Three more five-star cars after ANCAP testing
Skoda Superb
Skoda Superb recently underwent a renewal and carries notable safety performance across the board after passing ANCAP crash tests. All wagon and sedan variants now carry the five-star ANCAP safety rating. Results are based on testing of its twin, the VW Passat.
Full-mark scores across the board contributed to a near-record high Adult Occupant Protection score of 93 per cent.
The AEB system performed well too, mitigating or preventing crashes with another vehicle, cyclist, motorcyclist and pedestrian in most tests performed. Its safety assist score was 85 per cent, while the vulnerable road user protection score was 82 per cent and child occupant protection scored 86 per cent.
'The Skoda Superb delivers a robust safety package' said: ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg. Moreover, 'The Superb provides a confident choice for families or fleets seeking a sedan or wagon that prioritises safety.'
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan (E200 and E300) offers expected high levels of protection to occupants. And indeed it did not disappoint, with excellent levels of protection for both adults (92 per cent) and children (91 per cent). Full points were scored for the driver in the full-width frontal test and it also performed well in the side impact test. Scores in the mid to high 80s were recorded for the other two tests (vulnerable road user, safety assist).
Ms Hoorweg commented: 'As expected, the E-Class carries through its safety pedigree, offering five-star safety in a premium package.'
Kia Carnival Hybrid
Kia's Carnival in petrol and diesel guises has long had a five-star ANCAP safety rating. With the addition of hybrid variants, further testing was necessary for the battery-assisted sibling. Test results of the hybrid confirm comparable safety performance to when it was tested previously.
The changes to the powertrain and the extra mass of the hybrid meant fresh frontal offset and oblique pole crash tests were needed. These additional tests were required to determine whether any electrical safety concerns arise as a result of crash impact. Otherwise, Carnival HEV shares safety features with the rest of its ICE siblings.
A five-star ANCAP safety rating now applies to all variants of the Kia Carnival.
'This five-star ANCAP safety rating for the Kia Carnival HEV is a positive result for consumers and fleet buyers looking to balance safety and environmental criteria' Ms Hoorweg concluded.
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NZ Autocar
11 hours ago
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Three more five-star cars after ANCAP testing
Two large cars and an MPVare the latest to undergo crash testing by ANCAP. All three received the top pass mark. Respectively, they are the Skoda Superb and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the Kia Carnival. Skoda Superb Skoda Superb recently underwent a renewal and carries notable safety performance across the board after passing ANCAP crash tests. All wagon and sedan variants now carry the five-star ANCAP safety rating. Results are based on testing of its twin, the VW Passat. Full-mark scores across the board contributed to a near-record high Adult Occupant Protection score of 93 per cent. The AEB system performed well too, mitigating or preventing crashes with another vehicle, cyclist, motorcyclist and pedestrian in most tests performed. Its safety assist score was 85 per cent, while the vulnerable road user protection score was 82 per cent and child occupant protection scored 86 per cent. 'The Skoda Superb delivers a robust safety package' said: ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg. Moreover, 'The Superb provides a confident choice for families or fleets seeking a sedan or wagon that prioritises safety.' Mercedes-Benz E-Class The Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan (E200 and E300) offers expected high levels of protection to occupants. And indeed it did not disappoint, with excellent levels of protection for both adults (92 per cent) and children (91 per cent). Full points were scored for the driver in the full-width frontal test and it also performed well in the side impact test. Scores in the mid to high 80s were recorded for the other two tests (vulnerable road user, safety assist). Ms Hoorweg commented: 'As expected, the E-Class carries through its safety pedigree, offering five-star safety in a premium package.' Kia Carnival Hybrid Kia's Carnival in petrol and diesel guises has long had a five-star ANCAP safety rating. With the addition of hybrid variants, further testing was necessary for the battery-assisted sibling. Test results of the hybrid confirm comparable safety performance to when it was tested previously. The changes to the powertrain and the extra mass of the hybrid meant fresh frontal offset and oblique pole crash tests were needed. These additional tests were required to determine whether any electrical safety concerns arise as a result of crash impact. Otherwise, Carnival HEV shares safety features with the rest of its ICE siblings. A five-star ANCAP safety rating now applies to all variants of the Kia Carnival. 'This five-star ANCAP safety rating for the Kia Carnival HEV is a positive result for consumers and fleet buyers looking to balance safety and environmental criteria' Ms Hoorweg concluded.
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2025 GWM Haval H6 HEV Ultra vs KIA Sportage HEV Light AWD vs Toyota RAV4 GX Hybrid Review
Kiwis go gangbusters on medium SUVs. Here we compare a trio of them, all hybrids, all originating from a different country. One is a best seller, the others recent updates. The medium SUV area is groaning with entrants, many newcomers from China. And with hybrids on the ascendancy, the time for a comparison seemed ripe. The latest one we drove was the facelifted version of GWM's H6, a hybrid, the $45,990 Ultra being a front-driver. For the purposes of comparison, we chose another recent facelift out of Korea, Kia's Sportage Light HEV AWD, a model that costs $54,990. It is essentially the entry-level hybrid AWD Sportage. The same model can be had in 2WD guise for $49,990. And because it's the biggest seller in New Zealand for 2025 a RAV4 hybrid came along for the ride. In this case, a GX AWD (like all RAV4s) at $48,790 drive away. Not an exact like-for-like comparison but close enough. 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It's comfortably fast enough. RAV4 has the best brakes of the trio too, both for feel and performance (35m vs 40m for Haval, 37m for Kia). And it is also really decent on fuel use, despite that much bigger engine. Clearly you don't need a lithium-ion battery to achieve this; NiMH for this old timer. So fuel use (rightcar 5.3 overall) was as good as the others, often in the mid5s, a worst of 7.7 and occasionally in the high fours. In part you can put that down to its e-CVT. Sportier drivers moan about these. But most people really like the way they take off on a moderate throttle and then allow the engine to kick back and use less gas when cruising. They certainly have their place. You can EV on the flat in this for a bit too, not quite as much as with the others. On the luggage front this rates at 542L vs 560L for the H6 and 586L for the Kia, again similar. But rear seat legroom is a bit tighter in the RAV4. 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Ride and handling are pretty decent here, taking into account this is front-wheel drive versus the AWD status of the other two. It scrabbles a bit off the line as the torque of the motor kicks in, and pushes on into understeer earlier than the others. We noted occasional suspension thump-bump too, but its ride quality is good, at the slight expense of body control. Still, in a family cruiser an accommodating ride is appreciated. A few frustrations aside, most of which you get used to, the H6 HEV Ultra is a good machine. Both this and the RAV4, by the by, offer towing capacities of 750kg unbraked, 1500kg braked. The Kia manages 1900kg braked. RAV4 is the only one with a real spare, a full-sized one at that. First: Modern sensible Kia Sportage Sometimes you pay a bit more and reap the rewards. That's only partly the case here. Certainly the H6 HEV beats Sportage on the spec front. Kia doesn't call it the Light HEV for nothing. But this has modernity and style that almost eludes the others, along with sensibility and thoughtfulness. Little things matter, like siting the stop/start button where you can see it and having shortcuts to silence annoying chimes. In the facelift there's more interior space thanks to a wheelbase stretch. Figure on 586L of cargo space, quickly expanding to 1872 litres with middle seats locked away. There are now six hybrid models in the seven-strong Sportage range. All come with dual-zone climate control but our car had no heated seats, and no Qi charger. The pews are cloth covered and manually operated. So is the tailgate. For parking, just guidelines, no surround monitor. But the resolution from the 12.3-inch screen is brill. Powering most Sportage models is the Smartstream Hybrid offering output of 169kW and 350Nm. Its motor brings 44kW and an unspecified amount of torque to the party. On the wheel is a mode button. Along with Eco, Sport and Individual, there are various off-road settings. More useful are the paddles for different regen levels. Use these and you seldom need to brake. They regen the 1.5kWh battery pack. Safety systems include seven airbags, and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Junction View. It scans for vehicles at intersections. This also has adaptive cruise which works well, and camera images when indicating. Safe Exit Warning, self explanatory, is handy too. Upon entering, this is similar to the Tucson hybrid we drove a wee while ago, only there's way less spec. But the Tucson was $72k. This is $55k. In the Tucson you can turn off the overspeed warning quickly via a shortcut button. This is simpler still; just push and hold the mute button and traffic sign recognition merely flashes at you instead. Then there's just the chiming of lane keeping, easily nixed, and we left the single bleep indicating change of speed zone on. Afterwards, there's the low level thrum of the engine. A quiet car then, with not much road rumble. As it should be for a family conveyance. It's roomy too, though not clearly bigger than the H6. This handily takes three in the rear, like the Haval, while the boot is the biggest by a small amount. On the go, fuel use quickly falls to the low sixes, with 5.9 the claim (rightcar agrees). During everyday use in or out of town you'd expect fuel use in the fives and sixes. The default Eco mode is not only quite efficient but more than responsive enough. This EVs on almost all downhills, and often on the flat at speeds under 100km/h. On the performance front, a 0-100 is dispatched in 7.6sec, and an optimised overtake requires a little under 5sec. It's the quickest of this bunch, despite having a six-speed auto rather than a CVT. It seems to take off in EV mode each time, nice for a quiet early morning getaway. But like the others, that never lasts long. And the ride is typically Kia too, sufficiently controlling and amenably compliant. Handling is equally sorted, confident in that AWD way. Just right for Antipodean conditions then. The style does it for us too, the best of this trio. We're talking as much inside as out, the widescreen set-up well delivered. There are a few more hard plastics than expected but they're not so obvious. Some final thoughts Overall, the oldest (RAV) and best value (H6) were surprisingly impressive, and so too Sportage, despite being the most expensive and not the best specified. Certainly there are no losers; each brings something worthwhile to the table. And that just goes to show how competitive this class has become. To answer our original question though, currently it's Kia. GWM Haval H6 HEV Ultra $45,990 / 5.2L/100km / 120g/km 0-100 km/h 8.02s 80-120 km/h 5.31s (151m) 100-0 km/h 40.32m Speedo error 97 at an indicated 100km/h Ambient cabin noise 70.6dB@100km/h Engine 1499cc / IL4 / T / DI Max power 110kW@5500-6000rpm Max torque 230Nm@1500-4000rpm Motor output 130kW/300Nm Hybrid System Output 179kW / 530Nm Drivetrain 2-speed auto / FWD Front suspension Mac strrut/sway bar Rear suspension Multilink / sway bar Turning circle 11.9m (2.75 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Discs Stability systems ABS, ESP Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB Tyre size f/r-225/55R19 Wheelbase 2738mm L/W/H 4703 / 1886 / 1730mm Track f-1631mm r-1640mm Fuel capacity 61L Luggage capacity 560-1445L Tow rating 750kg (1500kg Braked) Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km Warranty 7yrs / unlimited km ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2022) Weight (claimed) 1720kg Kia Sportage HEV Light AWD $54,990 / 5.9L/100km / 134g/km 0-100 km/h 7.53s 80-120 km/h 4.81s (134.7m) 100-0 km/h 37.3m Speedo error 96 at an indicated 100km/h Ambient cabin noise 70.6dB@100km/h Engine 1598cc / IL4 / T / DI Max power 132kW@5500rpm Max torque 265Nm@1500-4500rpm Motor output 44kW Hybrid System Output 109kW / 350Nm Drivetrain 6-speed auto / AWD Front suspension Mac strut / sway bar Rear suspension Multilink / sway bar Turning circle 11.76m (2.5 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Discs Stability systems ABS, ESP Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB Tyre size f/r-235/65R17 Wheelbase 2755mm L/W/H 4685 / 1865 / 1627mm Track f-1627mm r-1622mm Fuel capacity 52L Luggage capacity 586-1872L Tow rating 750kg (1900kg Braked) Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km Scheduled servicing 3yrs / 45,000km Warranty 7yrs / 150,000 ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2022) Weight (claimed) 1762kg Toyota RAV4 GX Hybrid $48,790 / 5.3L/100km / 121g/km 0-100 km/h 7.85s 80-120 km/h 5.40s (156m) 100-0 km/h 35.02m Speedo error 97 at an indicated 100km/h Ambient cabin noise 69.8dB@100km/h Engine 2494cc / IL4 / DI Max power 131kW@5700rpm Max torque 221Nm@3600-5200rpm Motor output 88kW/202Nm 40kW/121Nm Hybrid System Output 163kW Drivetrain e-CVT / AWD Front suspension Mac strut / sway bar Rear suspension Wishbones / sway bar Turning circle 11.0m (2.7 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Discs Stability systems ABS, ESP Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB Tyre size f/r-225/65R17 Wheelbase 2690mm L/W/H 4600 / 1855 / 1685mm Track f-1605mm r-1625mm Fuel capacity 55L Luggage capacity 542-1690L Tow rating 750kg (1500kg Braked) Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km Warranty 5yrs / 150,000 km ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2019) Weight (claimed) 1705kg
