27 Jun 2011

Nissan Leaf first 5 star electric car, Hyundai Elantra & Ford Focus also 5 stars

Australasia's leading independent vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), today announced the first 5 star safety rating for an electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf.

ANCAP also announced 5-star ratings for the new Hyundai Elantra and the new Ford Focus models.

ANCAP Chair, Lauchlan McIntosh, said the 5 star rating for the Leaf, based on EuroNCAP tests, once again confirmed that 'green' can also be 'safe'.

"Electric vehicles are a genuine option for today’s new car buyers - it is good news for consumers to see the Nissan Leaf record this top safety rating," Mr McIntosh said.

The 2011 Leaf comprises a full suite of air bags, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution and electronic stability control and intelligent seat belt reminders among other standard features. It performed very well in crash testing, with the passenger compartment holding its shape and thus offering superior protection for the occupants.

The 5 star result for the Hyundai Elantra reflects the continued emphasis on safety in Hyundai’s design and production processes.

"Hyundai has made a clear decision to make safety a priority in the production and marketing of their vehicles, and the Elantra joins a range of other 5 star models in their fleet," Mr McIntosh said.

"Ford has also continued the 5 star performance with all variants of the soon to be launched Ford Focus awarded an ANCAP 5 star rating. The rating of the Focus complements a strong line-up of 5 star Ford vehicles in most vehicle categories."

"Consumers are now regarding 5 stars as an entry point for their vehicle choice, so these manufacturers should be congratulated for bringing these 5 star cars onto the Australian market."

ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, all Australian state governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation. For a full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings and other vehicle safety information, go to ancap.com.au.

Nissan Leaf (2011 - onward) frontal offset test at 64km/h

Ford Focus (2011 - onward) frontal offset test at 64km/h