Mazda 4WD Scores 5 Out Of 5 Stars In Crash Tests

Author: NRMA MediaDate: 22 January 2008

Mazda's CX-7 medium 4WD has scored a maximum rating under the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) - Australia's leading vehicle safety advocate.

ANCAP today released the rating from crash tests on the Mazda CX-7 medium 4WD, which scored 5 stars out of 5 for occupant protection, along with ratings for other cars including the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra.

Jack Haley, NRMA's Manager Motoring Research, said the Mazda CX-7 was subjected to three different crash tests in achieving its 5-star rating.

"It is pleasing to see more vehicles now achieving a 5-star rating," Mr Haley said.

"ANCAP has been testing vehicles since 1992 and manufacturers are now increasingly aiming at a top score in this program. High safety ratings are now seen as vital by manufacturers and consumers alike."

Mr Haley noted that Mazda CX-7 had side head protecting airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on all variants.

"ESC has been shown to be highly effective in Australia in a recent analysis by Monash University," Mr Haley said. "The analysis demonstrated that single vehicle crashes causing driver injury reduced by up to 66% in vehicles fitted with ESC."

"From 1 January this year, ANCAP has regarded the fitment of ESC as a prerequisite to scoring 5 stars - this is another example of the importance that ANCAP attaches to this valuable safety technology."

Ratings for other vehicles tested by ANCAP were also released today. The Toyota Corolla scored 4 stars - it did not achieve five stars as it did not include side curtain airbags and ESC as standard equipment.

"All variants of the Toyota Corolla sold in Europe have side head protecting airbags as standard equipment and score 5 stars," Mr Haley said.

"However Toyota Australia has opted to make head protecting side airbags standard on only the more expensive variants of the Australian Corolla.

"ANCAP has pointed out before that many vehicles that are fitted with the equipment to score 5 stars in Europe do not always have this equipment installed in cars sold in Australia.

"So we strongly encourage consumers to demand the highest levels of safety features and urge manufacturers to make them available.

"ANCAP believes all new vehicles should have front, side and head protecting airbags and ESC as standard equipment - this would help in reducing overall crash fatalities and injuries in Australia and New Zealand."

Other ratings released for vehicles tested in Europe which are available in Australia included the Mercedes-Benz C Class and Mazda2 (with ESC) scoring 5 stars, the Mazda2 (without ESC), the Kia Rio (with side head protecting airbags), the smart fortwo and the Nissan X-Trail scoring 4 stars, and the Kia Rio (without side head protecting airbags), the Kia Cerato and the Hyundai Elantra scoring 3 stars.

These ratings resulted from ANCAP conducting additional side impact tests of the Rio and Cerato because the local models do not have side head protecting airbags as standard, whereas they are standard in Europe

ANCAP crash tests new vehicles, awards them a comparative star rating and publicises the results to the motoring public. ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs including NRMA Motoring & Services, all Australian state governments, the New Zealand government, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

For a full list of ANCAP's vehicle crash test ratings and other vehicle safety information, go to www.mynrma.com.au/ancap.