Why hasn’t my car been rated?
Why can’t I compare cars in different categories, such as a medium car and a small car?
What are model variants and why don’t safety ratings apply to all variants?
When do UCSR supersede ANCAP ratings?
What does EuroNCAP test result mean?
There are two rating systems in Australia: Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) and Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR’s).
ANCAP aims to test the most popular vehicles. On the other hand, UCSRs are created using real world crash data. To receive a UCSR, vehicle models must be at least 2 years old and involved in enough crashes to provide a statistically reliable rating. Under both systems, low selling cars are less likely to be rated.
ANCAP Safety Ratings are used to compare vehicles within the same vehicle category (i.e. small car vs. small car, SUV vs. SUV etc.). It is not appropriate to compare ANCAP safety ratings across vehicle categories, particularly if there is a large weight difference. Used Car Safety Ratings can be compared across categories, but cannot be compared to ANCAP ratings as they are calculated different and are not comparable.
Oftentimes, a car model is available in variants which could mean different specifications, engine sizes, fewer or more doors or even a different body shape. These features affect the structural integrity of a car and therefore its safety rating.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) rates the relative occupant protection performance of cars through crash test procedures in a controlled laboratory environment. The crashworthiness rating component of the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR) also rates the relative occupant protection performance provided by various cars when involved in a crash.
In some instances both a UCSR and ANCAP rating will be available for car models. Occasionally the ratings from these two different assessments can differ for particular cars. The ANCAP rating for a vehicle is the primary rating and will only be replaced by the UCSR when the vehicle is no longer available to be bought as new or if the ANCAP rating expires.
Any car rating system can only provide an indication of the relative levels of protection between cars that you can expect in the event of a crash. You should buy the safest car that you can afford.
ANCAP obtain some of their data from tests conducted by EuroNCAP. The testing protocols are very similar and allow ANCAP to provide additional ratings to consumers.
Ask your dealer to be sure that you are getting the same safety features as the car tested.