Australia’s new vehicle safety regulator received the award Audi Q3, Audi A3 And Cupra Leon Five star safety ratings while the Nissan Qashqai And Suzuki Vitara Electric SUVs received four stars in the latest round of testing ahead of stricter protocols for 2026.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) said the e Vitara’s result represents an improvement for Suzuki following lower scores for newer models.
The rating follows the one and three star results for the Suzuki Fronx and Suzuki Swift respectively, which were criticized by ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg.
However, Ms Hoorweg said the e Vitara demonstrated improved safety performance, although it did not achieve the five-star rating based on its protection rating for adult occupants.
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“It is encouraging to see improvements in safety performance across the market,” she said in a statement.
“This latest review of the e Vitara is proof that Suzuki can produce a model that offers a solid level of safety performance.”
Under the 2025 protocols, the e Vitara achieved 77 percent in adult occupant protection, 87 percent in child occupant protection, 79 percent in vulnerable road user protection and 71 percent in safety assist.
“These results show that a higher level of safety is within reach and that continued focus on delivering consistent performance across all areas is key to achieving the highest rating,” said Ms. Hoorweg.
The Nissan Qashqai also received a four-star rating after being retested following specification changes, becoming the first Qashqai not to achieve five stars since the nameplate was introduced in Australia in 2014.
It scored 91 percent for child occupant protection and 78 percent for adult occupant protection, but was held back by ratings of 68 percent for protecting vulnerable road users and 62 percent for safety assist.
Among the five-star performers, the new-generation Q3 scored 86 percent in adult occupant protection, 80 percent in child occupant protection, 76 percent in vulnerable road user protection and 75 percent in safety assist.
The A3 and Leon were also re-evaluated following specification updates, with both continuing to achieve five-star results.
The A3 received a rating of 87 percent for occupant protection for adults, 86 percent for occupant protection for children, 76 percent for protection of vulnerable road users and 75 percent for safety assistant.
The Leon achieved 88 percent in occupant protection for adults, 86 percent in occupant protection for children and 82 percent in both protection of unprotected road users and safety assistant.
In 2026, stricter ANCAP protocols will come into force, with increased scrutiny of the effectiveness and usability of advanced driver assistance systems in line with Euro NCAP developments.
| Model | ANCAP security rating | Protection for adults | Passenger protection for children | Protection of vulnerable road users | Security assistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Audi A3 | 5 stars | 86% | 80% | 76% | 75% |
| 2026 Audi Q3 | 5 stars | 87% | 86% | 80% | 83% |
| 2026 Cupra Leon | 5 stars | 88% | 86% | 82% | 82% |
| 2026 Nissan Qashqai | 4 stars | 78% | 91% | 68% | 62% |
| 2026 Suzuki and Vitara | 4 stars | 77% | 87% | 79% | 71% |
MORE: The ANCAP security protocols for 2026 are here: what you need to know
