ANCAP has today awarded the Jeep Cherokee, Skoda Rapid, Honda Odyssey and Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid with five-star crash safety ratings. It’s Jeep’s first ever five-star ANCAP rating.

The Tata Xenon 4×2, a recent arrival on the Australian market, has been awarded a two-star ANCAP crash safety rating due, ANCAP says, to the lack of electronic stability control.

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 awarded five-star crash safety ratings to Nissan Altima and Pulsar hatch, Ford EcoSport, Isuzu D-Max, MU-X, Fiat Panda, Toyota HiLux, Suzuki S-Cross, and M-B CLA.

Kia has just announced its Rondo seven-seater SUV has achieved an ANCAP five star rating, in a move the Korean company says highlights its aim to have all Kia models top-rated, including the Carnival people mover which is currently a four-star.