Plug-in hybrid joins ANCAP galaxy with 5-stars

21 March 2014

Plug-in hybrid joins ANCAP galaxy with 5-stars

There are four additions to the ANCAP galaxy today with 5-star safety ratings awarded to Citroen, Peugeot, Toyota and Mitsubishi.

The 2014 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso people mover and Toyota Highlander large SUV along with the 2013 Peugeot 2008 compact SUV have each performed strongly enough to ensure a place in the safest car category.

In addition, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) has been awarded the same ANCAP 5-star safety rating as its petrol and diesel-only powered siblings.

AA Motoring Services General Manager Stella Stocks says while all of the four new 5-star vehicles have electronic stability control (ESC), antilock brakes (ABS) and electronic brake distribution (EBD) as standard, none have autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

“While AEB isn’t yet required on board a vehicle to achieve a 5-star safety rating, it is a fantastic crash avoidance aid which detects critical situations early, warning the driver and then braking to lower the speed of the vehicle.”

Ms Stocks says AEB means that severity of a crash can sometimes be minimised if not totally avoided.

NZ Transport Agency Group Manager Access and Use Celia Patrick said the Agency encouraged people to buy the safest vehicles they could afford, and the addition of more top safety-rated vehicles to the New Zealand fleet was great news for Kiwi drivers and their families.

“Five star vehicles earn that rating because they give drivers and their passengers the best chance of walking away from a crash, or of avoiding the crash altogether with the aid of active safety features.

“We’re making good progress in reducing deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads, but we need to keep improving the safety of all parts of our transport system to save more lives and prevent more serious injuries. That means creating safer roads and roadsides, encouraging safer road use and safer travel speeds, and getting more people into safer vehicles.”

ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

The full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles are available online at aa.co.nz or rightcar.govt.nz.

ENDS

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