The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has announced scoring for four models, with most receiving top marks at five stars.
The new Nissan Pathfinder, BMW X1 small SUV, LDV Mifa 9 people mover, and the Fiat 500e electric hatchback were all rated, though the last of the group is scored only for New Zealand.
The Nissan Pathfinder, which was tested at facilities in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and regional NSW, scored five stars with its highest strengths being driver and front passenger protection, for which it received either full marks or very high marks depending on the specific test.
Rear passenger protection was also rated highly, with maximum points scored for child protection in side impacts or front offset impacts.
Its active safety was scored as ‘good’, while its pedestrian test scenarios were rated ‘adequate’.
The BMW X1 also achieved five stars, but the electric iX1 is yet to be rated.
ANCAP said it performed “respectably” across the board, though it was scored as ‘weak’ for its driver chest protection in frontal offset collisions and was given a ‘marginal’ score for rear passenger chest protection in the frontal (full-width object) collision.
The LDV Mifa 9 was given five stars also, with the people mover scoring maximum points for “protection of the driver and small female rear passenger” in the full-width frontal test.
ANCAP said the Mifa 9 is the only vehicle, aside from the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, to have achieved a full score in this criterion.
It also scored well for its vehicle-to-vehicle crash protection, thanks to a front end that ANCAP notes “reduces potential injury to occupants of other vehicles”.
Finally, for the New Zealand market, the Fiat 500e scored four stars, missing out on top marks due to falling short in areas like protection of the driver and front passenger’s chests and risk of “head contacting the intruding door” during side pole impact tests.
Whether it receives the same safety score when it launches in Australia next year is still unclear.
Keyword: 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, BMW X1, LDV Mifa 9 safety scores revealed for Australia