Side Impact Safety Ratings Get Their Most Significant Overhaul in a Decade

When ANCAP published its refreshed side impact assessment earlier this year, it signalled the biggest methodological shift since the program began. The revised protocol arrives at a moment when Australian families are buying more mid-size SUVs than ever, and when regulators across Europe, Japan and Southeast Asia are tightening their own benchmarks. For drivers comparing vehicles in showrooms from Brisbane to Perth, the changes will reshape which models earn top marks.

The new methodology focuses on collisions that happen most often on local roads: T-bone crashes at intersections, angled impacts during motorway lane changes, and the increasingly common scenario of a car door struck by another vehicle at suburban speeds. It incorporates updated dummy sensors that better reflect the diversity of body types among Australian occupants, including older drivers and smaller-statured passengers who are statistically more vulnerable in side impacts.

What Changed in the Updated Side Impact Protocol

The revised testing regime raises the moving deformable barrier speed from 60 km/h to 65 km/h, narrowing the gap with the European NCAP standard. Engineers introduced a second test configuration simulating a taller vehicle striking the side of a passenger car, a scenario now common as utes and large SUVs crowd Australian driveways. The barrier itself has been redesigned to mimic a modern mid-size SUV rather than the older sedan profile.

Instrumentation inside test dummies has been upgraded too. Sensors now measure rib deflection, pelvic loading and abdominal compression with greater precision, while a new lower-leg assessment captures injuries to ankle and knee that previous tests routinely missed. These refinements mean vehicles that passed with five stars under the old rules will not automatically keep that rating, and several popular models have already seen scores adjust downward.

Australian Models Put Through Their Paces

Among locally relevant nameplates, the Mazda CX-5 retained a strong score thanks to reinforced B-pillars and side curtain airbags that extend to the second row. The Toyota RAV4 also performed well, particularly in the new taller-vehicle scenario, reflecting work by the brand's Australian engineering teams in Melbourne. Hyundai's Tucson and the related Kia Sportage both improved on previous results, with Hyundai citing revised door beam structures as a contributing factor.

Not every model fared so well. Several older designs that relied on a single side airbag per row saw their ratings trimmed when the updated protocol measured rear passenger protection more strictly. The result has been a flurry of mid-cycle updates, with manufacturers quietly reinforcing interior trim and adjusting airbag calibration rather than waiting for the next full model change. Buyers researching through ANCAP's online database will notice that some 2022 and 2023 model year cars carry updated star ratings compared with the same badge sold earlier.

The SUVs and Utes Dominating Australian Driveways

The shift matters most in categories Australians buy in volume. Dual-cab utes such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux remain the country's top-selling vehicles, and both have invested heavily in side curtain coverage for second-row occupants. Newer entrants from Chinese brands including the GWM Cannon and LDV T60 have moved to address earlier criticisms, with several committing to engineering changes targeting the revised protocol.

Family SUVs in the medium segment have seen the most visible competition. The Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander and Honda CR-V sit in the same showroom bracket, and the new ratings have given buyers a clearer way to distinguish between them. For households commuting through Sydney's M2 or navigating the school drop-off circuit around Brisbane's inner suburbs, the differences in second-row protection can matter more than headline horsepower figures.

What Buyers in Sydney and Melbourne Should Watch

In Sydney, where dense traffic and frequent lane changes create elevated exposure to side impacts, vehicles with active blind-spot monitoring tend to complement strong passive ratings. Melbourne drivers, who often face angled merges from the city's hook turns and tram corridor intersections, benefit from cars with reinforced door structures and side airbags covering both rows. Showroom staff in both cities have been fielding more specific questions from customers reading about the updated protocol.

Australian Design Rules continue to set mandatory minimums, and the new ANCAP star ratings go beyond what regulations require. Buyers comparing vehicles should pay attention to how each model performed in the taller-barrier test, because that scenario is increasingly relevant on roads shared with large commercial vehicles and family SUVs.

How Global Politics and Asian Manufacturing Intersect With Local Safety

The supply chains that produce side curtain airbags, reinforced door beams and the latest sensor systems are deeply international, and disruptions in any one region can ripple into Australian delivery schedules. Recent coverage of a new Russian energy sanctions package has highlighted how broader trade frictions can affect manufacturing inputs, including aluminium and specialised steel alloys used in crumple zone engineering.

For Asian-made vehicles, the picture is similarly connected. Manufacturers in Japan, South Korea and Thailand supply a substantial share of the cars sold in Australia, and their response to the new protocol is being watched closely across the region. Broader Asia news coverage has tracked how some Japanese manufacturers have pushed back on certain testing parameters while Korean firms have generally embraced the stricter benchmarks as a marketing opportunity.

Reading the New Star Ratings Before You Sign the Paperwork

For shoppers, the practical advice is straightforward. Always check the model year and testing date printed alongside the star rating, because vehicles built before the new protocol was introduced may carry older scores. Compare second-row protection specifically, especially if the car will regularly carry children, older relatives, or three passengers across the back seat. Look at how the vehicle performed in the taller-barrier configuration rather than relying solely on the overall score.

It also pays to test the door feel at the showroom. Heavier doors with a solid thunk usually indicate substantial reinforcement, while doors that feel light or flex when pushed often signal thinner internal structures. Combined with the published data, that small hands-on check can help separate vehicles that merely meet the standard from those that genuinely excel.

Now is a smart time for Australian buyers to revisit their shortlist. With refreshed side impact ratings reshaping the leaderboard, the difference between a five-star car and a four-star one has never been more meaningful. Head to a local dealership, ask for the latest ANCAP sheet for the exact model year on the lot, and weigh the second-row results as carefully as you weigh fuel economy.