The local boss of the Chinese newcomer GAC says the Aion UT Electric Hatch is the safest small car you can buy as the brand prepares to submit its latest model for ANCAP testing.
The Aion UT is the fourth model to join the GAC range in Australia, following the petrol-powered Emzoom small SUV, the Aion V electric mid-size SUV and the plug-in hybrid People M8. Priced from $30,990 (for a limited time only), it is capable of competing with the BYD Dolphin and the GWM Ora.
Both the Dolphin and Ora carry the full five-star ANCAP rating, but GAC Australia CEO Kevin Shu says the Aion UT is safer than both, in addition to other key rivals.
“Aion UT is the safest car in this segment,” said Mr. Shu Daily Sparkz at the local launch of Aion UT in Gosford, New South Wales.
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“The structure and material consumption are better than other competitors. We offer a side airbag cover with a length of more than 2.1 meters.”
“Aion UT is a five-star Euro NCAP company,” added Masato Katsumata, CTO of GAC International.
“The car tested here has the same structure, so we believe it will receive a five-star ANCAP.”
While GAC officials are extremely confident in the safety of the UT, their words are not yet backed up by an official Euro NCAP or ANCAP safety assessment.
That’s set to change later this year, as GAC plans to submit the Aion UT for testing after its eCall system comes online. Now a key part of the ANCAP assessment criteria, eCall is an in-car technology designed to automatically connect occupants to emergency services following an accident.
“As far as the ANCAP test is concerned, there is only one thing that is slightly delaying us and that is the eCall function,” explained Andrew Ratajczak, aftersales director for GAC Australia.
“This is a new box that you need to check to get the full assessment. We understand that.”
“So the hardware is in the car and we’re working with a telematics partner to help us get that up and running, but until we get everything sorted out… you’re probably looking at November.”
“We really want to have this in the car before we test.”
News of the Aion UT’s expected five-star ANCAP rating follows a spate of poor reviews for small cars.
Following its launch in June 2024, the fourth-generation Suzuki Swift initially received a one-star ANCAP safety rating, with physical crash tests revealing stark discrepancies in crash performance between the model delivered in Australia and New Zealand and the three-star rated car sold in Europe.
Suzuki Australia subsequently updated the Swift’s specifications to match its European equivalent and subsequently had the vehicle re-tested and re-rated by ANCAP in August 2025, resulting in an improvement to three stars.
MG was also criticized last year after Euro NCAP testing of the MG 3 Light hatchback revealed a flaw in the driver’s seat locking mechanism, which caused the driver’s seat to partially twist in a frontal collision.
That prompted then local boss Peter Ciao to declare that all future MG models would arrive in Australia with a five-star safety rating.
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