The NZ Transport Agency and the Automobile Association have release new results from the latest round of crash testing by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
The results include a top ranking five-star ANCAP rating for the new VW Polo, as well as four star results for Australasia's newest hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the Great Wall Motors (GWM) X240 SUV.
NZTA's Group Manager Access and Use Ian Gordon said passenger vehicles are now scoring consistent four and five-star safety ratings, which is great news for motorists and their families.
"Crash statistics show that occupants of four or five star-rated vehicles are much less likely to receive life-threatening injuries in a crash than occupants of lower rated vehicles. With today's safety technology we expect five star ratings to increasingly become the norm."
Mr Gordon encouraged consumers to study crash test results before making a purchase.
"The difference in safety from one model to the next can be huge, and it can literally mean the difference between life and death in a crash.”
Vehicles crash tested by ANCAP are scored on a scale of zero to five stars based on how well they protect their occupants and pedestrians.
ANCAP is supported by all New Zealand and Australian motoring clubs, the New Zealand government, all Australian State governments and the FIA Foundation. The AA and NZTA are both members of ANCAP. Detailed crash tests are available on the websites of both organisations – www.aa.co.nz(external link) or www.nzta.govt.nz(external link)
