EV safety stars: Tesla Model 3, Kia EV3 and MG S5 EV all shine in latest round of ANCAP crash tests

May 28, 2025May 27, 2025 Bruce Newton 4103 Views 0 Comments ANCAP, kia ev3, MG S5, Tesla Model 3

The 2025 Tesla Model 3, 2025 Kia EV3 and 2025 MG S5 EV battery electric vehicles have all been awarded the full five stars for protection in the latest round of ANCAP testing in Australia.

Scoring a record-breaking 95 per cent of its child protection and 90 per cent for adult protection, the facelifted Tesla Model 3 (September 2023 onwards) delivered an outstanding performance.

It also set new standards for vulnerable road user protection, while an 88 per cent rating for driver assist safety tech means the medium sedan aced its ANCAP testing.

The Australian safety body went on to heap praise for full marks in the side impact and oblique pole tests as well as full marks for the operation of the centre airbag.

The only below par scores were given for offering only ‘adequate’ protection for the driver’s chest and front occupants’ lower legs in the frontal offset test.

“In both the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection was ‘good’ for all critical body areas of both the six and 10-year-old child dummies, and the Tesla Model 3 scored maximum points in this part of the assessment,” testers said of the record-breaking child occupant protection score.

“A direct child presence detection system – which provides a notification to the driver and intervenes by activating air conditioning and opening windows if a child is inadvertently left inside – is standard on all variants and contributed to the record score.”

The newer Kia EV3 also impressed, becoming the car-maker’s third all-electric model to bag the full five stars for safety.

Despite its small size, the EV3 achieved 86 per cent for child occupant protection, 83 per cent for adult protection, 78 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and was given an 81 per cent score for its driver assist tech.

ANCAP said the Kia did leave some room for improvement when it came to driver head and chest protection (adequate) and driver and passenger legs (marginal) in the frontal offset impact test but performed well overall.

Finally, the MG S5 EV, that has been introduced to Australia this month, matched the Tesla with its 90 per cent score for adult occupant protection, was rated 86 per cent for child protection but was marked down to 82 per cent for vulnerable user protection because its AEB in reverse was judged marginal.

The driver assist tech overall was scored 79 per cent for effectiveness.

“Following a series of mixed safety outcomes for MG in recent times, the addition of this new five-star model is encouraging,” ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said.

“It reinforces MG’s ability to meet the highest safety standards, and we look forward to seeing this level of commitment carry through to future new model releases.”