Latest ANCAP crash testing has four Euros on five stars
Polestar 3
First up, the Polestar 3 EV impressed with a very high level of protection offered to child occupants, scoring 94 per cent. It also received top marks for the effectiveness of its child presence detection system (CPD). The set-up offers direct feedback to the driver if child occupants are left in an unattended vehicle. The vehicle was almost as effective at Adult Occupant Protection with a 90 per cent result.
Its active safety features include reverse AEB, which prevents driveway and carpark reversing collisions involving children and adults. It received a 79 per cent score for safety assist and also vulnerable road user protection.
Volkswagen Tiguan
Next up, Volkswagen Tiguan, which also achieved five-star ANCAP status. It scored 83, 88, 84 and 84 per cent across each of the respective Adult, Child, Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories. ANCAP said that the five-seat Tiguan presents a safe all-round package. Driver and front passenger protection in the frontal offset crash test was judged as being very good.
'The Tiguan blends a solid crash structure with a well-rounded active safety offering. That makes it a dependable and practical choice for the safety-conscious family,' said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.
Audi A5
Audi's full-size sedan, the A5, achieved an 87 per cent scores for both Adult and Child Occupant Protection. Protection from injury in the range of destructive crash tests was Good overall. Good levels of protection were also observed for child occupants in the side and frontal crash tests. A child presence detection system is fitted, although this system is not as sophisticated as the direct monitoring CPD system fitted to the Polestar 3.
The collision avoidance systems fitted to the Audi A5 showed effective performance, with the most consistent performance seen in car-to-car autonomous emergency braking functionality. The A5 achieved solid scores of 78 and 79 per cent for Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories, respectively.
Volkswagen Multivan
This people mover first arrived in New Zealand in 2022, though did not go on sale in Australia until early 2025. It features a host of airbags throughout, helping it to achieve a 90 per cent Adult Occupant Protection score and 88 per cent for Child Occupant Protection.
Strong scores were recorded in each of the physical crash tests. For Vulnerable Road Users, the score was 69 per cent and for Safety Assist Multivan managed 79 per cent.
'For families and businesses transporting people regularly, the Multivan offers reassuring levels of protection throughout its three-rows as well as to those outside the vehicle,' said Ms Hoorweg.
Unlike the other three tested here using the latest criteria, the Multivan was assessed using the 2020-2022 crash test regimen.
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Otago Daily Times
11-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Camry takes it up another notch
NEW CAR What's new? Not so many years ago, the launch of a new generation Toyota Camry would have been one of the major motoring events of the year. But in these SUV-dominated days the model that was once a sales leader in a crowded mainstream large saloon segment is now our sole survivor, and its arrival here late last year in what is generally reckoned to be 10th-generation form went largely unnoticed. More than six months on, it's time for this latest Camry to finally grace these pages, tested in top-flight ZR specification. This latest Camry is based quite heavily on the model it replaces, utilising the same underlying platform, the same front doors and the same roof structure. There's a 35mm gain in overall length thanks to an increased front overhang, but its wheelbase, width and height are unchanged. Despite much that's the same, there have been enhancements under the skin including revisions to the suspension and steering. It's a similar story mechanically, where the established recipe of a petrol-electric hybrid system centred on a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle engine and driving the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission is maintained, now as the sole powertrain option. Yet here there have been major enhancements too, including a new and more powerful electric motor and smaller, lighter and more efficient transaxle. Unlike the mildly refreshed exterior, the interior does get a substantive makeover, and this latest Camry also moves ahead with an enhanced array of safety systems and Toyota's latest suite of digital interfaces and technologies. Three mechanically identical variants of the new Camry are available, opening with the $49,990 GX. There's a mid-spec SX listing at $52,990, while the ZR, as tested, tags at $57,990. What comes as standard? Toyota doesn't play favourites within the Camry range for safety equipment, and is rightly proud of a freshly-earned 5-star Ancap test results that includes the highest rating (95%) for adult occupant protection of any car tested under the Ancap system last year. Provided under Toyota's Safety Sense banner, key active safety features include a 360-degree camera system, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-trace assist and lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and curve speed reduction, traffic sign recognition, auto-dipping headlights, blind-spot monitoring with safe exit alert, and a driver monitoring camera. A key safety development with this new Camry is new a forward-facing camera with a far wider field of view than the previous model. This enables the autonomous emergency braking to detect and respond to a wide range of hazards earlier. Turning to creature comforts and convenience features, the entry-level GX is fitted with dual-zone climate control, a six-speaker sound system, and front and rear parking sensors. Sitting on 17-inch alloys and equipped with bi-beam LED headlights, this variant has an eight-inch centre touchscreen, offers smartphone mirroring and voice recognition, and musters four USB-C plugs as well as a single older-style USB-A socket. The SX takes more sophisticated multi-eye LED headlights and adds LED fog lamps. Within the cabin it boasts the larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, a wireless charge pad, a 10-way power adjusting drivers seat, and a leather-rimmed steering wheel. Siting on 18-inch alloys shod with 235/45 Bridgestone tyres, the flagship ZR adds a lot more equipment including a panorama sunroof, nine-speaker JBL sound system, head up display, artificial leather trim, a power-adjusting front passengers seat, heating and ventilation for both front seats, a heated and power-adjusting steering wheel and heated exterior mirrors. What's it look like? Given that there's been no change in wheelbase, and the door and roof structure also carry over, it's a case of (mild) evolution rather than revolution when it comes to the exterior styling of his latest Camry. The nose has been significantly updated, echoing the look of the latest Prius with narrow crescent-shaped headlights, a slit-like upper grille. Unlike the pure EV Prius, the Camry does need to provide for a decent flow of cooling air to its motor, and this is provided by a large lower grille adorned with diamond patterning on its edges. The crescent theme is repeated with the tail lights, and compared to its predecessor this latest Camry also has quite different rear bumper mouldings. A small detail change at the rear is the replacement of the previous model's "hybrid" badging on the right of the bootlid with the letters "HEV", this being reasonably obvious Toyota shorthand for hybrid electric vehicle. Somehow, the overall look manages to be simultaneously inoffensive and quite sleek, and from some side angles surprisingly delicate. What's it like inside? Working from the rear to the front, boot space remains unchanged from the previous Camry at 524-litres. Even on the flagship ZR, the boot lid is not power operated, but that hardly matters since the assist spring is sufficiently powerful to raise the boot itself when opened. One minus point is that ease of access to the back of the cabin has diminished, as the rear door aperture has been modified, seemingly for aesthetic reasons. The new door line, which now bisects the rear side glass insert rather than fully encompassing it make entry and egress tighter. Once aboard, however, the back seats score very well for spaciousness, with ample legroom and plenty of width. The rear row is also quite bright and airy thanks to the panoramic sunroof. Accommodating three adults across the back is easy, albeit with the middle occupant perched slightly higher than those either side. With just two in the back, the rear centre armrest can be deployed. The armrest its fitted with two cupholders, while the back of the centre console houses adjustable rear air vents and dual USB-C charge points. Interior colour and trim choices are fairly conservative, with various shades of grey, gloss black and burnished metallic highlighting, and a disappointing lack of contrast even on the top-spec upholstery of the test car. Yet while the overall effect is not especially adventurous, it's all very neatly done, with soft touch surfaces where you'd expect them, and the normal high Toyota standard of fit and finish. The most obvious visual talking point up front is the horizontal bar insert on the passengers' side of the dash, which is cleverly integrated with the centre touchscreen surround. The touchscreen has quick-access buttons and a rotary volume knob to its right, and is positioned above a separate display screen and button array for the climate control, seat heating and cooling, and steering wheel heating. A wireless charge pad, an oddment cup and a bevy of USB plug points are positioned at the front of the centre console, ahead of the gear selectors and drive mode buttons on the drivers' side, and dual cupholders to the left. Topped by a padded centre armrest, the centre bin is large and deep. Smartphone mirroring was easily accomplished on test, and the centre screen and its menu system impressed for it clarity and generally easy operability. What's it like to drive? With a power adjusting seat and power adjusting steering column, finding a suitable driving position on the ZR Camry is easy. Even with the seat in its lowest position, the driver comparatively high, with good all-round visibility, at least by saloon (as opposed to SUV) standards. Key controls are sensibly positioned, and the fully digital main instrument panel — which changes its display according to the drive mode selected — is clear, though not always instinctive to navigate via the control buttons on the steering wheel. Essential information including both vehicle speed and the speed limit show clearly on the head up display. The powertrain is impressive, as one might expect given Toyota's long experience with hybrid systems. Dubbed a "generation five" system, this hybrid evolution seems able to do more of its lower-speed motoring in purely electric or heavily electric-assisted modes than that of the previous Camry hybrid. That, or course, is all to the good in respect of thrift and round-town and aural refinement. Toyota is famously shy about giving peak torque figures for its hybrids. Indeed, one even has to dig quite hard to ascertain that the petrol engine's 138kW/221Nm outputs are supplemented by an electric motor capability of up to 108kW and 208Nm. Because the petrol and electric motors never produce to their fullest ability at the same time, the system's peak ouput is never the sum of the two. Toyota is quite open than the maximum combined power output is 170Nm, and I'd suggest that when maximum effort is called for, that's backed by around 350Nm of torque. That's ample to deliver snappy overtaking when required, and another standout feature is that the petrol engine never feels or sounds thrashy, even when using the paddle shifts and accelerating hard. Impressive levels of mechanical refinement are backed by well contained wind and road noise and a compliant ride to establish this latest Camry as an effortless and very comfortable highway cruiser. The steering, which firms markedly in sport mode, is precise though a a little short on feel. Handling-wise, the test car was surefooted though medium to quick corners, with a composure (as you would hope) far superior to that of a similar-sized SUV. Tighter bends are less Camry's thing, for while it's a nicely balanced car dynamically, it's also quite large and not especially nimble. Active safety aids are very much the thing these days, and frequently irritatingly intrusive. Hat's off to Toyota, then, for keeping this in check with the latest Camry; even in their default settings, nothing in the active safety suite is too invasive during normal driving, and many of the systems can be partially or fully deactivated anyhow. One attribute especially welcomed on test was the ability to select either adaptive or regular cruise control via the multi-function steering wheel. Economy is worthy of note, too. This latest Camry is rated at 4.5l/100km, and while Drivesouth didn't quite match this on test, the car was returned with a 5.2l/100km return showing on the trip computer. Even allowing for recommended diet of 95 octane gasoline, that's impressive thrift for a large saloon, and underscores just how far Toyota's ongoing refinement of its hybrid systems has progressed. Verdict Incremental improvement is the name of the game with this new-generation Camry. The end result may not stir the soul, but it's deeply impressive nonetheless. AT A GLANCE TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID ZR Overall rating: ★★★★ Design and styling: ★★★+ Interior: ★★★★ Performance: ★★★+ Ride/handling: ★★★★ Safety: ★★★★★ Environmental: ★★★ SPECIFICATION Price: $57,990 Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder 138kW/221Nm petrol engine and 100kW/208Nm electric motor. Maximum combined power 170kW. Transmission: Continuously variable, front-wheel-drive. Safety rating: 5-star Ancap. Wheels and tyres: alloy wheels, 235/45 R18 tyres. Fuel and economy: 95 octane unleaded petrol, 4.5 litres per 100km on standard cycle, fuel tank capacity 50 litres. Carbon emissions: 103 grams CO2/km. Dimensions: Length 4920mm, width 1840mm, height 1445mm. By David Thomson
NZ Autocar
24-06-2025
- NZ Autocar
Latest ANCAP crash testing has four Euros on five stars
Four new vehicles from Europe have recently undergone ANCAP crash testing and passed with flying colours. Polestar 3 First up, the Polestar 3 EV impressed with a very high level of protection offered to child occupants, scoring 94 per cent. It also received top marks for the effectiveness of its child presence detection system (CPD). The set-up offers direct feedback to the driver if child occupants are left in an unattended vehicle. The vehicle was almost as effective at Adult Occupant Protection with a 90 per cent result. Its active safety features include reverse AEB, which prevents driveway and carpark reversing collisions involving children and adults. It received a 79 per cent score for safety assist and also vulnerable road user protection. Volkswagen Tiguan Next up, Volkswagen Tiguan, which also achieved five-star ANCAP status. It scored 83, 88, 84 and 84 per cent across each of the respective Adult, Child, Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories. ANCAP said that the five-seat Tiguan presents a safe all-round package. Driver and front passenger protection in the frontal offset crash test was judged as being very good. 'The Tiguan blends a solid crash structure with a well-rounded active safety offering. That makes it a dependable and practical choice for the safety-conscious family,' said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg. Audi A5 Audi's full-size sedan, the A5, achieved an 87 per cent scores for both Adult and Child Occupant Protection. Protection from injury in the range of destructive crash tests was Good overall. Good levels of protection were also observed for child occupants in the side and frontal crash tests. A child presence detection system is fitted, although this system is not as sophisticated as the direct monitoring CPD system fitted to the Polestar 3. The collision avoidance systems fitted to the Audi A5 showed effective performance, with the most consistent performance seen in car-to-car autonomous emergency braking functionality. The A5 achieved solid scores of 78 and 79 per cent for Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories, respectively. Volkswagen Multivan This people mover first arrived in New Zealand in 2022, though did not go on sale in Australia until early 2025. It features a host of airbags throughout, helping it to achieve a 90 per cent Adult Occupant Protection score and 88 per cent for Child Occupant Protection. Strong scores were recorded in each of the physical crash tests. For Vulnerable Road Users, the score was 69 per cent and for Safety Assist Multivan managed 79 per cent. 'For families and businesses transporting people regularly, the Multivan offers reassuring levels of protection throughout its three-rows as well as to those outside the vehicle,' said Ms Hoorweg. Unlike the other three tested here using the latest criteria, the Multivan was assessed using the 2020-2022 crash test regimen.
NZ Autocar
20-06-2025
- NZ Autocar
Next Audi RS 6 will have electrified powertrains only
Both hybrid and electric performance A6s are being readied for 2026, the former based on a V8 engine. Camera mirrors may be an option for next RS 6. Whatever the choice, all RS 6s will be electrified for the fifth generation of the go-hard large family Audi. And the electric variant will be the first full EV for Audi Sport. A competitor to BMW M5 and i5 M60, the new RS 6 will be the most powerful version yet, as you'd expect with an additional power source on board. It is likely to produce up to 544kW in combustion-engined form. And it will also come in both saloon and wagon versions, something not offered by Audi in 15 years. A couple of years back, Audi Sport was intending to take the RS 6 fully electric. But sluggish EV sales have convinced it to extend the life cycles of key ICE models to the middle of the 2030s. The electric RS 6 e-tron will use Volkswagen Group's new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings. But the hybrid example will run on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture. In other words, an update of the MLB mechanicals it already uses. Power galore Expect the 4.0 twinturbo V8 petrol engine to be carryover. To meet Euro 7 emissions legislation, it combines with a plug-in hybrid system that has a motor mounted in the gearbox. A similar powertrain is used in Porsche's Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. There, it is good for 575kW and 1000Nm, sufficient for a sub 3.0sec sprint time. Audi will likely be chasing similar spirited performance. The electric RS 6 e-tron will run a dual-motor, four-wheel drive powertrain similar to that in the S6 e-tron, only with greater output. Expect around 500kW and 950Nm. It should almost give the RS e-tron GT a run for its money. Audi is expected to give the RS 6 e-tron similar paddle and sonic treatment to the Ioniq 5 N, for greater driver engagement. The engineers are also working on a 'progressive torque curve'. The EV will use the same 95kWh (usable) battery as the A6 e-tron but it won't have as much range, around 640km. Styling will involve the usual amped up aggressive appearance compared with their more mainstream stablemates. Cue wider wheel arches, a bigger diffuser and spoiler, and a lower, wider stance. Read our review of the S5 Avant here. The PHEV will feature bigger air intakes and central tailpipes. Both models will be 4900mm long. Expect the PHEV to be around 2090kg, and the RS 6 e-tron to weigh in excess of 2500kg. Audi Sport will likely employ a new active suspension system similar to that used on the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. Brakes will likely be carbon ceramic units with 10-pot front calipers.
