ANCAP says there’s no excuse for budget-focused car brands not achieving a five-star safety rating, with Suzuki cited as an example of where more could be done.
A five-star safety rating does not necessarily mean inflated showroom prices, even for manufacturers of more cost-conscious models, according to the heads of safety authorities ANCAP and Euro NCAP.
According to ANCAP boss Carla Hoorweg, car manufacturers like Suzuki have no excuse for not achieving a five-star safety rating. She said safety systems are not too expensive for budget models, while Euro NCAP says “double ratings” help manage higher costs.
“What we tend to see is that if a manufacturer really wants to achieve five stars, they will do so within the target price level,” Ms Hoorweg told the media when asked by Daily Sparkz if the technical requirements to achieve a five-star ANCAP rating are too high.
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While Suzuki’s latest model, the e Vitara electric SUV, has a four-star rating at Euro NCAP, the ANCAP CEO’s comments follow several Suzuki models that have only received a one-star rating in Australia.
This includes the new generation Swift hatchback, which launched in 2024 with a one-star rating and was upgraded to three stars with additional technology late last year. The previous generation Swift had received a five-star rating, apart from the entry-level variant which was rated four stars.
The Suzuki Fronx was launched in 2025 and continues to receive one star after ANCAP testing found the rear seat belt attachment failed, causing a test dummy to come loose and hit its head on the back of the passenger seat.
Suzuki Australia was asked by Daily Sparkz for a comment but haven’t replied yet.
Ms Hoorweg was asked whether cost-conscious buyers are being short-changed when it comes to safety because automakers cannot achieve better results without higher showroom prices, which may make them uncompetitive with the competition.
“I think Suzuki certainly has models that have performed better than others, so we know that from a technical perspective it is possible for them (to achieve five stars),” Ms Hoorweg said.
“I think that’s the case with a lot of manufacturers where you see a range of vehicles and some have done really well and some haven’t; the ones that have done really well have been the ones where they’re really committed to achieving that star rating.”
“We see it again and again: If you put in the effort, you can do it.”
MORE: Explore the Suzuki showroom
