ANCAP names safest cars in April 2018
ANCAP tests the Alfa Romeo Giulia at 50km/h
Two Alfas get top marks while Citroën C3 gets marked down.
Australia’s independent vehicle crash testing board ANCAP has released the latest round of new car safety performance results. Two new Alfas received the maximum possible 5-star certification, while the Citroën C3 earned a 4-star rating.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia
Alfa Romeo will be pleased, as two of its new cars received the highest safety ratings according to ANCAP. The medium-sized Giulia sedan earned an impressive 98% overall score, while the Italian carmakers first SUV, the Stelvio, matched class-leaders like the Volvo XC90 with an Adult Occupant protection grade of 97%.
The 5-star rating applies to all 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel Giulia and Stelvio models.
ANCAP chief James Goodwin said these scores were well deserved.
“These are impressive scores which reflect the effort the brand has put into designing vehicles to keep occupants safe."
Goodwin explained how the Alfas achieved near perfect adult protection results.
“With Adult Occupant Protection we look at how a vehicle performs structurally across a range of destructive crash tests, but also how well the restraint systems work to minimise injury. Low speed autonomous emergency braking also forms part of this, with both Alfa Romeo models performing well.”
Citroën C3
When subjected to the same tests, the Citroën C3 fell shy of 5-star standards. Analysts marked the C3 down as the model features no active pedestrian detection.
The design of the bonnet surface can help minimise pedestrian head injuries in a collision, but the C3s bonnet posted only adequate results. Compared to rival hatchbacks like the VW Polo, which scored 85% for pedestrian safety, the French hatchback was somewhat lacking.
ANCAP’s four-star evaluation applies to all models from November 2017 onwards.
ANCAP April 2018 crash ratings
| Vehicle Make and Model | Rating Awarded in February 2018 | ANCAP Notes | Crash test video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfa Romeo Stelvio | ★★★★★ 5/5 | For March 2018 models onwards, the Stelvio has a 5-star rating. The Stelvio features side head and chest airbags and dual airbags up front. All three grades of autonomous emergency braking are covered and lane departure warnings included, plus a blind spot monitoring system. With no speed limit information function, testers marked the Stelvio down slightly. | Watch |
| Alfa Romeo Giulia | ★★★★★ 5/5 | The Giulia sedan scored well, with dual front airbags and curtain airbags as standard. Giulia models come with autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warnings and blind spot monitoring. | Watch |
| Citroën C3 | ★★★★✩ 4/5 | With no autonomous emergency braking for Australian models, the maximum achievable rating is four stars. Features include dual frontal airbags plus side chest and head curtain airbags. C3s also have a speed sign detection and lane departure warning. Bonnet design and windscreen pillars returned adequate and poor results for pedestrians. | Watch |
| Kia Stinger | ★★★★★ 5/5 | Features include a range of safety equipment like dual frontal and side chest/head curtain airbags, autonomous emergency braking plus lane keep assist. In full-width head-on accidents, rear passengers fared badly across the chest area. Applies to all models apart from 200S and 330S models which gained a three-star rating. | Watch |
How were the safety ratings calculated?
| Vehicle Make and Model | Adult Occupant Protection | Child Occupant Protection | Pedestrian Protection | Safety Assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfa Romeo Stelvio | 97% | 84% | 71% | 60% |
| Alfa Romeo Giulia | 98% | 81% | 69% | 60% |
| Citroën C3 | 88% | 83% | 59% | 58% |
| Kia Stinger | 91% | 81% | 78% | 70% |
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