ANCAP Safety Ratings – the Haves and the Have Nots
WORDS BY PAUL OLIVER
The calendar had barely turned over to 2025 when the annual email from ANCAP arrived ; “ ANCAP Safety : Expiring Ratings ”.
As usual , there were a host of luxury vehicles on the list including the Audi A6 , A7 & Q3 , BMW X5 , Genesis G70 , Jaguar I-Pace , Lexus ES , Merceds-Benz A-Class etc . However , it ’ s the fleet vehicles that always grab our attention and this year was no exception !
Notable Inclusions
At the end of 2024 , the 6 year validity period for ANCAP Safety Ratings ran out for the hugely popular and highly successful Toyota Corolla . In 2024 , the Corolla represented a whopping 33.9 % of sales in the Small Car segment .
While the Corolla has been a dominant force in this segment for many years , its Hybrid model variants ( which have been available in Australia since 2016 ) contribute hugely to its sales success , particularly amongst fleets , along with its stablemates the RAV4 and Camry .
These vehicles are often the backbone of pool vehicle fleets amongst Government and Not For Profit Organisations , as well as many Business fleets .
Another volume seller with a strong customer base also appeared on the expiring ratings list , the Hyundai i30 Hatch .
Together , these two vehicles made up more than half of last year ’ s sales in the critical Small Car segment . Both held 5 star ANCAP Safety Ratings last year , but while their safety technology has not changed they are now ‘ Unrated ’ by ANCAP .
Fleet Manager Challenges
The increasing incidents of preferred fleet vehicles reaching their safety rating expiry date is yet another challenge for Fleet Managers , as most would have a fleet policy that mandates the procurement of vehicles awarded with the maximum 5 star rating .
6 ISSUE 51 FEBRUARY 2025 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU