List of commercial van safety gradings grows

ANCAP has added new safety gradings for the Ford Transit, Toyota HiAce, and new nameplate, Farizon SV, following the latest round of Commercial Van Safety Comparison assessments. This widens ANCAP’s objective safety guidance for fleet operators and consumers comparing crash avoidance performance.

The full-size Ford Transit achieves a PLATINUM grading with an overall collision avoidance score of 93%. This surpasses scores achieved by all previously assessed NB category vans, including the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and eSprinter assessed last year. Ford now holds the highest scores across both NA and NB categories, following the Transit Custom’s PLATINUM grading in the smaller van class.

The Transit comes with more comprehensive ADAS systems than its predecessor and includes autonomous emergency braking (Car-to-Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Backover), lane support with emergency lane keeping, speed assistance, and driver monitoring as standard. The previous Transit, assessed in 2020, achieved a GOLD grading.

The recently updated Toyota HiAce now achieves a PLATINUM grading with collision avoidance score of 90%. This improves on the GOLD result held by earlier HiAce vehicles. The PLATINUM grading applies to van and crew van HiAce variants produced from June 2025.

Testing showed the HiAce is equipped with collision avoidance systems equivalent to Toyota’s passenger cars, delivering robust autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane support performance, resulting in full-points for its forwards car-to-car detection, intervention and lane keeping.

The new Farizon SV, a battery electric model new to the Australian market, debuts with a PLATINUM grading. It reached an overall score of 84%. The Farizon’s first entrée into ANCAP assessments delivered high levels of overall performance, with some limitations noted with a lack of AEB Backover and a speed assistance system.

“Ford’s Transit has set a new benchmark for active safety performance among the larger commercial vans segment,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

“Toyota’s updated HiAce demonstrates great progress in the smaller van segment, with the recent model improvements delivering a balanced and high-performing result.”

“Farizon’s entry reflects the high standard Australian consumers and fleets expect straight out of the box. This is a really encouraging first showing and adds to the growing range of safe electric vans now available.”