ANCAP safety ratings influence millions of car buying decisions in Australia, but do you really understand what those stars mean? Here’s a complete breakdown.

How Cars Are Tested

ANCAP partners with Euro NCAP to assess vehicles across four categories: adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection, and safety assist technology.

What Five Stars Means

A five-star rating indicates excellent performance across all four categories. However, not all five-star cars are equal. A car scoring 95% across categories is objectively safer than one scoring 80%, even though both receive five stars.

The Date Matters

Safety standards are updated regularly. A five-star rating from 2021 wouldn’t necessarily achieve five stars under 2026 testing protocols. Always check the year of the rating.

Beyond the Stars

Look at the detailed scores, not just the star rating. Pay particular attention to the safety assist category, which evaluates technologies like autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping, and driver monitoring systems.