New Mazda3 achieves five-star ANCAP safety rating, but doesn’t get unqualified endorsement, and we wonder why UK Mazda3 models get standard AEB and Aussie models don’t?

ANCAP HAS ANNOUNCED that it has awarded the new Mazda3 the maximum five-star safety rating.

According to ANCAP, they are continuing to increase the requirements for each of its star ratings.

“Head protecting side airbags for rear seat passengers is now required for five stars, as is a higher score in the pedestrian protection test,” advises ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh.

“The Mazda3 ticks these boxes yet life-saving technology such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) is still only offered as an option on Australian-sold models,” he points out.

McIntosh added that in the UK, AEB comes as standard. While the Mazda3’s pedestrian injury rating of ‘Acceptable’ is encouraging, ANCAP says it is looking for all vehicles to score the maximum ‘Good’ rating.
“Pedestrian injuries are an increasing proportion of the total as improved internal protection features reduce occupant injuries,” says Mr McIntosh.

Of the 570,000 new passenger cars sold in Australia in 2013, 91 per cent carried the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.

However, the increasing requirements for five-star rating raise an interesting point: buyers of secondhand vehicles endorsed with a five-star ANCAP rating when they were new may not reach five-stars under the current ratings, but buyers may well be unaware of this.

Crash test results for more than 475 vehicles can be researched at ANCAP.