Despite forecasts of a 5-star ANCAP rating, the 2016 HAVAL H9 has scored only four – company vows to make it a 5 star car.

NEWCOMER HAVAL has had its first ANCAP test and the result is a 4-star safety rating for the top-of-the-range H9, which a spokesman told us was “disappointing”, hardly a surprising reaction given that they had been confidently predicting a 5-star rating. This confidence was borne out of their own tests which apparently replicated the Australian (and other) safety tests, but perhaps not as closely as they thought.

ANCAP CEO James Goodwin said “this is the first rating for the HAVAL brand in Australia following its entry to the local market last year and the first independent safety rating for the H9 in the world.” He went on to say “new vehicle buyers have come to expect 5-star safety from new models and unfortunately this result falls short of marketplace expectations.”

ANCAP also said that “the H9 scored well in the areas of side impact and whiplash protection but did not perform well enough in the frontal offset test to enable a rating beyond 4 stars. Lower leg protection was marginal and there was a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver.”

HAVAL is not alone in producing a 4-star car. Other 4-stars in the last few years include the Audi TT, Range Rover Evoque, Mini Countryman, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Kia Carnival, Jaguar XF and Hyundai Tucson. However, most of those were quickly fixed to get a full 5-star rating, and that is exactly what HAVAL intend to do, telling Practical Motoring yesterday that “we will make this a 5-star car”.

So in this case, what exactly is the difference between a 4-star and 5-star car?

ANCAP run a series of tests; a front crash, side crash, optional pole crash and a few other checks. The total is added up and cars must get at least 32.5 out of 37, with at least 12.5 in each of the front and side crashes.

The H9 scored 12.05 in the front offset impact test, 0.45 lower than the minimum, so it was instantly unable to achieve a 5-star rating even if it did well enough elsewhere to exceed 32.5.

The overall score was 30.65, but that was without the optional pole tests worth a maximum of two points. If the H9 has achieved those two extra points it would have lifted the score to 32.65, which is a 5-star rating if the frontal offset crash hadn’t meant it instantly failed. HAVAL decided not to proceed with the pole tests after the frontal impact results.

Here’s the summary of results:

The full report is available at www.howsafeismycar.com.au.

The test was under 2015 conditions, not 2016. The only difference is that in 2016 there will be a slightly increased focus on SAT, or Safety Assist Technologies such as Autonomous Emergency Braking AEB, blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning. 

HAVAL will test the rest of their range (H2 and H8) at some point in the future, and maintain these will be 5-star cars.

And in news just in…the Ford Mustang has had much the same problem in the USA where it didn’t achieve a “Top Safety Pick” (equivalent of 5 stars) because of its performance in the frontal offset test. ANCAP has not tested the Mustang so that may not apply to Australia as the tests are not exactly equivalent, but nevertheless it’s not ideal for Ford or Mustang owners.

Related links

• HAVAL H9 on and offroad test
• What exactly is an ANCAP safety rating?