technologies fitted to their vehicles throughout their model life – particularly if they are to remain in the market for six years or longer – to ensure they continue to provide the best levels of safety for new car buyers.”

When the changes were announced in 2021, ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said the six-year system was to eliminate confusion for buyers, providing clarity so consumers can compare star ratings more accurately.

"What we will end up with is that all ratings will have a six-year validity, so then you’ll be able to see very clearly whether or not the rating is valid or expired," said Hoorweg.

“It gives you that ability to compare how long this rating has to run versus one that’s more recent – you know it’s going to be valid for longer, so you’ve got that five-star rated car with a valid rating that’s going to last until the end of the sixth-year life.

“I think that gives you a way of comparing, and going, ‘well, if I’m buying a vehicle that has five stars from 2017 versus a vehicle that has five stars from 2019, I know that the 2017 one is older and the rating is going to expire [sooner]’.”

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ANCAP safety ratings expiring on December 31, 2023:

• Jeep Cherokee – five stars, tested 2016 (vehicle discontinued)
• Mazda CX-9 – five stars, tested 2016 (vehicle soon-to-be-discontinued)
• Mazda MX-5 – five stars, tested 2016
• Subaru Impreza – five stars, tested 2016 (vehicle superseded)
• Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series single-cab cab-chassis – five stars, tested 2016
• Alfa Romeo Stelvio – five stars, tested 2017
• Audi Q5 – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due soon)
• BMW 6 Series GT – five stars, tested 2017 (vehicle discontinued)
• BMW iX3 – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due soon)
• BMW X3 – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due soon)
• BMW X4 – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due soon)
• Jaguar E-Pace – five stars, tested 2017
• Jaguar F-Pace – five stars, tested 2017
• Kia Stinger – five stars, tested 2017 (vehicle discontinued)
• Land Rover Discovery – five stars, tested 2017
• Range Rover Velar – five stars, tested 2017
• Mazda CX-5 – five stars, tested 2017
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet – five stars, tested 2017 (vehicle superseded)
• Mini Countryman – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – five stars, tested 2017
• Renault Koleos – five stars, tested 2017
• Skoda Karoq – five stars, tested 2017
• Skoda Kodiaq – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Toyota C-HR – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Volkswagen Arteon – five stars, tested 2017 (vehicle soon-to-be-discontinued)
• Volkswagen T-Roc – five stars, tested 2017
• Volvo XC60 – five stars, tested 2017
• Citroen C3 – four stars, tested 2017
• Kia Picanto – four stars, tested 2017
• Ford Mustang – three stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)

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ANCAP safety ratings expiring on December 31, 2024:

• Hyundai i30 hatch – five stars, tested 2017
• Jeep Compass – five stars, tested 2017
• Kia Rio and Stonic – five stars, tested 2017
• LDV D90 – five stars, tested 2017
• LDV T60 – five stars, tested 2017
• Suburu XV – five stars, tested 2017 (vehicle superseded)
• Suzuki Swift (safety pack) – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Toyota Camry – five stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• MG ZS – four stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Suzuki Swift (base) – four stars, tested 2017 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Audi A6 – five stars, tested 2018
• Audi A7 – five stars, tested 2018
• Audi Q3 – five stars, tested 2018
• BMW X5 – five stars, tested 2018
• Genesis G70 – five stars, tested 2018
• Hyundai Nexo – five stars, tested 2018
• Hyundai Santa Fe – five stars, tested 2018 (replacement model due in 2024)
• Jaguar I-Pace – five stars, tested 2018
• Lexus ES – five stars, tested 2018
• Mazda 6 – five stars, tested 2018
• Mazda CX-8 – five stars, tested 2018 (vehicle soon-to-be-discontinued)
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class – five stars, tested 2018
• Nissan Leaf – five stars, tested 2018
• Peugeot 508 – five stars, tested 2018
• Toyota Corolla sedan – five stars, tested 2018
• Toyota Corolla hatch – five stars, tested 2018
• Volkswagen Touareg – five stars, tested 2018
• Volvo S60 – five stars, tested 2018
• Volvo V60 – five stars, tested 2018
• Volvo XC40 – five stars, tested 2018
• Peugeot Partner – four stars, tested 2018
• Suzuki Jimny – three stars, tested 2018