ANCAP: X-Class leads Polo, E-Pace, X2 to five stars

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has handed down its latest round of safety ratings, with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, Volkswagen Polo, Jaguar E-Pace and BMW X2 all awarded five stars.

ANCAP chief executive James Goodwin specifically praised the X-Class for the standard fitment of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) range-wide.

“The light-commercial vehicle segment has generally lagged passenger cars and SUVs with regard to safety specification, so the inclusion of AEB as standard across the X-Class range is to be commended,” he said.

“This is a game-changer for the ute market and puts pressure on competing brands.”

Specifically, the X-Class scored 90 per cent – or 34.45 out of 38 – in the Adult Occupant Protection test category, headlined by perfect results in the side impact at 50km/h crash (eight out of eight) and city-based AEB (three out of three) tests.

Near-perfect scores were achieved in oblique pole at 32km/h (7.85 out of eight) and full-width front at 50km/h (7.63 out of eight) crash tests, with 'adequate' chest protection reducing both results.

In the Child Occupant Protection test category, a score of 87 per cent – or 43.04 out of 49 – was awarded with 'adequate' protection of the six-year-old's chest and 10-year-old's neck in the frontal offset at 64km/h crash test (14.54 out of 16) contributing towards the missed points.

The Pedestrian Protection test category returned an 80 per cent – or 33.99 out of 42 – score, with mainly 'adequate' or 'marginal' head protection (16.66 out of 24) across the bonnet accounting for the majority of points lost.

These efforts were complemented by a 72 per cent – or 8.75 out of 12 – result in the Safety Assist test category, with the lack of speed limit recognition and lane-keep assist reducing the speed assistance (1.50 out of three) and lane support (1.70 out of three) system scores respectively.

Meanwhile, the Polo tallied 96 per cent – or 36.72 out of 38 – in the Adult Occupant Protection test category, including perfect results in the side impact at 50km/h (eight out eight) and oblique pole at 32km/h (eight out of eight) crash, and city-based AEB (three out of three) tests.

The Child Occupant Protection test category also returned a high score, with its 85 per cent – or 41.98 out of 49 points – owing to perfect results in the side impact at 50km/h crash (eight out of eight) and restraint installation (12 out of 12) tests.

In the Pedestrian Protection test category, a score of 76 per cent – or 31.98 out of 42 – was totalled, with mixed head protection (15.95 out of 24) across the bonnet responsible for most of the missed points.

Rounding out the results was the Safety Assist test category which returned a 59 per cent – or 7.17 out of 12 – result, with the lack of lane support systems (zero out of three) and a fully featured speed assistance system (1.50 out of three) accounting for the majority of points lost.

Furthermore, the E-Pace achieved 86 per cent – or 33.04 out of 38 – in the Adult Occupant Protection test category, with its sole perfect score coming from the side impact at 50km/h crash test (eight out of eight).

Near-perfect results were achieved in the oblique pole at 32km/h (7.82 out of eight) and full-width frontal at 50km/h (7.51 out of eight) crash tests, with points deducted for 'adequate' chest protection.

However, the E-Pace's poorest score came from the frontal offset at 64km/h crash test (5.33 out of eight) which saw 'adequate' head, 'marginal' chest, 'weak' lower right leg and 'adequate' lower left leg protection for the driver.

The Child Occupant Protection test category resulted in an 87 per cent – or 43 out of 49 – score, with perfect results in the frontal offset at 64km/h (16 out of 16), side impact at 50km/h (eight out of eight) crash and restraint installation (12 out of 12) tests.

In the Pedestrian Protection test category, a 77 per cent – or 32.47 out of 42 – result was achieved, with mixed 'good', 'adequate' and 'poor' head (19.63 out of 24) and upper leg (3.29 out of six) protection across the front end accounting for most lost points.

A score of 72 per cent – or 8.71 out of 12 – in the Safety Assist test category was mainly impacted by the lack of speed limit recognition in the speed assistance system test (1.25 out of three).

Additionally, the X2's results were interestingly based on testing of the mechanically similar X1 that was assessed nearly 18 months ago, save for some additional side, pole and pedestrian impact tests due to the model's slightly different side frame and new front bumper.

Specifically, the X2 scored 90 per cent – or 34.48 out of 38 – in the Adult Occupant Protection test category, with perfect results in the side impact at 50km/h (eight out of eight) and oblique pole at 32km/h (eight out of eight) crash tests.

The majority of points were lost in the frontal offset at 64km/h crash test (6.47 out of eight) which saw 'adequate' chest and lower right leg protection for the front passenger, and 'marginal' chest and 'adequate' lower leg protection for the driver.

Similarly, the full-width frontal at 50km/h crash test (7.64 out of eight) saw 'adequate' chest protection for the driver and rear passenger.

In Child Occupant Protection test category, an 87 per cent – or 43 out of 49 – score was tallied, with perfect results in the frontal offset at 64km/h (16 out of 16) and side impact at 50km/h (eight of eight) crash, and restraint installation (12 out of 12) tests.

The Pedestrian Protection test category returned a 74 per cent – or 26.74 out of 36 – result, with a mix of 'adequate', 'marginal' and 'poor' recordings across the edge of the windshield and the B-pillars partly reducing the head impacts score to 19.40 out of 24. Upper leg impacts (1.34 out of six) were predominately 'poor'.

Given assessment of an AEB system's pedestrian detection functionality was not part of the 2015 ANCAP testing standards, the X2's set-up was not scored – unlike the aforementioned models.

A different standard was also applied in the Safety Assist test category that totalled a 70 per cent – or 9.12 out of 13 – result, with the X2 marked down for a ‘lack’ of speed limit recognition and lane departure warning systems, despite their standard fitment.

According to ANCAP, the former was not available on the X1 during testing in 2015, so it was not assessed, but X2s “with this feature can be expected to achieve an improved speed assistance systems score”. Regardless, a 1.33 out of three was scored.

In a similar vein, the latter was not offered as standard on the European-market X1 from 2015, so it was also not assessed but did not affect the lane support systems test result (zero out of one) which was instead impacted by the lack of lane-keep assist.

The five-star ANCAP safety rating applies to all local X-Class, Polo, E-Pace and X2 variants that are set to hit showrooms in the coming months.

Testing of the X-Class, Polo and X2 was conducted by ANCAP's European counterpart, Euro NCAP, while the E-Pace was tested locally.