Electric trio powers ahead with top marks

The Tesla Model 3 has secured a five-star ANCAP safety rating, with record performance including its 95% score for Child Occupant Protection and 89% score for Vulnerable Road User Protection.

Kia’s all-electric EV3 has achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating, following the footsteps of the Kia EV5 and EV9.

The newly introduced MGS5 EV has attained a five-star result.

Tesla Model 3

The updated Tesla Model 3 has achieved a five-star ANCAP rating, covering models built and on sale from September 2023. The electric sedan demonstrated strong crash test performance results, scoring 90% for Adult Occupant Protection. It attained full marks for the side impact and oblique pole tests. In the frontal offset (MPDB) test, the Model 3 provided Good protection to all critical body regions of the driver and front passenger, except for the driver’s chest and the lower legs of both front occupants, which had Adequate protection.

The Tesla Model 3 first entered the Australian and New Zealand markets in 2019, and with that achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Changes were made to the Model 3 from September 2023 build which saw its existing safety rating unable to carry through. Since then, Tesla Model 3 vehicles have been unrated. Following a full suite of independent testing to updated Model 3 vehicles, a five-star rating has been confirmed against current test and rating criteria, for vehicles built from September 2023.

Updates introduced to Tesla Model 3 vehicles built from September 2023 include the addition of a centre airbag between the front seats and the fitment of an active bonnet system. The centre airbag earned full points in far side impact testing, demonstrating effective occupant-to-occupant protection. Additionally, the active bonnet system is designed to reduce pedestrian injury risk by lifting the bonnet surface upon impact, increasing clearance from underlying hard structures. Testing confirmed consistent and reliable deployment across various speeds and pedestrian statures.

The Tesla Model 3 performed very well in the Child Occupant Protection pillar achieving 95% – the highest result recorded to date against ANCAP’s 2023-2025 criteria. In both the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection was Good for all critical body areas of both the six and 10-year-old child dummies, and the Tesla Model 3 scored maximum points in this part of the assessment. A direct child presence detection system – which provides a notification to the driver and intervenes by activating air conditioning and opening windows if a child is inadvertently left inside – is standard on all variants and contributed to the record score. This technology has also been integrated into the front seats of the vehicle in updated models built from September 2023.

Strong performance in crash avoidance and driver assistance system testing contributed to the Tesla Model 3’s Vulnerable Road User Protection score of 89% - also a record high score - and Safety Assist score of 88%.

“The upgraded Tesla Model 3 has again delivered all-round safety performance, with standout results for child occupant and vulnerable road user protection, making it a reassuring choice for families,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

Kia EV3

The all-electric Kia EV3 has joined Kia’s local electrified line-up with a five-star ANCAP safety rating, following in the footsteps of Kia’s EV stablemates.

The Small SUV returned a mix of results in the frontal offset test. Adequate protection was recorded for the driver’s head and chest, while Marginal protection was noted for the driver’s and passenger upper legs. Good protection was offered to all other critical body regions of both the driver and front passenger in this test.

In the full width frontal test, Good protection was provided to all critical body regions for both the driver and rear passenger, with maximum points awarded. Full points were also achieved in the side impact test. Overall, the Kia EV3 achieved an Adult Occupant Protection score of 83%.

The EV3 achieved a score of 86% for Child Occupant Protection. In the frontal offset test, dummy readings showed Good protection for all critical areas of both child dummies, except the 10-year-old’s neck, which was rated Adequate. Side impact test results showed child occupants seated in the rear of the Kia EV3 were well protected, with maximum scores achieved reflecting a low injury risk. Although a child presence detection system is available in Australian and New Zealand EV3 vehicles, it is not a standard feature on the tested vehicle it was not assessed or scored.

In the Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist pillars, the EV3 achieved 78% and 81% respectively. The autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system demonstrated Good performance in the detection and mitigation of other vehicles, pedestrians and motorcyclists in many scenarios. Cyclist detection and mitigation through autonomous braking was Good.

The EV3 is equipped with a range of driver assistance technologies including lane keep assistance, speed limit recognition, and a direct driver monitoring system designed to detect distraction and fatigue.

“Following in the footsteps of the larger EV9 and EV5 models, the Kia EV3 has demonstrated the brand’s continued prioritisation of safety for its Australian and New Zealand customers,” said Ms Hoorweg.

MGS5 EV

All variants of the new MGS5 EV introduced to Australia from May 2025, and due to arrive in New Zealand in July 2025, have achieved a five-star rating.

For Adult Occupant Protection, the MGS5 EV scored 90%. In the frontal offset test, Adequate protection was recorded for the chest of both the driver and front passenger, and for the upper legs of the driver due to potential injury risks from dashboard structures. Good protection was offered to all remaining critical body regions.

In the full width frontal test, chest protection was Adequate for the driver and rear passenger, with Good protection for all other regions. The side impact test showed Good protection for all driver body regions, earning maximum points, while the oblique pole test returned Adequate chest protection and Good results for key other body regions.

A score of 86% was achieved for Child Occupant Protection. Tests confirmed Good protection for both the six and 10-year-old dummies in frontal and side impact crash scenarios. The only exception was the neck of the 10-year-old dummy where injury protection was assessed as Adequate in the frontal offset test.

The MGS5 EV recorded a score of 82% for Vulnerable Road User Protection. The vehicle was effective in responding to pedestrians and cyclists, showing Good responsiveness to pedestrians and cyclists in emergency AEB test scenarios, and Marginal performance for motorcyclists. Performance of AEB in reverse was also Marginal.

In addition to autonomous braking and active lane support, standard safety features include driver monitoring to detect fatigue and distraction, and a speed assistance system with traffic sign recognition. For Safety Assist, the MGS5 EV achieved a score of 79%.

“Following a series of mixed safety outcomes for MG in recent times, the addition of this new five-star model is encouraging. It reinforces MG’s ability to meet the highest safety standards, and we look forward to seeing this level of commitment carry through to future new model releases,” said Ms Hoorweg.