Shock at first zero ANCAP safety rating

The new Mitsubishi Express received the shocking assessment after crash tests showed there was a risk of serious injury to the driver and passenger because of limited airbags and no emergency braking or lane support systems.

RACQ spokesperson Lauren Ritchie said the zero-star rating could make the Mitsubishi Express ineligible for purchase by a wide range of fleets and commercial buyers.

“At a time when many car makers regard a five-star ANCAP safety rating as a minimum requirement to sell a vehicle in Australia, it’s disappointing to think any vehicle could be on the market today with a zero-star rating.” Ms Ritchie said.

“The testing demonstrated a high risk of whiplash, no chest-protecting side airbags for the side and centre passengers, no front airbag for the centre passenger and poor performance in the Vulnerable Road User Protection criteria due to a lack of active safety systems.

“It’s increasingly rare for new vehicles to fall below five-stars – a four or three-star rating is usually as bad as it gets in Australia – so this recent rating takes us into territory we haven’t seen before.”

Ms Ritchie urged drivers to always look for vehicles with a high safety rating.

“Safety ratings allow motorists to make informed choices about the way a vehicle will protect you in a crash or help you avoid one, and while safe driving is always important, these features play a significant role in saving lives and preventing serious injuries,” she said.

“The advice is to buy the safest, newest vehicle you can afford and ideally one with the highest and most recent ANCAP rating.”