BMW, Kia, Mercedes-Benz score five ANCAP stars

ANCAP has published the results of its latest round of vehicle crash testing, with the BMW 5 Series, Kia EV9 and Mercedes-Benz EQE-Class SUV all scoring an impressive five-star result against the latest 2023-2025 assessment criteria.

The electric Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV scored maximum points for driver protection in the side impact test, for the front-seat passenger in the frontal offset test, and for the protection of child occupants in both the side impact and frontal offset tests.

A centre airbag provided front seat occupants with additional protection, however ANCAP states that evidence to demonstrate that the airbag would protect a range of occupant sizes was not provided by the manufacturer, and that as such points for this area of assessment were not awarded.

The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV managed Good performance in the active lane keep assist test and across the range of car-to-car, car-to-motorcycle, and car-to-cyclist AEB tests. The Mercedes-Benz EQE-Class is fitted with a pedestrian-detecting AEB system that also functions in reverse, and tests of this system likewise showed Good performance.

Against the scoreboard, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV rated 87 per cent in the Adult Occupant Protection category, 92 per cent in the Child Occupant Protection category, 80 per cent in the Vulnerable Road User category, and 86 per cent in the Safety Assist category.

For the Kia EV9, meanwhile, we find similar levels of active safety performance to those recorded by the EQE SUV, with maximum points scored for its car-to-car AEB and lane keep assist functionality. The EV9 is also fitted with an AEB back-over system, however this is not standard in the European market and was therefore not tested.

An evaluation of direct driver monitoring systems (DMS) is now included as part of ANCAP’s 2023-2025 assessment criteria, and the Kia EV9 offers DMS as standard. The DMS in the EV9 can detect long and short periods of driver inattention as well as drowsiness and microsleep events. The system can warn the driver and enhance the sensitivity of crash avoidance systems if distraction or fatigue are detected.

An indirect child presence detection (CPD) system, that provides an alert when a child may have been left in the vehicle, is also standard for all second- and third row passenger seats.

In destructive testing, the Kia EV9 offered a mix of Good and Adequate performance for the protection it offered to adult and child occupants. Marginal protection was recorded for the driver’s chest in the oblique pole test, and the rear passenger’s chest in the full width test.

Rated as a percentage, the Kia EV9 rated 84 per cent in the Adult Occupant Protection category, 87 per cent in the Child Occupant Protection category, 76 per cent in the Vulnerable Road User category, and 85 per cent in the Safety Assist category.

Strong safety performance across the range of physical crash tests contributed to the five-star ANCAP safety rating issued to the BMW 5 Series range.

This rating, which also applies to the electric i5 range, was bolstered by the vehicle’s strong scored for its protection of vulnerable road users – both through physical design and active collision avoidance capabilities.

An indirect DMS is fitted as standard to the 5 Series, and information was also provided to demonstrate that, should the vehicle become submerged in water, all windows and doors would remain functional for a minimum of two minutes once battery power had been lost.

In evaluating the BMW 5 Series’ safety performance, ANCAP rated the vehicle with an 89 per cent Adult Occupant Protection category score, an 87 per cent Child Occupant Protection category score, an 86 per cent the Vulnerable Road User category score, and an 81 per cent Safety Assist category score.

ANCAP chief executive officer Karla Hoorweg says the safety body has now assessed six models against its stricter 2023-2025 criteria and is confident more vehicles will achieve similar results over the coming months.

“While 2023 has been a fairly lean year in terms of new ratings, the great news for new car buyers is that each of the 2023 ratings published to date are five-star ratings,” she said.

“As we approach the end of the year, we are expecting to apply a few more ratings to models that have recently entered the market, so if you are looking to buy a new car, keep an eye on the ANCAP website.”